It will come as little surprise to most people that London tops the list for the most expensive places to rent an apartment.

Perhaps less well know is just how different the rents are compared to the cheapest areas of the country, but a new study has revealed all.

The research by Karpiak Caravan analysed the most populated areas in the UK and used data from Numbeo to find where tenants can rent an apartment at the lowest cost and where it will cost the most.

The analysis was based on prices for one bed apartments and three bed apartments both in the city centre and outside of the city.


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Most expensive UK cities to rent an apartment

This Is Local London: Unsurprisingly, London is the most expensive place to rent an apartment. Picture: TripadvisorUnsurprisingly, London is the most expensive place to rent an apartment. Picture: Tripadvisor

London, of course, tops the list of most expensive UK cities to rent an apartment with an average total monthly rent of £2,100.69.

Brighton was the second most expensive. A three-bedroom apartment in the city centre would set back tenants £2,150.88 a month on average while the same type of apartment outside of the city centre would cost £1,551.02 in monthly rent.

The analysis revealed Oxford as the third most expensive place in the UK for tenants to rent an apartment costing £1,374.18 a month on average.

Top 10 most expensive places to rent an apartment

The data collected included the average cost of a one-bed apartment in the city centre, a one-bed outside of the city centre, a three-bed in the city centre and a three-bed outside of the city centre which was then used to calculate the total average cost.

1. London - £2,100.69

2. Brighton - £1,403.22

3. Oxford - £1,374.18

4. Cambridge - £1,326.39

5. Reading - £1,186.66

6. Poole - £1,181.77

7. Bristol - £1,135.63

8. Edinburgh - £1,053.16

9. Milton Keynes - £1,041.17

10. Manchester - £969.76

Least expensive UK cities to rent an apartment

This Is Local London: Stoke-on-Trent came out as the cheapest place in the UK to rent an apartment. Picture: TripadvisorStoke-on-Trent came out as the cheapest place in the UK to rent an apartment. Picture: Tripadvisor

Conversely to those sky-high rents, the study also revealed Stoke-on-Trent as the most affordable area in the UK for tenants, with an average cost of £489.22 per month.

This equates to less than a quarter of London rents and little over a third of the cost of renting an apartment in Brighton.

Bradford came in second with the average cost of an apartment to rent being £537.95 per month. The Yorkshire city offers low prices on many different types of apartments such as an average monthly rent of £443.12 for a one-bedroom in the city centre, the lowest in the UK.

The research found Sunderland is the third most affordable place for tenants looking to rent an apartment. The average cost of an apartment in Sunderland for a tenant would be £568.75, and it is the cheapest area in the UK for renters looking for a three-bedroom apartment outside of the city centre, with an average monthly rent of £525.

Top 10 least expensive places to rent an apartment

This ranking used the same data as the list above to come up with an average cost of renting an apartment in each area.

1. Stoke-on-Trent - £489.22

2. Bradford - £537.95

3. Sunderland - £568.75

4. Blackpool - £571.45

5. Doncaster - £575.47

6. Wigan - £578.75

7. Derby - £627.08

8. Dundee - £636.43

9. Swansea - £657.37

10. Aberdeen - £661.87

Commenting on the study, a spokesperson from Karpiak Caravan, said: “With the current cost-of-living crisis at an all-time high, it is now more important than ever for UK residents to manage their money effectively.

“This study offers a useful breakdown of the most cost-effective locations and types of renting, providing the best options for those looking to rent.”