Whether you want to buy or are renting, we’ve found the cheapest places to live in the UK so you can stretch your budget as far as possible.
We often wondered if we should pack up and move away from where we lived. Living in the southeast, rent and property prices are high—very high!
If we moved, we could more than cut our monthly expenses in half, which is why we kept discussing it (and eventually made the move).
When planning to move and looked into an area, we checked both rental costs and the cost of buying a home.
Our initial plan was to rent first, ensure the area suits our family, and then buy after six months to one year. This would give us time to check we’ve picked the right area without committing a lot of money upfront.
So, if you’re on a tight budget but want to get on the housing ladder, here are the cheapest places to live in the UK.
Cheapest place to buy a house in the UK
The average house price in the UK is £282,000 as of January 2024 (up from £230,332 in February 2020), but that’s just an average, and you can find homes far cheaper all over the country.
It’s the same bricks and mortar – just with a different postcode.
10 cheapest places to live in 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
But what’s it like living there?
Here’s what we’ve found out.
10. Middlesbrough – £135,000
You’ll have plenty to keep you busy in Middlesbrough and get plenty of house for your money.
There is a lot of culture, including a big leisure park, musical heritage, an annual Mela festival, and an Art Weekender festival. There’s also a university for anyone wanting to further their studies, and then there’s Middlesbrough FC for anyone into football.
And, if you want a challenge, try walking Roseberry Topping, which is on Middlesbrough’s doorstep. It’s got some AMAZING views from the top, and Captain Cook used to climb it as a boy.
More information:
9. Hartlepool – £135,000
Hartlepool is on the North Sea coast.
With thousands of years of history, miles of golden sands, and the multi-million-pound marina complex, the low house prices are just another bonus!
Because of the historical links to the maritime industry, Hartlepool attracts tourists, which can help boost local trade. Culturally, you’ve got the added bonus of annual festivals, Tall Ships Races and various museums and galleries.
More information:
8. Pendle – £133,000
Pendle, in Lancashire, is right next to the Yorkshire Dales, an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. You can explore, stretch your legs, and cycle through the countryside here.
You may know Pendle for their witches who were part of the largest witch trial in England hundreds of years ago, and you will see many nods to when you’re there.
Three of the largest employers in the area are Rolls-Royce plc, Silentnight and the Daisy Group.
Pendle was actually voted the best place to retire in the UK by Howden Insurance because of its community, landscapes, and history.
More information:
8. Sunderland – £133,000
With a (former Premier League) football team and a world-leading University, this city will have something for everyone.
In Tyne and Wear, Sunderland has some very cheap house prices and loads of things to keep you busy. It’s on the mouth of the River Wear plus the coast, so you’ve got both beaches and green space.
There are hundreds of years of history, which you can see from attractions like Hylton Castle, the Museum and Winter Gardens and the National Glass Centre. Also, get involved with the annual events like the Sunderland International Airshow, where the Red Arrows perform, the free International Festival of Kites, Music and Dance, and Sunderland Restaurant Week, where you can get cheap meals from just a fiver!
On top of that, you’ve got a direct line train straight down to London King’s Cross, and you’ll be in the capital in 3 hours and 30 minutes.
More information:
6. Blackpool – £132,500
Blackpool is very well known for its Pleasure Beach, which is set on the west coast towards the Irish Sea.
The seaside resort is also one of the cheapest places to live, although you shouldn’t spend all your savings at the arcades!
In terms of things to do, there are major attractions such as the Blackpool Illuminations light show, the landmark Tower, the Winter Gardens, and the piers.
However, Blackpool is also very well known for the arts, with lots of street art, arts and creative activities, and performing arts, dance and music.
It’s a tourist hotspot with people visiting, but with its own nearby Blackpool Airport, you can jet off to Majorca, Malaga or Ireland.
More information:
5. Blaenau Gwent – £130,000
The only Wlesh area on the list of cheapest places to buy a home in the UK is Blaenau Gwent, which means uplands Gwent. Following reforms in 1974, it brought together five districts and a parish.
Blaenau Gwent is inland but towards the south of Wales, and the area has a long history of rugby and football.
The area is on the edge of the Bannau Brycheiniog (Brecon Beacons). Here, you can experience some of the older industrial history, plus total scenic beauty!
More information:
4. Kingston upon Hull – £129,100
Hull was the City of Culture in 2017, and although a fair amount of time has passed since then, the place still has a massive arts scene.
Plus, history, the Hull Fair, festivals, fantastic architecture, rugby league teams, championship football, ice hockey, the River Humber, and a university, to name just a few things.
I feel a little biased about this one, as we moved to Hull a few years ago after doing our own research.
Although it’s a buzzing city, because it’s at the end of the train line, it’s not always bustling with visitors. It’s also around 25 minutes to the coast (which is stunning!).
There are rail links direct to London King’s Cross, Manchester, and Leeds.
