Whether or not you need to purchase or are renting, we’ve discovered the most affordable locations to dwell within the UK so you may stretch your finances so far as doable.
We regularly puzzled if we must always pack up and transfer away from the place we lived. Residing within the southeast, hire and property costs are excessive—very excessive!
If we moved, we may greater than reduce our month-to-month bills in half, which is why we stored discussing it (and finally made the transfer).
When planning to maneuver and appeared into an space, we checked each rental prices and the price of shopping for a house.
Our preliminary plan was to hire first, guarantee the world fits our household, after which purchase after six months to at least one 12 months. This might give us time to examine we’ve picked the correct space with out committing some huge cash upfront.
So, in case you’re on a decent finances however need to get on the housing ladder, listed below are the most affordable locations to dwell within the UK.
Least expensive place to purchase a home within the UK
The typical home value within the UK is £282,000 as of January 2024 (up from £230,332 in February 2020), however that’s simply a mean, and yow will discover houses far cheaper all around the nation.
It’s the identical bricks and mortar – simply with a distinct postcode.
10 most cost-effective locations to dwell within the UK
- Burnley – £105,000
- Hyndburn – £122,000
- County Durham – £124,998
- Kingston upon Hull – £129,100
- Blaenau Gwent – £130,000
- Blackpool – £132,500
- Sunderland – 133,000
- Pendle – £133,000
- Hartlepool – £135,000
- Middlesbrough – £135,000
However what’s it like residing there?
Right here’s what we’ve came upon.
10. Middlesbrough – £135,000
You’ll have loads to maintain you busy in Middlesbrough and get loads of home on your cash.
There may be a number of tradition, together with a giant leisure park, musical heritage, an annual Mela competition, and an Artwork Weekender competition. There’s additionally a college for anybody eager to additional their research, after which there’s Middlesbrough FC for anybody into soccer.
And, if you’d like a problem, attempt strolling Roseberry Topping, which is on Middlesbrough’s doorstep. It’s obtained some AMAZING views from the highest, and Captain Prepare dinner used to climb it as a boy.
Extra data:
Middlesbrough council
We Are Middlesbrough
9. Hartlepool – £135,000
Hartlepool is on the North Beach.
With hundreds of years of historical past, miles of golden sands, and the multi-million-pound marina advanced, the low home costs are simply one other bonus!
Due to the historic hyperlinks to the maritime business, Hartlepool attracts vacationers, which may help increase native commerce. Culturally, you’ve obtained the added bonus of annual festivals, Tall Ships Races and varied museums and galleries.
Extra data:
Hartlepool council
8. Pendle – £133,000
Pendle, in Lancashire, is correct subsequent to the Yorkshire Dales, an Space of Excellent Pure Magnificence. You possibly can discover, stretch your legs, and cycle by the countryside right here.
Chances are you’ll know Pendle for his or her witches who have been a part of the most important witch trial in England tons of of years in the past, and you will note many nods to if you’re there.
Three of the most important employers within the space are Rolls-Royce plc, Silentnight and the Daisy Group.
Pendle was really voted one of the best place to retire within the UK by Howden Insurance coverage due to its group, landscapes, and historical past.
Extra data:
Pendle Borough Council
Go to Pendle
8. Sunderland – £133,000
With a (former Premier League) soccer workforce and a world-leading College, this metropolis can have one thing for everybody.
In Tyne and Put on, Sunderland has some very low cost home costs and a great deal of issues to maintain you busy. It’s on the mouth of the River Put on plus the coast, so that you’ve obtained each seashores and inexperienced house.
There are tons of of years of historical past, which you’ll see from points of interest like Hylton Citadel, the Museum and Winter Gardens and the Nationwide Glass Centre. Additionally, get entangled with the annual occasions just like the Sunderland Worldwide Airshow, the place the Crimson Arrows carry out, the free Worldwide Pageant of Kites, Music and Dance, and Sunderland Restaurant Week, the place you may get low cost meals from only a fiver!
