10 cheapest cities for renters
Our latest Rental Trends Tracker broke the news that average rents have fallen for the first time since 2019. But rental costs remain high, and are still 4.3% higher than they were at this time last year.
And if you’re looking to relocate to a new city this year, or you’re a student considering potential university locations, how much you’re likely to pay to live there could be a big factor in your decision making.
So, we’ve looked at rental costs across more than 50 cities in Great Britain to find the cheapest places to rent right now.
What’s happening in the rental market at the moment?
As of January 2025, the average advertised rent per calendar month stands at £1,526 – up 4.3% versus this time year last year.
But price changes, as well as average rental prices, vary significantly depending on location. In Salford – one of the most expensive cities for renting – the monthly cost of renting has jumped by 30.5% in the last year. In Dundee, meanwhile, prices have dropped 3.7% during the same period.
“We’re seeing rental price growth slowing overall and a better balance between supply and demand,” says Steve Pimblett, Chief Data Officer at Rightmove. “However, as seen by this data, the picture can look quite different depending on where you’re looking to live, and agents tell us the market is still very busy compared with pre-pandemic norms.”
London remains the most expensive place to rent in the country, with average advertised costs of £2,695 per calendar month. But what about the other end of the spectrum? Here are the top three cheapest cities for renters.
1. Hull
Hull is the cheapest city to rent in right now. Despite an 8.2% increase compared to last year, it is now the only city on the list where the average advertised rent per month sits below £800.
Typical rent in Hull is 48% below the average across Great Britain, standing at £799 a month. A typical monthly rental payment in Hull takes up 26% of the average single monthly earning across Great Britain, compared with an average of 50% nationally.
2. Carlisle
Having been named Great Britain’s most affordable city in August 2024, Carlise has now moved to second on this list, with an average advertised monthly rent of £816.
While third-placed Wrexham has seen a drop in average rents, Carlise has seen a double digital price change in the other direction – up 10.4% compared to January 2024.
It was one of just two cities among Great Britain’s top 10 most affordable for renting that experienced average increases of more than 10%, the other being fourth-placed Sunderland (up 12.9% year over year).
3. Wrexham
Wrexham, the city that has attracted the attention of global audiences thanks to its football team run by Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney, has seen average rental prices decrease.
It hasn’t been a modest fall either, with prices falling by 16.3% on average in the past year.
Today, the average rental in North Wales’s largest city is £817 per month, equating to 27% of the average monthly earning across Great Britain.
10 cheapest cities for renters
| Ranking | City | Average advertised rent per calendar month | Average monthly rent as a % of average single monthly earning | Average rental price growth compared to last year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hull | £799 | 26% | +8.2% |
| 2 | Carlisle | £816 | 27% | +10.4% |
| 3 | Wrexham | £817 | 27% | -16.3% |
| 4 | Sunderland | £833 | 27% | +12.9% |
| 5 | Stoke-on-Trent | £862 | 28% | +5.5% |
| 6 | Bradford | £876 | 29% | +8.6% |
| 7 | Dundee | £885 | 29% | -3.7% |
| 8 | Doncaster | £893 | 29% | +2.7% |
| 9 | Lancaster | £964 | 32% | +3.9% |
| 10 | Preston | £986 | 32% | +3.5% |
10 most expensive cities for renters
| Rank | City | Average advertised rent per calendar month | Average monthly rent as a % of average single monthly earning | Average rental price growth compared to last year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | London | £2,695 | 88% | 8.20% |
| 2 | St. Albans | £2,330 | 76% | 2.20% |
| 3 | Oxford | £2,041 | 67% | 2.80% |
| 4 | Winchester | £1,985 | 65% | -3.30% |
| 5 | Brighton | £1,880 | 62% | 3.50% |
| 6 | Cambridge | £1,870 | 61% | 1.80% |
| 7 | Chelmsford | £1,857 | 61% | 8.50% |
| 8 | Salford | £1,739 | 57% | 30.50% |
| 9 | Milton Keynes | £1,641 | 54% | 9.20% |
| 10 | Edinburgh | £1,620 | 53% | 5.30% |
Looking to rent soon? There are several steps you can take to put yourself in the best position to secure the home you want. Take a look at these tips to boost your chances of getting a viewing in today’s rental market.
READ MORE: Average rents fall for the first time since 2019
