For countless young professionals and students moving to the capital, securing affordable accommodation in London feels like an impossible dream. With average monthly room rents hitting around £995 in 2025, excluding bills, sharing a house is often the only financially viable path. However, one resourceful traveller discovered a clever hack to slash her living costs dramatically, enabling her to reside in one of London's most coveted neighbourhoods.
From Unpaid Intern to Hostel Dweller
Zahra Khozema arrived in London in 2019 with significant financial pressure. The then-23-year-old, studying for a Master's in journalism, had accrued over £30,000 in debt. Despite this, she accepted an unpaid internship at the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation's international news bureau, viewing it as an unmissable career opportunity. Facing monthly rents of approximately £500, the freelance journalist and podcast producer from Toronto needed a radically creative housing solution.
Her answer was to bypass the traditional rental market entirely. Zahra moved into Bowden Court hostel in Notting Hill, a charity-run establishment offering budget-friendly stays. For just £80 per week, she secured the bottom half of a bunk bed in a room shared with three other women. This fee also covered two meals daily, laundry service access, and gym facilities.
Life in a Fancy Postcode on a Budget
This arrangement placed Zahra in the heart of one of London's most desirable districts, an area famed for its pastel-coloured houses, Portobello Road Market, the Notting Hill Carnival, and its iconic film status. "It was the cheapest I could find," Zahra, now 30, recalled. "The room was tiny; if one person was standing up, it felt crowded."
What began as a short-term fix evolved into a year-long home. The hostel community was remarkably diverse, featuring a Japanese resident who cut hair, a portrait-painting British gentleman, students, EU nationals learning English, retail and hospitality workers, and even some British pensioners. Residents bonded over parties, language exchanges, and shared meals.
"I feel like they get a bad rep, especially if you choose them as accommodation as an adult," said Zahra, who is well-travelled and accustomed to hostels. "I've often found hostels to be as clean as Airbnbs." Bowden Court offered practical benefits: cleaning twice daily, weekly linen changes, 24-hour security, and a discount for longer stays. "By the end I was paying maybe £50 to £60 a week," she noted.
The Trade-Offs and Ultimate Triumph
This ultra-low-cost living did involve significant compromises. Privacy was non-existent, and storage was severely limited, with all Zahra's possessions confined to a suitcase, nightstand, and narrow wardrobe. Room dynamics could be challenging, with roommates sitting on her bed or partners visiting. "And when he slept over and rolled in bed, the whole structure of the bed moved," she explained. The lack of cooking facilities and occasional poor food were additional drawbacks.
Despite these hurdles, the financial advantage was transformative. While living at the hostel, Zahra began full-time work in communications. Combined with reduced spending during the pandemic, her minimal living costs allowed her to save aggressively. Within a year, she had cleared her entire £30,000 debt.
Her hostel experience concluded with an upgrade to a house share with four friends she met at Bowden Court, which felt palatial in comparison. Reflecting on her journey, Zahra finished: "All in all, I have great memories from that time. I made friends for life. When I moved to the UK, I only had enough for a one-way ticket, but when I returned home after two years, I was clear of debt. I was really grateful that I was able to do that."