On high of that, you’ve obtained a direct line practice straight all the way down to London King’s Cross, and also you’ll be within the capital in 3 hours and half-hour.
Extra data:
Sunderland Council
See it Do It Sunderland
6. Blackpool – £132,500
Blackpool could be very well-known for its Pleasure Seashore, which is ready on the west coast in the direction of the Irish Sea.
The seaside resort can be one of many most cost-effective locations to dwell, though you shouldn’t spend all of your financial savings on the arcades!
By way of issues to do, there are main points of interest such because the Blackpool Illuminations gentle present, the landmark Tower, the Winter Gardens, and the piers.
Nevertheless, Blackpool can be very well-known for the humanities, with a number of avenue artwork, arts and artistic actions, and performing arts, dance and music.
It’s a vacationer hotspot with individuals visiting, however with its personal close by Blackpool Airport, you may jet off to Majorca, Malaga or Eire.
Extra data:
Blackpool council
Go to Blackpool
5. Blaenau Gwent – £130,000
The one Wlesh space on the checklist of most cost-effective locations to purchase a house within the UK is Blaenau Gwent, which implies uplands Gwent. Following reforms in 1974, it introduced collectively 5 districts and a parish.
Blaenau Gwent is inland however in the direction of the south of Wales, and the world has a protracted historical past of rugby and soccer.
The world is on the sting of the Bannau Brycheiniog (Brecon Beacons). Right here, you may expertise a number of the older industrial historical past, plus whole scenic magnificence!
Extra data:
Blaenau Gwent council
Go to Wales
4. Kingston upon Hull – £129,100
Hull was the Metropolis of Tradition in 2017, and though a good period of time has handed since then, the place nonetheless has an enormous arts scene.
Plus, historical past, the Hull Truthful, festivals, incredible structure, rugby league groups, championship soccer, ice hockey, the River Humber, and a college, to call only a few issues.
I really feel just a little biased about this one, as we moved to Hull a number of years in the past after doing our personal analysis.
Though it’s a buzzing metropolis, as a result of it’s on the finish of the practice line, it’s not all the time bustling with guests. It’s additionally round 25 minutes to the coast (which is gorgeous!).
There are rail hyperlinks direct to London King’s Cross, Manchester, and Leeds.
And, even in case you don’t plan on shifting right here, at the very least come and go to – it’s an excellent place!
Extra data:
Hull Council
Go to Hull
3. County Durham – £124,998
County Durham presents loads to absorb, and the extremely low cost home costs imply it’s a spot to actually look into in case you’re seeking to get on the property ladder on a low finances.
Primarily based within the North East of England, it takes simply quarter-hour by practice to Newcastle, 45 minutes to York, three hours to get all the way down to London, and solely two hours to Edinburgh.
You’ve obtained greater than 1,000 years of historical past in Durham, and you may take within the sights from the Durham Dales to the Durham Coast.
Durham Citadel is a UNESCO World Heritage Web site, and you may see a panoramic metropolis view. You’ve additionally obtained Durham Cathedral on the River Put on, which is free entry (and was used as a set for Hogwarts in Harry Potter!).
There are many good faculties, and also you’ve additionally obtained Durham College.
The North Pennies has a number of the darkest skies within the nation, so it’s an ideal place to dwell in case you love stargazing. There may be an observatory, in addition to a 12 day Stargazing Pageant.
Extra data:
County Durham council
Durham tourism website
2. Hyndburn – £122,000
Hyndburn is a neighborhood authorities district in Lancashire, within the north-west of the nation. Considered one of its largest cities is Accrington.
When you like the outside, you’ll love the world as you’ve obtained the Pennines and the West Pennine Moors to discover and the River Hyndburn that runs by the world. They host annual occasions, together with the Soapbox Problem and The Accrington Meals Pageant.
Trains strains have hyperlinks to Blackpool, Manchester and York.
Whilst you get loads on your cash, in case you’re after a job, The Occasions voted their Borough Council the tenth “Greatest Public Sector Locations to Work” in 2020.
