Cost of living in Bristol
Data last updated: 14 May 2026
Page last reviewed: 24 June 2026
Bristol is one of the more expensive UK cities outside London, and the data reflects it. Average overall rent of £1,888/month and a single-person monthly basket of around £1,902 put it well above Cardiff, Manchester, or Birmingham. The affordability score is 74.5%, ranking Bristol #340 of 348 UK areas: among the least affordable on the list. Average earnings of £34,051/year are higher than most northern cities but lag behind London, which means the rent picture genuinely stretches local pay. The economy explains a lot of the demand: aerospace around Filton (Airbus, Rolls-Royce, GKN), a long-established tech sector with strong digital and animation studios, financial services, and BBC Bristol. The two universities push the student population past 60,000. The harbour, hills, and creative culture have made Bristol one of the most-moved-to cities in the country over the past decade. Honest downsides: housing costs are a real stretch for anyone on the average local salary; the South West Water bill is notably above the UK average; and hills are not just a feature but a daily reality. Bristol's pull is undeniable but the maths needs to work for you.
- Known for:
- Aerospace and engineering cluster around Filton; a strong tech and animation industry; Banksy's home city; the Suspension Bridge and the harbourside.
- Transport:
- Temple Meads station gives trains to London Paddington in about 1hr 40min, Cardiff in 50 minutes, and Manchester in around 3hrs. M4 and M5 motorways meet just outside the city.
- Character:
- Hilly, harbour-centred, and creative. Genuinely independent food and music scenes, and one of the most ethnically diverse cities outside London. Cost of living is the persistent challenge.
Rent in Bristol
The average monthly rent in Bristol is £1,888.
- 1 Bed£1,227 /mo
- 2 Bed£1,546 /mo
- 3 Bed£1,759 /mo
- 4+ Bed£2,565 /mo
Source: ONS Price Index of Private Rents (PIPR)
Bristol's costs are shaped almost entirely by housing pressure. The £1,888/month overall rent and £1,227/month one-bed figures put the city closer to outer London than to other regional centres. House prices average £351,000, broadly in line with Bath and Brighton. The affordability score of 74.5% reflects rent and council tax taking nearly three-quarters of average earnings for a single person, which is one of the harder ratios in our data.
Earnings in Bristol
The average annual salary for residents of Bristol is £34,051.
We use the median (middle value) as the average throughout this site. This is more representative than the mean, which can be skewed by extremely high or low values.
Source: ONS Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE)
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Average house prices in Bristol
The average house price in Bristol was £351,000.
- Detached£535,000
- Semi-detached£372,000
- Terraced£382,000
- Flat£265,250
How house prices have changed in Bristol
Average house prices over time, based on quarterly rolling-year medians from Land Registry data.
Source: ONS / HM Land Registry. Historical trend based on quarterly rolling-year median prices.
Climate and weather in Bristol
Summer daytime highs in Bristol typically reach 21.9°C in July, dropping to around 8.3°C in January. Bristol is drier than average for the UK, with rain falling on about 2.7 days a week. It gets around 24% less rainfall than the UK average. The area is sunnier than most of the UK, averaging around 6.7 hours of sunshine per day in summer. Expect frost on around 76 days per year, mostly between November and April.
| Month | Daytime high | Rainfall | Rain days | Sunshine | Frost days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 8.3°C | 89mm | 13 | 57h | 14 |
| Feb | 8.7°C | 65mm | 11 | 75h | 14 |
| Mar | 11.0°C | 58mm | 11 | 122h | 12 |
| Apr | 14.0°C | 56mm | 10 | 170h | 8 |
| May | 17.2°C | 60mm | 10 | 206h | 2 |
| Jun | 20.0°C | 62mm | 10 | 211h | 0 |
| Jul | 21.9°C | 64mm | 10 | 215h | 0 |
| Aug | 21.5°C | 76mm | 11 | 188h | 0 |
| Sep | 18.9°C | 63mm | 10 | 154h | 1 |
| Oct | 15.0°C | 88mm | 13 | 106h | 4 |
| Nov | 11.1°C | 94mm | 15 | 66h | 9 |
| Dec | 8.6°C | 96mm | 14 | 52h | 13 |
How this is calculated
Climate data is based on Met Office 30-year averages (1991-2020), calculated from 6 observation grid points covering the Bristol local authority area.
Source: Met Office HadUK-Grid , 1991-2020 averages. Crown copyright. Open Government Licence v3.0.
Council tax in Bristol
Band D council tax in Bristol is £2,714 per year.
- Band A£1,809
- Band B£2,111
- Band C£2,412
- Band DBenchmark£2,714
- Band E£3,317
- Band F£3,920
- Band G£4,523
- Band H£5,427
Source: MHCLG / Scottish Government / Welsh Government
Energy costs in Bristol
A typical household in Bristol pays approximately £1,641/year (£137/month) for gas and electricity.
Energy region: South West
This estimate is based on the Ofgem price cap for a typical dual-fuel household using 2,700 kWh of electricity and 11,500 kWh of gas per year, paying by Direct Debit. Your actual costs will depend on your usage, tariff, and whether you're on a fixed deal.
Source: Ofgem Energy Price Cap, Q2 2026
Water costs in Bristol
The average annual water and sewerage bill for South West Water customers is £813/year (£68/month).
Water company: South West Water
Water bills vary based on whether you have a meter and your household's water usage. This figure is the company average for unmetered customers.
Source: Water UK / Discover Water, 2026-27
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Crime in Bristol
There were 1,303 recorded crimes per 10,000 people in Bristol, which is above the national average of 813.2. Bristol ranks #294 out of 303 areas for lowest crime rate.
Recorded crime statistics reflect crimes reported to and recorded by police. They may not capture the full picture of crime in an area, and recording practices vary between forces.
Source: Home Office police recorded crime, Year ending December 2025
Compare Bristol with another area
How does Bristol compare?
Side-by-side comparisons against three other UK areas, using the same single-person basket as the rest of the site.
Cardiff costs around £393/month less than Bristol on the same basket (£1,509/month vs £1,902/month).
See the full comparison Bristol vs Bath and North East SomersetBath and North East Somerset costs around £49/month less than Bristol on the same basket (£1,853/month vs £1,902/month).
See the full comparison Bristol vs Brighton and HoveBrighton and Hove costs around £46/month less than Bristol on the same basket (£1,856/month vs £1,902/month).
See the full comparisonOr compare Bristol with any UK area using the comparison tool.
Nearby areas
Explore the cost of living in areas close to Bristol.
Frequently asked questions about Bristol
Data on this page is sourced from: ONS Price Index of Private Rents (PIPR), Scottish Government Private Sector Rent Statistics, ONS Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings, ONS / HM Land Registry House Price Statistics, MHCLG / Scottish Government / Welsh Government council tax data, Ofgem Energy Price Cap, and Water UK / Discover Water. All official data is published under the Open Government Licence.