Newcastle and Edinburgh offer Britain’s best-value commuter belts, with every surrounding local authority providing cheaper homes than the cities themselves, according to new research from The Property DriveBuy.
The analysis compared average house prices across 12 major UK cities and their surrounding local authorities to identify where home movers could make the biggest savings by stepping outside urban boundaries.
Newcastle and Edinburgh ranked joint first, with Gateshead and West Lothian offering the largest discounts at 26% and 24% below city prices respectively.
Around Newcastle, South Tyneside, North Tyneside and Northumberland also provide lower average values than the city’s £205,592 typical price.
AFFORDABLE ROUTES
London placed third overall, with 15 of its 17 neighbouring local authorities offering a more affordable route onto the housing ladder.
The biggest savings were found in Thurrock, where the average home at £324,258 is 42% cheaper than the London average of £561,587.
Slough and Dartford also provide substantial discounts of 38% and 36%.
LOWER PRICES
Leeds and Cardiff complete the top five, with three-quarters of their commuter districts offering lower prices. Bradford delivers the largest affordability gain for Leeds movers, with prices 24% below the city average, while Cardiff buyers can save up to 41% by relocating to Rhondda Cynon Taf.
At the other end of the scale, Liverpool ranks as Britain’s least affordable commuter belt. All five of its surrounding local authorities command higher average house prices, with Cheshire West and Chester sitting 44% above Liverpool’s £181,809 average.
NOT ALWAYS CHEAPER
Steve Foreman, founder and CEO of The Property DriveBuy, says: “While London’s commuter belt offers some of the greatest potential savings, affordability challenges extend far beyond the capital.
“Newcastle and Edinburgh now lead the way for home movers seeking better value, though our data shows that not every commuter belt guarantees a cheaper move.”
