Rankings

Cheapest places to live in the UK 2026

The cheapest place to live in the UK by council tax (Band D) is Wandsworth at £1,028/year, while the average across 351 ranked areas is £2,336/year.

Data last updated: 12 May 2026

#	Area	Region	Council tax Band D (£/yr)	Avg. rent (£/mo)	Avg. earnings (£/yr)
1	Wandsworth	London	£1,028	£1,900	£49,310
2	Westminster	London	£1,050	£2,622	£45,172
3	City of London	London	£1,330	£2,159	N/A
4	South Lanarkshire	Scotland	£1,468	N/A	£34,293
5	Shetland Islands	Scotland	£1,488	N/A	£35,716
6	Na h-Eileanan Siar	Scotland	£1,506	N/A	£28,746
7	Hammersmith and Fulham	London	£1,520	£1,950	£42,811
8	North Lanarkshire	Scotland	£1,555	N/A	£34,105
9	Fife	Scotland	£1,574	N/A	£32,445
10	Dumfries and Galloway	Scotland	£1,579	N/A	£29,649
11	Angus	Scotland	£1,599	N/A	£30,681
12	Scottish Borders	Scotland	£1,619	N/A	£28,796
13	East Renfrewshire	Scotland	£1,620	N/A	£39,965
14	City of Edinburgh	Scotland	£1,626	N/A	£37,380
15	West Lothian	Scotland	£1,628	N/A	£33,302
16	Highland	Scotland	£1,634	N/A	£31,416
17	Kensington and Chelsea	London	£1,667	£2,557	£46,690
18	Orkney Islands	Scotland	£1,669	N/A	£31,737
19	Inverclyde	Scotland	£1,674	N/A	£29,020
20	Perth and Kinross	Scotland	£1,674	N/A	£31,851
21	West Dunbartonshire	Scotland	£1,682	N/A	£31,962
22	Clackmannanshire	Scotland	£1,684	N/A	£31,992
23	Aberdeenshire	Scotland	£1,686	N/A	£33,799
24	North Ayrshire	Scotland	£1,686	N/A	£34,689
25	Renfrewshire	Scotland	£1,691	N/A	£32,832
26	South Ayrshire	Scotland	£1,695	N/A	£33,986
27	East Lothian	Scotland	£1,698	N/A	£33,737
28	Glasgow City	Scotland	£1,706	N/A	£32,121
29	Falkirk	Scotland	£1,715	N/A	£32,330
30	East Ayrshire	Scotland	£1,717	N/A	£33,117
31	Dundee City	Scotland	£1,730	N/A	£30,523
32	Moray	Scotland	£1,731	N/A	£26,943
33	Aberdeen City	Scotland	£1,748	N/A	£32,399
34	East Dunbartonshire	Scotland	£1,752	N/A	£38,000
35	Stirling	Scotland	£1,753	N/A	£33,832
36	Argyll and Bute	Scotland	£1,783	N/A	£30,436
37	Midlothian	Scotland	£1,816	N/A	£31,856
38	Tower Hamlets	London	£1,838	£1,900	£45,183
39	Newham	London	£1,944	£1,600	£36,080
40	Windsor and Maidenhead	South East	£1,953	£1,400	£37,653
41	Southwark	London	£1,967	£1,820	£43,006
42	Cardiff	Wales	£2,013	N/A	£32,756
43	Hillingdon	London	£2,045	£1,350	£36,429
44	Lambeth	London	£2,047	£1,800	£43,666
45	Isles of Scilly	South West	£2,048	£730	N/A
46	Hackney	London	£2,060	£1,850	£40,237
47	Caerphilly	Wales	£2,083	N/A	£30,854
48	Newport	Wales	£2,088	N/A	£31,495
49	London	London	£2,090	£1,663	£40,350
50	Greenwich	London	£2,108	£1,600	£39,984
51	Islington	London	£2,108	£2,025	£47,411
52	Barnet	London	£2,133	£1,550	£39,239
53	Ealing	London	£2,139	£1,569	£35,665
54	Bromley	London	£2,140	£1,400	£43,981
55	Dudley	West Midlands	£2,145	£700	£30,822
56	Merton	London	£2,147	£1,600	£43,507
57	Wigan	North West	£2,153	£595	£31,615
58	Torfaen	Wales	£2,156	N/A	£33,201
59	Pembrokeshire	Wales	£2,166	N/A	£27,243
60	Doncaster	Yorkshire And The Humber	£2,168	£540	£31,119
