It won’t come as a huge surprise that the cost of living is on the up. And of course, there are certain areas that will be far out of your financial reach. But the lovely people at Silverdoor have decided to help us out, and have calculated the most affordable places to live while on a budget. They've also worked out the most money-draining locations, so you can avoid them.
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Go on, have a little scroll. You might be pleasantly surprised…
The cheapest places to live in the UK in 2018
3. Liverpool
Ah yes, the beloved home of The Beatles. Liverpool comes in at a reputable third place. While moving further north there’s an obvious increase of ‘Rain’, there won’t be any dark clouds hanging around your bank balance. The cost of living here comes in at £564.21 while a month’s rent totals £463. It’s certainly worth mulling over.
2. Belfast
Northern Ireland’s capital is definitely a great choice when searching for an affordable place to live and a worthy winner of second place. The historic city that saw the birthplace of the RMS Titanic has an average rent of just under £451 while the cost of living is £544.18. You certainly wouldn’t have a sinking feeling if you were to make this your home!
1. Derby
Derby has been crowned the winner this time around! The UK’s most central city and the hub of Rolls-Royce, Derby is a great affordable place to live with a month’s rent averaging at £405. Top that with the cost of living being £548.49 and it adds up to a respectable £953.49. Derby certainly has our vote!
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But while there are some great highs, there are some lows here too. The next three cities are not at all wallet friendly and will set you back quite a sum just to get by.
The most expensive places to live in the UK in 2018
3. Bath
An undoubtedly beautiful city, Bath unfortunately also costs a pretty penny. It weighs in with the average rent costing £874. Again, quite a difference from London but still far from ideal. The living cost here is £665.25 so something to bear in mind when searching for an affordable place.
2. Edinburgh
While there's a slight difference between London’s extortionate prices and Scotland’s capital, Edinburgh is still the second most expensive place to live in the UK this year. A month’s rent would cost £951 (that’s right, almost totalling the rent AND cost of living in Derby!) Maybe just enjoy visiting the city as a tourist, for now!
1. London
Unsurprisingly, London tops the list as the most expensive place to live. On a minimum wage, England’s capital will put you in the red. An average month’s rent would be £1,623 not to mention the cost of living at £758.16. Astonishing! While London is great for a number of reasons, it’s not everyone’s friend financially.
Were you surprised at the results?
Written by Lauren Goody
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