Cost of living in Colchester
Data last updated: 14 May 2026
Page last reviewed: 14 May 2026
Rent in Colchester
The average monthly rent in Colchester is £1,216.
- 1 Bed£833 /mo
- 2 Bed£1,080 /mo
- 3 Bed£1,320 /mo
- 4+ Bed£1,829 /mo
Source: ONS Price Index of Private Rents (PIPR)
Earnings in Colchester
The average annual salary for residents of Colchester is £31,589.
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 Colchester
The average house price in Colchester was £327,000.
- Detached£455,000
- Semi-detached£327,500
- Terraced£275,000
- Flat£180,000
How house prices have changed in Colchester
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.
Council tax in Colchester
Band D council tax in Colchester is £2,283 per year.
- Band A£1,522
- Band B£1,776
- Band C£2,029
- Band DBenchmark£2,283
- Band E£2,790
- Band F£3,297
- Band G£3,805
- Band H£4,566
Source: MHCLG / Scottish Government / Welsh Government
Energy costs in Colchester
A typical household in Colchester pays approximately £1,641/year (£137/month) for gas and electricity.
Energy region: Eastern
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 Colchester
The average annual water and sewerage bill for Anglian Water customers is £684/year (£57/month).
Water company: Anglian 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 Colchester
There were 805 recorded crimes per 10,000 people in Colchester, which is below the national average of 813.2. Colchester ranks #189 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
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Nearby areas
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Frequently asked questions about Colchester
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.