UK Cost of Living by City 2026/27
Typical rent, council tax and median pay across 15 UK cities — all sourced from ONS Private Rental Prices, gov.uk council tax data, and ONS Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings. Ordered from cheapest 2-bed rent upwards.
Browse 15 UK cities
| City | Country | 2-bed rent/mo | Council Tax Band D | Median annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Liverpool | England | £900 | £2,150 | £32,240 |
| Newcastle upon Tyne | England | £900 | £2,050 | £31,980 |
| Sheffield | England | £900 | £2,070 | £32,500 |
| Leicester | England | £900 | £2,100 | £30,940 |
| Belfast | Northern Ireland | £900 | Rates * | £31,200 |
| Nottingham | England | £925 | £2,410 | £31,720 |
| Coventry | England | £975 | £2,150 | £33,280 |
| Birmingham | England | £1,050 | £2,085 | £33,800 |
| Leeds | England | £1,050 | £1,970 | £34,320 |
| Glasgow | Scotland | £1,100 | £1,530 | £34,840 |
| Cardiff | Wales | £1,100 | £1,960 | £33,540 |
| Manchester | England | £1,200 | £1,900 | £35,620 |
| Edinburgh | Scotland | £1,450 | £1,560 | £37,440 |
| Bristol | England | £1,450 | £2,200 | £36,400 |
| London | England | £2,100 | £1,950 | £42,900 |
* Northern Ireland uses the Rates system instead of Council Tax — see Belfast for details.
How we compile these numbers
Rent figures come from the ONS Private Rental Market Summary Statistics, using the median for a 2-bedroom dwelling in each city's local-authority district (or the closest comparable). Council Tax Band D figures are published annually by each council on gov.uk — we use 2025/26 rates where available. Median weekly pay is the full-time workplace median from ONS ASHE Table 7 (2024), annualised for display.
Important caveat. Cost of living within a city varies materially by postcode. A 2-bed in inner London is typically £2,500+, while outer zones can be £1,500. These figures are median snapshots useful for comparison but not for budgeting — for an actual property check local listings.
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