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Q: What is the cost of living in the UK?

The average single-person monthly cost across the 348 UK areas we cover is £1,481. That covers one-bed rent, Band D council tax with the single-occupier discount, energy, water, £220 groceries and a transport estimate. Try our cost of living calculator for a personalised figure.

Q: What is the cheapest place to live in the UK?

Dumfries and Galloway is the cheapest UK area on our data at around £1,011/month for a single person. North Ayrshire (£1,050) and South Ayrshire (£1,051) sit close behind. See the cheapest places ranking for the full list.

Q: What is the most expensive place to live in the UK?

Kensington and Chelsea is the most expensive UK area at around £3,324/month for a single person. Westminster (£3,194) and Islington (£2,890) sit close behind. See the most expensive places ranking for the full list.

Q: Where is the best value place to live in the UK?

North Ayrshire tops our best-value ranking. Best value here means where average local earnings stretch furthest against rent and council tax, with just 27.1% of average earnings going to essential housing costs. See the best value ranking for the full list.

Q: Is £2,000 a month enough to live in the UK?

319 of the 348 UK areas we cover have single-person monthly costs below £2,000, including examples like Dumfries and Galloway at £1,011 and North Ayrshire at £1,050. That figure covers rent, council tax, energy, water, groceries and transport, but not any discretionary spending. See the cheapest places ranking for the full list.

Q: Where is the driest place to live in the UK?

Castle Point is the driest UK area on our data with just 544mm of rain a year, based on Met Office 30-year averages. See the driest places ranking for the full list.

Q: Where is the safest place to live in the UK?

Shetland Islands has the lowest recorded crime rate of the UK areas we cover, at 203 crimes per 10,000 people. See the safest places ranking for the full list.

Q: How do you calculate the cost of living?

We use official government data: ONS, HM Land Registry, MHCLG, Ofgem, Water UK, the Met Office and police recorded crime. That covers rent, earnings, house prices, council tax, energy bills, water, climate and crime. See the about page for the full methodology.

EPC rating and running costs
Sold house prices
Flood risk
Crime and schools
Cost of living by area
Broadband and climate

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Spot problems before you offer, not after. See any home's EPC rating and energy costs, sold house prices, flood risk, local crime and schools, and the monthly cost of owning it, all from official data. Your first report is free.

Sold prices

Every recorded sale of the home since 1995, and what similar homes nearby have sold for.
Monthly cost of owning

Mortgage, energy, council tax and water for the asking price you enter, plus the deposit and tax to pay upfront.
Flood risk, EPC and lease

Flood risk, the EPC rating and its running costs, tenure and lease length, and the building safety register.
Crime and schools

Crime on the surrounding streets, the nearest schools and their inspection results, broadband and climate.
Questions to ask

Questions for the seller or agent, drawn from what the report found about this home.
Material Information checklist

The facts a listing is expected to give, with what official records show against each one.
Sources and dates

Every source named, with the date of its data, and the report as a PDF to keep.

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24 million homes
31 million sales since 1995
360+ areas covered
Official government data

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Cost of living, crime, schools, broadband, climate and earnings for 360+ local areas across England, Scotland and Wales, built on official government data.