And, even if you don’t plan on moving here, at least come and visit – it’s a brilliant place!
More information:
3. County Durham – £124,998
County Durham offers a lot to take in, and the incredibly cheap house prices mean it’s a place to really look into if you’re looking to get on the property ladder on a low budget.
Based in the North East of England, it takes just 15 minutes by train to Newcastle, 45 minutes to York, three hours to get down to London, and only two hours to Edinburgh.
You’ve got more than 1,000 years of history in Durham, and you can take in the sights from the Durham Dales to the Durham Coast.
Durham Castle is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and you can see a panoramic city view. You’ve also got Durham Cathedral on the River Wear, which is free entry (and was used as a set for Hogwarts in Harry Potter!).
There are plenty of good schools, and you’ve also got Durham University.
The North Pennies has some of the darkest skies in the country, so it’s a perfect place to live if you love stargazing. There is an observatory, as well as a 12 day Stargazing Festival.
More information:
2. Hyndburn – £122,000
Hyndburn is a local government district in Lancashire, in the north-west of the country. One of its largest towns is Accrington.
If you like the outdoors, you’ll love the area as you’ve got the Pennines and the West Pennine Moors to explore and the River Hyndburn that runs through the area. They host annual events, including the Soapbox Challenge and The Accrington Food Festival.
Trains lines have links to Blackpool, Manchester and York.
While you get a lot for your money, if you’re after a job, The Times voted their Borough Council the 10th “Best Public Sector Places to Work” in 2020.
More information:
1. Burnley – £105,000
With a direct line train to Manchester, commuters can find cheap housing and reach the city in less than an hour from Burnley.
Some older-style houses are very quaint stone houses that were well-built. You’ll be living close to national parks, the Pennine Way, and Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
More information:
All prices are the median price paid for the cheapest homes in local areas, based on research from the Office of National Statistics (in the year ending September 2023). Prices will be higher or lower if you’re after a flat or a detached one.
Cheapest places to rent in the UK
If you’re looking to get the most of your money renting, here are the 10 cheapest places to rent in the UK:
- Hartlepool – £553 per month
- County Durham – £574 per month
- Burnley – £578 per month
- North East Lincolnshire – £582 per month
- Redcar and Cleveland UA593
- Kingston upon Hull – £593 per month
- Bolsover – £595 per month
- Hyndburn – £605 per month
- Pendle – £608 per month
- Middlesbrough – £609 per month
All prices are the mean average monthly private rents for the cheapest 3 bed houses in each area, based on research from the ONS (to 30 September 2023).
Should you move somewhere cheaper?
While these are the cheapest houses in the UK, you’ll also need to factor in many other things, not just the property’s cost.
It’s all very well and good moving to the cheapest place, but it’s worth checking the local area to make sure you’ll be happy living there.
Planning to move to an area is a big change, so a decent amount of research is needed.
When looking into new areas, we also look at:
- Employment opportunities – both for you and your kids in the future
- Average salary
- Schools (primary, secondary, further education) – check Ofsted reports and chat with parents in local Facebook groups
- Crime rates – use a tool to check for crime rates in the last 12 months
- Broadband speeds (if you need to be online or the kids like to stream!) – use a broadband coverage tool with a postcode of the area you’re looking into
- Culture and things to do in the area
Let’s face it, money isn’t everything.
I’ve known a lot of people in really well-paid jobs, but they’re unhappy.
Yes, you need money, and spending less when on a tight budget helps, but you also need to be happy.
To balance it out, The Times publishes a list of the best places to live in the UK.
This list takes into account personal well-being, pubs, gyms, broadband, education, health, rain and sunshine, population, traffic, CO2 emissions, crime, environment, house prices and sizes, and employment.
None of the top 10 cheapest places to live made it to the Times list, with all locations costing well above £100,000.
The top 20 “best” places to live in the UK are:
- Ingatestone, Essex
- Norwich, Norfolk
- Saffron Walden, Essex
- Sheringham, Norfolk
- The Shelfords, Cambridgeshire
- The Shorlet Peninsula, Suffolk
- Wivenhoe, Essex
- Clerkenwell, EC1
- Crouch End, N8
- Forest Hill, SE23
The average house price in Ingatestone is £762,000.
Related article: Membership Offers & Cheapest Way to Join National Trust
Happy home, happy life
But, when it comes down to it, home is where YOU are happy.
It’s not about a list or a statistic.
It’s a place where you are comfortable and can live contentedly.
Interested in moving? Check out this guide on the beginner’s guide to mortgages.
And, when you’re ready, here’s step by step instructions on how to apply for a mortgage.
Finally, when you’ve found a place to go, use this address changes checklist so you don’t forget to tell important organisations that you’ve got a new home.
Naomi knows the burden of living on very little and became debt free by following her own money saving tips and tricks. She is an expert on saving money at the supermarket and side hustles.
