With the cost of living rising, we’re all doing what we can to save our pennies. But depending on where you live may make it harder for you. Though the following places definitely have their attractive qualities, these are the most expensive cities in the UK.
When deciding what university to go to, one of the biggest factors to consider is the affordability of the city. If you’re English, then the amount of student finance you get is typically decided by how much your parents earn. That might mean you’re not left with a lot of money, so picking one of the following cities to live in might not be in your best interest.
That being said, there are reasons why they are so expensive. There’s a shortage of housing, for example, but that doesn’t stop the high demand for it — it encourages it. Therefore businesses also have to charge more to cover their rent, and if the shop next door has people paying £10 for a sandwich are yours is a measly £4, then you feel like you’re losing out.
It’s all about demand and competition.
If you want to avoid the high prices, then these are the cities to avoid.
The Most Expensive Cities In the UK
London
Is anybody surprised that London is one of the most expensive cities in the UK? It’s the hotspot of Britain with endless opportunities, the West End, the underground and an unnameable amount of tourist attractions. The amount of money brought in from holidays and day-trippers is outstanding. But living there is different.
London is the fourth most expensive city in the world, let alone the UK. But, it is also a city with incredibly high earners. You only have to look at a job advert to see that those in London get paid more. But a huge amount of the pay will go on rent alone.
Whether it puts you off or not, millions of people live in London for a reason.
Winchester
The former capital of England is next on our list of the most expensive cities. In fact, it’s often ranked more expensive than London and it’s because of location. Being only an hour away, Winchester has all the perks of London without having to live there so commuting is more than easy.
What it has that London doesn’t, is the coast and picturesque coast.
Winchester has a low crime rate, beautiful architecture and highly ranked schools. It really is the ideal place on paper — apart from the price. Wages are approximately on average £45,000 a year, but the average house costs a whopping £620,000. There is definitely a cost for having it all.
Oxford
There’s a bit of a theme beginning to start here, which just shows we’re all willing to pay for the same thing. Like Winchester, Oxford has great links to London without the 8 million people that live there. Actually, its population is around 150,000, making it one of the smallest cities in the UK.
What Oxford has for it is history and prestige. Home to the top university in the world, it’s also the oldest city in the UK, dating back to the 13th century. If you’re a history buff, then this is definitely the place to be. House prices are a lot less than Winchester, with an average of £480,000 — but wages are also a little less, sitting at about £40,000.
Bath
We’re all lovers of history, apparently. Winchester, Oxford and Bath all have massive historical appeal, meaning that the demand to live there is greater. Moving away from the South East, Bath is the most expensive and largest city in the South West of the UK.
In the late 1980s, Bath became a World Heritage Site because of its overwhelming amount of Roman architecture. The influx of tourism means millions of people visit the city each year. With a lively nightlife and attractive markets throughout the year, it’s clear to see why so many people want to live in Bath.
Salisbury
We’re sticking with the South West for our last feature on the most expensive cities in the UK. Salisbury is a Cathedral city of Wiltshire and was crowned the best place to live in the UK in 2019. The city has great links, only being 20 miles from Bath, but is definitely embedded in the countryside.
Unfortunately, that all adds up to make it quite an expensive city to live in. House prices sit at around £400,00, with average income at less than 10 per cent of that.
If you want to live in one of the best cities in the UK, then you’re going to have the pay the price.
It’s undeniable that these cities all have their perks. There’s an overwhelming amount of history, landscape and opportunity between them all. If you’re considering going to one of the universities in or near these locations, then it’s an excellent choice — just be prepared for the expense.