61	Stoke-on-Trent	West Midlands	£2,183	£525	£29,041
62	Hounslow	London	£2,186	£1,500	£35,301
63	Solihull	West Midlands	£2,197	£950	£36,672
64	Sunderland	North East	£2,197	£550	£27,989
65	Barking and Dagenham	London	£2,199	£1,350	£32,911
66	Camden	London	£2,208	£2,102	£44,088
67	Vale of Glamorgan	Wales	£2,232	N/A	£31,410
68	Brent	London	£2,235	£1,600	£34,871
69	Lewisham	London	£2,237	£1,425	£39,505
70	Swansea	Wales	£2,238	N/A	£32,091
71	Sandwell	West Midlands	£2,244	£750	£27,652
72	Basingstoke and Deane	South East	£2,255	£998	£39,279
73	Thurrock	East	£2,255	£995	£36,407
74	Telford and Wrekin	West Midlands	£2,256	£650	£31,459
75	Brentwood	East	£2,258	£1,250	£39,864
76	South Kesteven	East Midlands	£2,260	£725	£29,071
77	Isle of Anglesey	Wales	£2,261	N/A	£29,944
78	Bracknell Forest	South East	£2,265	£1,100	£36,067
79	Southend-on-Sea	East	£2,265	£875	£33,594
80	Enfield	London	£2,268	£1,450	£34,962
81	Tendring	East	£2,270	£850	£29,545
82	Fareham	South East	£2,271	£975	£38,851
83	East Lindsey	East Midlands	£2,276	£575	£26,705
84	Epping Forest	East	£2,277	£1,325	£38,171
85	South Holland	East Midlands	£2,278	£695	£30,196
86	Braintree	East	£2,280	£975	£34,546
87	Colchester	East	£2,283	£900	£31,589
88	Leeds	Yorkshire And The Humber	£2,284	£850	£31,679
89	York	Yorkshire And The Humber	£2,287	£875	£32,961
90	Rhondda Cynon Taf	Wales	£2,289	N/A	£29,802
91	Portsmouth	South East	£2,292	£950	£30,962
92	Trafford	North West	£2,292	£1,000	£35,593
93	Peterborough	East	£2,293	£775	£29,828
94	Kingston upon Hull, City of	Yorkshire And The Humber	£2,295	£483	£27,309
95	Redbridge	London	£2,295	£1,400	£37,190
96	Wakefield	Yorkshire And The Humber	£2,297	£650	£29,954
97	Harlow	East	£2,299	£1,050	£30,654
98	Chelmsford	East	£2,300	£1,100	£35,791
99	Tamworth	West Midlands	£2,301	£750	£33,167
100	Stafford	West Midlands	£2,303	£675	£33,872
101	Broxbourne	East	£2,306	£1,150	£37,283
102	Derby	East Midlands	£2,306	£675	£30,467
103	Test Valley	South East	£2,306	£1,050	£35,314
104	Boston	East Midlands	£2,309	£700	£27,729
105	Wrexham	Wales	£2,309	N/A	£29,752
106	Manchester	North West	£2,312	£975	£30,067
107	Haringey	London	£2,314	£1,600	£37,563
108	South Staffordshire	West Midlands	£2,314	£750	£31,766
109	Mid Suffolk	East	£2,317	£875	£31,507
110	Castle Point	East	£2,319	£1,050	£35,975
111	Havant	South East	£2,320	£975	£30,819
112	Rushmoor	South East	£2,320	£1,000	£33,734
113	Lincoln	East Midlands	£2,323	£695	£29,824
114	Barnsley	Yorkshire And The Humber	£2,326	£525	£31,359
115	Basildon	East	£2,327	£1,095	£34,133
116	Maldon	East	£2,328	£950	£32,599
117	Medway	South East	£2,329	£900	£33,857
118	Newcastle-under-Lyme	West Midlands	£2,334	£600	£31,205
119	Uttlesford	East	£2,334	£1,100	£41,006
120	East Suffolk	East	£2,335	£680	£30,261
121	North Kesteven	East Midlands	£2,338	£725	£30,585
122	Staffordshire Moorlands	West Midlands	£2,338	£575	£31,065
123	Chesterfield	East Midlands	£2,339	£600	£30,621
124	Denbighshire	Wales	£2,339	N/A	£26,812
