The UK is different from other countries, as the line between public and private universities here is not well formulated.
For many years, British universities were funded through state grants and a whole range of other subsidies. However, over the last few years, the system has changed, and now most students pay tuition fees. Still, unlike in some other countries, at least to date, there are no significant differences in funding between public and private universities in the UK. Most public universities are funded by the state but are nevertheless sufficiently autonomous.
International student tuition for the most prestigious universities typically costs more, though public or private isn’t really a distinction, as pointed out above. Public university undergraduate courses may cost between £11,400 and £32,081 per year, although private costs can be steeper, though. The quality and resources going into the education, however, justify the spend.