Nursing in Plymouth: studying, working, and living guide
Find out about nursing in Plymouth - where nurses can find jobs, the hospitals they might work in, colleges & universities to study in, plus living information.
Plymouth is a port city located on the south coast of Devon in South West England. It is known as Britain’s Ocean City.
Plymouth is famed for its maritime heritage and historic Barbican district, which has the largest concentration of cobbled streets in Britain. For nurses, Plymouth could be a delightful place to live, work and study.
From cost of living and travel through to culture and nightlife, here is our useful guide for nurses wanting to study or work in Plymouth.
Where do nurses work in Plymouth?
Throughout the city of Plymouth there are many healthcare providers, both NHS hospitals/ general practices and private facilities.
Derriford hospital
Mount Gould hospital
Practice Plus Group Hospital (Combined private/NHS Hospital)
The Child Development Centre (Paediatric)
Derriford Hospital is the main site of the University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust. It is the largest specialist teaching hospital in the South West peninsula and the region’s major trauma centre.
In Plymouth there are also numerous independent hospices and care homes which support adults, elderly people and children. They are always looking for Registered Nurses and carers.
Where can aspiring nurses study in Plymouth?
Anyone wanting to study as a health professional in Plymouth can study at the University of Plymouth, which offers numerous nursing courses and has start dates in September. It is the only university in Plymouth, and is the largest university in the Southwest.
The University of Plymouth has two campuses, City Centre and North Plymouth, the latter located close to Derriford Hospital where a variety of nursing related courses are offered.
Plymouth Marjon University, located in Derriford, offers selective nursing courses with start dates in September. Students are taught by experienced nursing academics offering placements in clinical practice and working with local healthcare providers in acute and community care settings. The Complete University Guide scored it No.1 in the UK for student satisfaction.
Find our nursing university guide here.
The average monthly rental in Plymouth is around £650 which is very reasonable and far cheaper than living in other major cities such as London and Manchester.
Where do nurses live in Plymouth?
There are lots of suitable places all over the port city for nurses to live in Plymouth.
A few of the most popular for students, nurses, and professionals are:
Peverell
Popular with students as it is close to Central Park, the area’s most significant green space, as well as being convenient for shops, bars and restaurants.
Lipson
Lots of big properties, many split into flats boasting gardens and sea views; ideal location for nurses with families.
Stoke Village
A popular village close to Plymouth Town Centre with lots of restaurants and shops; it is a 30-minute walk to the University of Plymouth.
Plymouth City Centre
Popular with students, professionals, and nurses due to its closeness to all amenities.
What are the living costs for nurses in Plymouth?
Plymouth is in the top ten most affordable places for students to live in the UK.
Here is a general guide to some of the different costs of living in Plymouth:
The average price for a home in Plymouth is currently£240,750 which is lower than the national average of £293,000 – according to Rightmove.
The average rental price for a property in Plymouth is £650 per month. But if you are looking to rent a room in a shared house, the average cost is just over £350.
Council tax costs vary across the city. But many people reside in a Band B property or similar, which means paying £1561 a year, which works out to just under £130 per a month.
Other bills like shopping and utilities are priced the same as the rest of the UK.
Eating out and entertainment costs will vary depending on where you visit, but there are plenty of great value places to go in the city.
Is travel easy in Plymouth?
Transport links in Plymouth provide easy access to cities and towns across the country.
The A38, also known as the Devon Expressway, is the main carriageway in and out of Plymouth, running from Bodmin in Cornwall, and via Bristol to Nottinghamshire. It also provides access to the M5 at Exeter for links to the Midlands.
By train Plymouth has fast and frequent access to London (three hours), as well as direct trains to Exeter and Bristol.
Plymouth is one of the UK’s most historic ports and provides ferry links to France and Spain
The nearest airport is Exeter International Airport, which is less than one hour's drive. Bristol Airport is also close to Plymouth, and offers flights to a wide range of international destinations.
What to do in Plymouth: walks, culture, nightlife and eating out
The city of Plymouth has wonderful places to visit and explore for your days off, with something for all ages and interests.