125	South Derbyshire	East Midlands	£2,340	£725	£35,452
126	Tewkesbury	South West	£2,341	£850	£31,603
127	Babergh	East	£2,342	£825	£30,118
128	Eastleigh	South East	£2,342	£950	£34,474
129	East Hampshire	South East	£2,344	£1,100	£39,682
130	Gosport	South East	£2,344	£850	£34,256
131	North Lincolnshire	Yorkshire And The Humber	£2,348	£560	£30,012
132	East Staffordshire	West Midlands	£2,351	£669	£31,517
133	West Suffolk	East	£2,351	£1,050	£33,437
134	Carmarthenshire	Wales	£2,351	N/A	£30,774
135	Lichfield	West Midlands	£2,352	£850	£33,763
136	Powys	Wales	£2,352	N/A	£30,275
137	West Lindsey	East Midlands	£2,354	£650	£30,741
138	Gloucester	South West	£2,356	£795	£30,455
139	Winchester	South East	£2,360	£1,200	£38,352
140	Bradford	Yorkshire And The Humber	£2,361	£595	£28,424
141	Erewash	East Midlands	£2,361	£700	£31,673
142	Birmingham	West Midlands	£2,363	£850	£30,180
143	Rochford	East	£2,363	£1,050	£38,107
144	Bexley	London	£2,366	£1,350	£36,883
145	Halton	North West	£2,367	£620	£29,819
146	Cheltenham	South West	£2,370	£900	£36,014
147	Milton Keynes	South East	£2,372	£1,100	£36,061
148	Wychavon	West Midlands	£2,373	£795	£29,661
149	Dartford	South East	£2,375	£1,200	£36,210
150	Cannock Chase	West Midlands	£2,376	£695	£30,178
151	Flintshire	Wales	£2,376	N/A	£32,675
152	Sutton	London	£2,379	£1,200	£38,359
153	Southampton	South East	£2,381	£900	£32,907
154	Rotherham	Yorkshire And The Humber	£2,382	£555	£29,664
155	Bath and North East Somerset	South West	£2,383	£1,100	£32,481
156	Hinckley and Bosworth	East Midlands	£2,383	£730	£31,591
157	High Peak	East Midlands	£2,385	£650	£32,258
158	Ribble Valley	North West	£2,386	£695	£34,077
159	Waltham Forest	London	£2,387	£1,450	£37,971
160	Harborough	East Midlands	£2,390	£825	£34,321
161	Cotswold	South West	£2,392	£1,000	£32,927
162	Stevenage	East	£2,392	£1,025	£35,747
163	Bolton	North West	£2,400	£650	£29,409
164	Hart	South East	£2,400	£1,103	£39,341
165	St. Helens	North West	£2,403	£595	£31,443
166	Charnwood	East Midlands	£2,406	£725	£33,550
167	Hertsmere	East	£2,406	£1,350	£36,159
168	Swale	South East	£2,406	£900	£33,647
169	Worcester	West Midlands	£2,406	£725	£32,997
170	Oadby and Wigston	East Midlands	£2,407	£868	£28,368
171	Amber Valley	East Midlands	£2,408	£675	£30,823
172	Gravesham	South East	£2,408	£1,000	£35,065
173	Dacorum	East	£2,409	£1,150	£36,473
174	Ashford	South East	£2,410	£950	£32,991
175	Great Yarmouth	East	£2,414	£650	£28,808
176	Slough	South East	£2,414	£1,150	£35,521
177	Monmouthshire	Wales	£2,416	N/A	£35,020
178	Crawley	South East	£2,418	£1,150	£34,225
179	North West Leicestershire	East Midlands	£2,418	£750	£32,252
180	Canterbury	South East	£2,419	£950	£30,188
181	St Albans	East	£2,419	£1,384	£45,543
182	Ceredigion	Wales	£2,419	N/A	£29,326
183	Calderdale	Yorkshire And The Humber	£2,420	£590	£31,708
184	New Forest	South East	£2,420	£995	£31,344
185	Three Rivers	East	£2,422	£1,395	£39,615
186	North Northamptonshire	East Midlands	£2,424	N/A	£32,882
