In some parts of the UK, the average rent can sit at £865 a month, while others stretch to a whopping £2,389 a month. Here are the most affordable places to rent
Britain’s most budget-friendly rental hotspots have been unveiled, along with the earnings needed to secure accommodation in each desirable area.
Fresh monthly data from Propertymark has examined the nation’s private rental market by studying average agreed letting prices alongside typical annual wages demanded by referencing firms for affordable tenancy across Britain.
The North East has emerged as the country’s most wallet-friendly destination for renters, with typical monthly costs hovering around £865 throughout the region.
In stark contrast, and hardly shocking, London commands the steepest rental fees at an average of £2,389 monthly, reports the Manchester Evening News.
However, the capital has witnessed the most significant drop in required earnings year-on-year at 1.9 per cent – falling from £73,050 in 2024 to £71,670 in 2025.
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Beyond the capital, the South East claims the title of priciest rental territory at £1,497 monthly, demanding an annual income of £44,910.
“Year-on-year, rent rises have eased across many areas of the country. Much of the private rented market has reached its peak when it comes to affordability, and coupled with slowly decreasing interest rates, this is starting to make rents soften slightly,” Megan Eighteen at Propertymark explained.
She continued: “However, this will not be enough to bring down rents to more affordable levels across the board in the longer term.
“The private rental landscape is varied across the UK, with trends fluctuating drastically in some instances.
“However, one fact remains – there is a complete undersupply of available homes of all types and tenures, and other costs to landlords, such as the scrapping of mortgage interest relief and the introduction of endless red tape and licensing schemes, have huge implications across the board and are contributing to the previous spikes seen in raised rent levels.”
Here are the most affordable regions to rent a home across the UK:
North East
Average rent cost: £865
Average annual salary needed: £25,950
Northern Ireland
Average rent cost: £947
Average annual salary needed: £28,410
East Midlands
Average rent cost: £981
Average annual salary needed: £29,430
Yorkshire and Humberside
Average rent cost: £1,009
Average annual salary needed: £30,270
West Midlands
Average rent cost: £1,048
Average annual salary needed: £31,440
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