Extra data:
Hyndburn Borough Council
1. Burnley – £105,000
With a direct line practice to Manchester, commuters can discover low cost housing and attain the town in lower than an hour from Burnley.
Some older-style homes are very quaint stone homes that have been well-built. You’ll be residing near nationwide parks, the Pennine Method, and Areas of Excellent Pure Magnificence.
Extra data:
Burnley council
All costs are the median value paid for the most affordable houses in native areas, based mostly on analysis from the Workplace of Nationwide Statistics (within the 12 months ending September 2023). Costs can be greater or decrease in case you’re after a flat or a indifferent one.
Least expensive locations to hire within the UK
When you’re seeking to get probably the most of your cash renting, listed below are the ten most cost-effective locations to hire within the UK:
- Hartlepool – £553 per thirty days
- County Durham – £574 per thirty days
- Burnley – £578 per thirty days
- North East Lincolnshire – £582 per thirty days
- Redcar and Cleveland UA593
- Kingston upon Hull – £593 per thirty days
- Bolsover – £595 per thirty days
- Hyndburn – £605 per thirty days
- Pendle – £608 per thirty days
- Middlesbrough – £609 per thirty days
All costs are the imply common month-to-month non-public rents for the most affordable 3 mattress homes in every space, based mostly on analysis from the ONS (to 30 September 2023).
Do you have to transfer someplace cheaper?
Whereas these are the most affordable homes within the UK, you’ll additionally have to consider many different issues, not simply the property’s value.
It’s all very effectively and good shifting to the most affordable place, but it surely’s price checking the native space to be sure you’ll be blissful residing there.
Planning to maneuver to an space is a giant change, so a good quantity of analysis is required.
When wanting into new areas, we additionally take a look at:
- Employment alternatives – each for you and your children sooner or later
- Common wage
- Colleges (major, secondary, additional schooling) – examine Ofsted experiences and chat with dad and mom in native Fb teams
- Crime charges – use a device to examine for crime charges within the final 12 months
- Broadband speeds (if it is advisable be on-line or the youngsters prefer to stream!) – use a broadband protection device with a postcode of the world you’re wanting into
- Tradition and issues to do within the space
Let’s face it, cash isn’t the whole lot.
I’ve identified lots of people in actually well-paid jobs, however they’re sad.
Sure, you want cash, and spending much less when on a decent finances helps, however you additionally should be blissful.
To steadiness it out, The Occasions publishes an inventory of one of the best locations to dwell within the UK.
This checklist takes under consideration private well-being, pubs, gyms, broadband, schooling, well being, rain and sunshine, inhabitants, site visitors, CO2 emissions, crime, surroundings, home costs and sizes, and employment.
Not one of the high 10 most cost-effective locations to dwell made it to the Occasions checklist, with all areas costing effectively above £100,000.
The highest 20 “greatest” locations to dwell within the UK are:
- Ingatestone, Essex
- Norwich, Norfolk
- Saffron Walden, Essex
- Sheringham, Norfolk
- The Shelfords, Cambridgeshire
- The Shorlet Peninsula, Suffolk
- Wivenhoe, Essex
- Clerkenwell, EC1
- Crouch Finish, N8
- Forest Hill, SE23
The typical home value in Ingatestone is £762,000.
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Completely satisfied house, blissful life
However, when it comes all the way down to it, house is the place YOU are blissful.
It’s not a couple of checklist or a statistic.
It’s a spot the place you’re snug and might dwell contentedly.
Inquisitive about shifting? Try this information on the newbie’s information to mortgages.
And, if you’re prepared, right here’s step-by-step directions on find out how to apply for a mortgage.
Lastly, if you’ve discovered a spot to go, use this deal with adjustments guidelines so that you don’t neglect to inform essential organisations that you just’ve obtained a brand new house.
Naomi is aware of the burden of residing on little or no and have become debt free by following her personal cash saving suggestions and methods. She is an knowledgeable on saving cash on the grocery store and facet hustles.