187	Havering	London	£2,425	£1,300	£40,726
188	Chorley	North West	£2,430	£650	£33,337
189	King’s Lynn and West Norfolk	East	£2,430	£750	£30,581
190	Melton	East Midlands	£2,430	£625	£26,633
191	South Tyneside	North East	£2,434	£550	£28,784
192	Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole	South West	£2,436	£968	£31,848
193	Broadland	East	£2,438	£800	£30,920
194	Swindon	South West	£2,438	£825	£33,135
195	Luton	East	£2,440	£850	£28,741
196	Horsham	South East	£2,441	£1,175	£36,448
197	Kirklees	Yorkshire And The Humber	£2,441	£625	£30,238
198	Plymouth	South West	£2,442	£695	£28,992
199	Forest of Dean	South West	£2,443	£695	£36,589
200	South Ribble	North West	£2,443	£650	£32,740
201	Breckland	East	£2,444	£775	£28,930
202	Derbyshire Dales	East Midlands	£2,445	£700	£33,700
203	Tunbridge Wells	South East	£2,446	£1,100	£35,319
204	Tameside	North West	£2,447	£695	£29,877
205	Watford	East	£2,447	£1,275	£37,172
206	Warrington	North West	£2,448	£695	£34,144
207	North Hertfordshire	East	£2,449	£1,025	£42,703
208	Malvern Hills	West Midlands	£2,451	£778	£28,167
209	Welwyn Hatfield	East	£2,452	£1,150	£37,805
210	Blackburn with Darwen	North West	£2,455	£550	£27,502
211	Cheshire East	North West	£2,455	£795	£33,221
212	East Hertfordshire	East	£2,455	£1,190	£44,154
213	West Lancashire	North West	£2,456	£607	£31,884
214	Worthing	South East	£2,456	£990	£32,823
215	North Norfolk	East	£2,460	£730	£28,421
216	Wyre	North West	£2,461	£625	£29,814
217	Dover	South East	£2,462	£775	£33,704
218	North Tyneside	North East	£2,462	£600	£31,106
219	Warwick	West Midlands	£2,462	£945	£39,797
220	Redditch	West Midlands	£2,463	£750	£29,113
221	East Riding of Yorkshire	Yorkshire And The Humber	£2,466	£595	£31,881
222	Hyndburn	North West	£2,466	£500	£29,647
223	Cambridge	East	£2,467	£1,300	£38,711
224	North East Derbyshire	East Midlands	£2,467	£675	£30,931
225	Ipswich	East	£2,468	£772	£30,928
226	Gwynedd	Wales	£2,469	N/A	£25,179
227	Chichester	South East	£2,470	£1,100	£28,585
228	Torbay	South West	£2,470	£678	£28,963
229	Bedford	East	£2,472	£850	£35,987
230	Tonbridge and Malling	South East	£2,472	£1,200	£35,106
231	Conwy	Wales	£2,473	N/A	£28,113
232	Mid Sussex	South East	£2,474	£1,200	£37,705
233	Bridgend	Wales	£2,478	N/A	£31,475
234	Bromsgrove	West Midlands	£2,479	£795	£36,409
235	Rugby	West Midlands	£2,483	£775	£41,814
236	South Norfolk	East	£2,483	£850	£32,934
237	Fylde	North West	£2,484	£650	£36,020
238	North East Lincolnshire	Yorkshire And The Humber	£2,484	£525	£28,898
239	Stratford-on-Avon	West Midlands	£2,484	£893	£34,847
240	East Cambridgeshire	East	£2,485	£875	£34,311
241	Richmond upon Thames	London	£2,486	£1,664	£46,594
242	Arun	South East	£2,487	£1,045	£29,809
243	West Northamptonshire	East Midlands	£2,487	N/A	£33,059
244	Knowsley	North West	£2,488	£700	£32,542
245	Blaby	East Midlands	£2,490	£850	£31,950
246	North Somerset	South West	£2,491	£900	£32,996
247	Stroud	South West	£2,491	£825	£33,495
248	Thanet	South East	£2,491	£800	£28,323