Culture and attractions
Plymouth is a vibrant waterfront city, and a hub for marine biology. Plymouth’s National Marine Aquarium has over 5,000 ocean animals and eye-opening exhibits, making it a perfect place to visit for nurses and their families.
Another place to head to is Drake’s Island, which provided protection to the city and port of Plymouth for almost 600 years. Accessible by ferry from Plymouth Sound, it has recently reopened to the public and is a wonderful place to explore with its rich and varied history.
Mayflower Marina and Royal William Yard are also exciting places to visit. Both offer stunning views and boating tours/experiences while Royal William Yard houses numerous popular restaurants, bars and shops.
Plymouth has many green places to walk around including Central Park- the largest park in Plymouth. It provides fantastic views over the city towards Plymouth Sound and Cornwall and is an idyllic place to explore with friends and family.
You will also find many fascinating art and museums to head to including The Box Plymouth, The Art Institute (located in the University of Plymouth) and Mayflower Steps, following the route of the pilgrims in the Barbican area, as well as the Mayflower Museum.
There are many music venues in Plymouth with major concerts staged at Home Park – also the home of Plymouth Argyle Football Club - Plymouth Pavilions and One Plymouth – all ideal places to visit for those with a love of live music.
Plymouth Argyle Football Club themselves compete in League One of the English Football League, and Plymouth Albion Rugby Football Club play their home matches at the Brickfields Stadium competing in National League One.
Plymouth City Patriots are the city’s premier league basketball team that plays in the British Basketball League, with matches staged at Plymouth Pavilions Millbay.
Plymouth also has an illustrious aquatic sport history, being the home of Olympic gold medalist diver Tom Daley and Plymouth Leander, the most successful swimming club in the UK. The Plymouth Life Centre, a leisure centre complete with a fitness suite, a 10 lane 50-metre Olympic standard swimming pool and an Olympic standard diving pool, is the place to be for any keen swimmers.
Nightlife and eating out
Plymouth has many places to offer for its nightlife, from restaurants to bars.
Highlights include:
The Boathouse, a sea food restaurant and bar with an emphasis on serving fresh, locally sourced fish and shellfish, and seasonal produce.
Kawaffle, the number one TripAdvisor Restaurant in Plymouth, known for its fun theming and delicious waffles.
Dunya Restaurant, popular for its mouth-watering Turkish dishes with the freshest and finest ingredients.
Cosmic Kitchen is a family run, 100% plant-based vegan bistro, serving nutritious food with Cypriot inspired flavours.
This is just a preview of what is on offer in Plymouth, with many great attractions and restaurants waiting to be discovered.
What are the school options in Plymouth?
No matter where you’re living in Plymouth, there are many schools in which you can send your children to.
Plymouth has 69 Primary schools, 27 Secondary schools and 4 private independent schools.
There are 45 Ofsted rated Outstanding or Good schools in the city.
The perfect school for your children could be in Plymouth.
Population and demographics in Plymouth
Here are some of the stand-out population and demographic facts in Plymouth:
Plymouth has a population of 242,000.
Its population density is 8,500 people per square mile.
3.3 % of Plymouth’s population is unemployed- lower than the UK Average.
Plymouth’s population is expected to grow to over 269k by 2031.
In summary: is Plymouth a good place to be a Nurse?
Plymouth is an affordable place to live if you are looking to relocate, but it provides an extensive list of things to do and places to visit- no matter if you have family, are a student or experienced nursing professional.
Plymouth has lots of places for students to study to become nurses, and travel to and from the city is easy as there are numerous transport options.
Living costs are lower than the national average and there is lots of work on offer, which you can view on our website.
Nurses earn just over £41,000 per a year in Plymouth. So, your salary as a Registered Nurse goes much further in Plymouth.
Here are a couple of examples:
As a Newly Qualified Nurse on an NHS Band 5 salary, if you rented a house, you would still have just over £200 left in your pocket each month for everything else.
As a Band 6 Nurse, you would easily be able to borrow enough money to buy a joint mortgage for an average-priced flat in Plymouth. In fact, in many parts your salary would cover the cost of buying a house.
As a nursing student or nurse in Plymouth, you will have an excellent quality of life and plenty of things to see and do in your valuable spare time.