249	Runnymede	South East	£2,493	£1,295	£42,203
250	Darlington	North East	£2,494	£505	£30,100
251	Exeter	South West	£2,495	£900	£29,531
252	Wokingham	South East	£2,498	£1,260	£43,538
253	Wirral	North West	£2,501	£650	£32,959
254	Nuneaton and Bedworth	West Midlands	£2,502	£675	£32,402
255	Lancaster	North West	£2,503	£625	£29,651
256	Maidstone	South East	£2,503	£950	£34,151
257	Norwich	East	£2,503	£825	£30,421
258	West Berkshire	South East	£2,505	£1,024	£38,513
259	Westmorland and Furness	North West	£2,508	N/A	£33,988
260	Sheffield	Yorkshire And The Humber	£2,510	£700	£31,816
261	Cumberland	North West	£2,511	N/A	£33,840
262	Harrow	London	£2,511	£1,500	£36,000
263	Wyre Forest	West Midlands	£2,512	£655	£29,408
264	Blackpool	North West	£2,513	£560	£27,979
265	Central Bedfordshire	East	£2,516	£945	£36,622
266	Cheshire West and Chester	North West	£2,517	£775	£32,391
267	Coventry	West Midlands	£2,517	£800	£33,063
268	Mole Valley	South East	£2,520	£1,200	£35,341
269	Rossendale	North West	£2,520	£625	£30,487
270	Sevenoaks	South East	£2,522	£1,395	£34,969
271	Spelthorne	South East	£2,526	£1,275	£37,918
272	Buckinghamshire	South East	£2,527	£1,175	£35,937
273	Shropshire	West Midlands	£2,528	£695	£29,603
274	Leicester	East Midlands	£2,529	£728	£27,858
275	Epsom and Ewell	South East	£2,531	£1,395	£43,006
276	Blaenau Gwent	Wales	£2,531	N/A	£30,734
277	North Warwickshire	West Midlands	£2,532	£750	£35,067
278	South Cambridgeshire	East	£2,536	£1,195	£42,690
279	Fenland	East	£2,538	£738	£30,125
280	Folkestone and Hythe	South East	£2,539	£775	£33,355
281	Wolverhampton	West Midlands	£2,539	£675	£31,308
282	Neath Port Talbot	Wales	£2,541	N/A	£30,709
283	Newcastle upon Tyne	North East	£2,542	£795	£30,144
284	North Yorkshire	Yorkshire and The Humber	£2,544	N/A	£30,683
285	Redcar and Cleveland	North East	£2,544	£525	£28,630
286	Guildford	South East	£2,547	£1,317	£39,985
287	Adur	South East	£2,548	£1,175	£30,217
288	Burnley	North West	£2,549	£476	£29,680
289	Middlesbrough	North East	£2,549	£525	£30,253
290	South Gloucestershire	South West	£2,551	£1,150	£35,002
291	Bury	North West	£2,555	£750	£31,687
292	Huntingdonshire	East	£2,556	£875	£33,375
293	Elmbridge	South East	£2,558	£1,400	£42,607
294	Bolsover	East Midlands	£2,559	£564	£29,674
295	Hartlepool	North East	£2,560	£505	£28,830
296	Somerset	South West	£2,561	N/A	£29,908
297	Reigate and Banstead	South East	£2,567	£1,250	£40,014
298	West Oxfordshire	South East	£2,567	£1,125	£35,388
299	Wiltshire	South West	£2,572	£850	£31,873
300	Herefordshire, County of	West Midlands	£2,574	£678	£29,361
301	Preston	North West	£2,576	£575	£30,038
302	Vale of White Horse	South East	£2,577	£1,163	£38,859
303	Brighton and Hove	South East	£2,581	£1,300	£33,506
304	Cherwell	South East	£2,583	£1,145	£36,568
305	Sefton	North West	£2,583	£695	£29,335
306	Surrey Heath	South East	£2,585	£1,200	£37,793
307	Stockton-on-Tees	North East	£2,590	£575	£29,877
308	Cornwall	South West	£2,591	£775	£28,210
309	Salford	North West	£2,594	£890	£30,495
310	Merthyr Tydfil	Wales	£2,594	N/A	£31,504
311	East Devon	South West	£2,595	£800	£32,154
312	Tandridge	South East	£2,595	£1,275	£33,316
313	Northumberland	North East	£2,597	£550	£30,456
314	South Oxfordshire	South East	£2,598	£1,193	£43,026
315	Woking	South East	£2,598	£1,275	£38,172
316	Croydon	London	£2,600	£1,250	£38,080
317	Mansfield	East Midlands	£2,600	£650	£28,170
318	Rochdale	North West	£2,601	£650	£29,535
319	Torridge	South West	£2,601	£695	£28,752
320	Oldham	North West	£2,602	£700	£29,124
321	Waverley	South East	£2,605	£1,198	£42,326
322	Ashfield	East Midlands	£2,609	£650	£27,797
323	Kingston upon Thames	London	£2,609	£1,500	£41,833
324	Gedling	East Midlands	£2,610	£725	£30,051
325	Reading	South East	£2,613	£1,150	£35,454
326	South Hams	South West	£2,615	£850	£29,721
327	Broxtowe	East Midlands	£2,618	£765	£30,966
328	Stockport	North West	£2,619	£825	£33,565
329	County Durham	North East	£2,622	£498	£29,718
330	Isle of Wight	South East	£2,626	£725	£26,740
331	Walsall	West Midlands	£2,627	£695	£29,112
332	Pendle	North West	£2,640	£525	£26,742
333	North Devon	South West	£2,642	£695	£28,386
334	Rushcliffe	East Midlands	£2,643	£825	£36,705
335	Teignbridge	South West	£2,643	£795	£28,911
336	Bassetlaw	East Midlands	£2,645	£600	£28,314
337	Eastbourne	South East	£2,654	£925	£31,199
338	Mid Devon	South West	£2,656	£795	£31,908
339	Liverpool	North West	£2,674	£675	£30,947
340	Hastings	South East	£2,677	£775	£29,323
341	Oxford	South East	£2,678	£1,400	£36,517
342	Newark and Sherwood	East Midlands	£2,682	£650	£29,806
343	Rother	South East	£2,701	£900	£30,790
344	West Devon	South West	£2,705	£750	£26,556
345	Bristol, City of	South West	£2,714	£1,300	£34,051
346	Gateshead	North East	£2,716	£595	£29,494
347	Wealden	South East	£2,728	£1,150	£33,376
348	Rutland	East Midlands	£2,738	£775	£39,559
349	Nottingham	East Midlands	£2,755	£768	£26,512
350	Lewes	South East	£2,756	£1,100	£33,088
351	Dorset	South West	£2,765	£850	£31,444

Key findings

The cheapest area is Wandsworth at £1,028/year (Band D).
6 of the top 10 cheapest areas are in Scotland.
The average council tax Band D across all 351 ranked areas is £2,336/year.
The gap between the cheapest and most expensive is £1,737/year.

Methodology

Areas are ranked by Band D council tax for the 2026-27 financial year, inclusive of all major precepts (county, police, fire, combined authority where applicable). Where an area lacks Band D data, it has been excluded from the table. The figure shown is the total annual bill a Band D household would pay.

Read more about our data sources and approach on the About page.

Data on this page is sourced from: ONS Private Rental Market Statistics, ONS Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings, ONS / HM Land Registry House Price Statistics, and MHCLG / Scottish Government / Welsh Government council tax data. All data is published under the Open Government Licence.