Where Should I Live in the UK? A Guide on How to Decide

Where Should I Live in the UK?

If you’re planning a move to the UK or have only just recently arrived, you might be wondering where the best places are to live are.

This can be a difficult question, as the UK is home to a vast number of different cities, towns and areas that can offer very different ways and standards of living. Indeed, many parts of the UK can be as diverse and individual as the hundreds of thousands of people who come from other countries to make the UK their new home.

Choosing where to live can be a stressful process. However, the below guide will take you through the basics of how to choose a location to settle down in and hopefully give you a clearer picture of what different places in the UK have to offer.

1. What Type of Area Do You Want to Live In?

The majority of the UK’s population live in urban areas (around 83% according to the Home Office), but that doesn’t mean you have to automatically have to assume you will live in a city or large town in the UK as a new resident.

People also often opt for smaller towns and villages in the countryside over cities for a variety of reasons, some of which you may find compelling enough to consider a move to a more rural area.

Some of the most popular reasons to choose a location in more rural, countryside areas are as follows:

• Slower pace of life: The fast-paced and busy lifestyle of cities may not suit all individuals. For example, you may find being around large crowds of people overwhelming, or simply prefer a quieter environment to make your home. Either way, living in the countryside can offer a more peaceful, relaxed and calm way of living than in the city.
• Potentially cheaper property: While not a guarantee, you may find that property in more rural areas are more affordable than their city counterparts. This is especially true in areas such as the north of England and in the Scottish Highlands, where houses in remote areas can be incredibly cheap compared to the national average.
• Easier access to green space: If being close to nature and green spaces is important to you, then a move to the countryside may make more sense than a city. Not only are you likely to be surrounded by large swathes of countryside if you live in a rural area, you are also more likely to find properties with gardens or acres of land attached to them than in the city. This is especially true in expensive cities such as London, where being able to afford a house with a garden is becoming increasingly more unlikely for first-time buyers.
• A stronger sense of community: Villages in the UK are known for their strong sense of community; you may find that neighbours are more likely to know each other in smaller rural villages than in cities, and that communities are centred around clearly-defined communal spaces such as a pub, village hall or church. This can make it easier to socialise with your neighbours and help feel more integrated with local life.

Living in the countryside can also have some drawbacks for new residents to the UK, namely:

• Less ethnic diversity: As an immigrant to the UK, you may find it easier to settle in to the UK if you move to somewhere with a large percentage of ethnically diverse residents, particularly if you are seeking other expats from your home country. Rural areas of the UK can be less ethnically diverse than cities, as large cities such as London, Birmingham and Manchester have the biggest immigrant populations in the UK.
• Fewer opportunities for work and employment: Larger cities will naturally have more opportunities for work and employment; residents in rural areas may have to travel to larger population centres regularly in order to work.
• Less access to amenities: For many, cities are a more attractive proposition given the range of amenities that are close by. These can include a wide variety of retail and shopping options, healthcare, entertainment and recreational activities. These will be more limited in the countryside, or will otherwise require frequent travel if you wish to access these amenities.

Your choice of where to live in the UK may well be determined by one of the above factors, which are some of the most broad considerations you should take into account if choosing which type of area to live in. If you are still undecided, you may want to consider the possibility of opting for a large town or a location on the edge of a city (known variously as suburbs or “commuter towns”) if you’d like a balance of both city and countryside living.

2. Where Can You Afford?

Knowing what you can afford to buy or rent will be a key consideration in terms of choosing where to live. For this, it is recommended that you calculate your average monthly outgoings against your average monthly income, so you have a good idea of how much you will have to spend on essentials such as food, rent, mortgage payment or utilities, and how much money you might have at the end of the month to spend on non-essentials.

Another way to determine this is by looking at average property and rent prices across the UK. Below are the top five and bottom five cities for property prices and rent prices in 2024.

Most Expensive Cities to Buy Property in the UK

Least Expensive Cities to Buy Property in the UK

Most Expensive Cities to Rent in the UK

Least Expensive Cities to Rent in the UK

In addition to the above, you should also consider the following:

• What are your must-haves when choosing somewhere to live? If, for example, you require a house with at least three bedrooms, you may need to look at areas of the UK with cheaper housing rather than more expensive areas where this type of property may be outside your price range.
• How much are you willing to spend? On average, people in the UK spend about 25% to 35% of their monthly income on rent or mortgage payments. If it is important to you to have a lot of money left over at the end of the month after essential expenses, then choosing a cheaper area may be a better fit for you. You may also want to consider if you will have enough disposable income at the end of the month to suit your lifestyle.
• What is the average cost of living in your chosen area? The UK is going through a cost of living crisis, with many people having to spend more money on things such as food, utility bills and rent. However, there are parts of the UK where the cost of living may be higher or lower than the national average (£3,000 a month for the average UK household), which may affect how much disposable income you have at the end of the month. See below for more information about the cost of living in UK cities.

Cities with the highest cost of living in the UK include the following:

1. London
2. Milton Keynes
3. Bath
4. Reading
5. Aberdeen

Cities with the lowest cost of living in the UK include the following:

1. Derby
2. Belfast
3. Newcastle
4. Cardiff
5. Liverpool

Note that as there are a number of variables involved with calculating the cost of living in different cities and comparing them against each other in an objective way, this information may vary depending on your own circumstances.

Money is an incredibly important part of being able to manage a life in the UK, so it’s recommended that you do careful research into locations before committing to moving there.

3. Employment and Education Considerations

Employment Opportunities

Job opportunities can vary across the UK. Some locations may be more beneficial for those looking for a wide variety of jobs, while others may be well-suited to those looking to work in particular industries.

For those coming to the UK on the basis of a job offer from a sponsoring employee, your choice of where to live may well depend on where your employee is based. In this case, you may be fairly limited in terms of choosing where to live, as you may need to live within commutable distance to your place of work.

However, for those still looking for work, or for those who can work from anywhere, the issue can be a more complex one. Consider, for example, what kind of work you are looking for; if you work in tech, finance or the entertainment industry, living in large cities such as London and Manchester may make it easier for you to find work.

Similarly, you may wish to consider various locations in the UK and the most common industries or professions local to those areas. According to data from the 2021 Census (covering England and Wales):

• The West and East Midlands have a high percentage of people employed in warehousing, delivery and postal services.
• Oxfordshire and Cambridgeshire each have high percentages of people working in scientific research and development.
• London and the South East of England have the highest percentages of people employed in the arts and creative industries.
• Wales has the highest percentage of people employed in civil service and government jobs.

Education Opportunities

If you have children with you, then thinking about where they will go to school may also play a part in choosing which area to live in. UK schools often accept pupils on the basis of ‘catchment areas’, which means an area immediately surrounding the school where most of the pupils will live.

If you are intent on your child attending a specific school, then it would be wise to live within that school’s catchment area in order to maximise your child’s chances of being accepted. You may wish to consult government reports for specific schools to determine the best schools in a particular area (Ofsted for England, Estyn for Wales, Education Scotland for Scotland and the Education and Training Inspectorate for Northern Ireland).

Similarly, also consider what kind of schools you might wish your child to attend. If you’re interested in international schools, these are mostly located in and around London. Faith schools, which may primarily accept pupils from a certain religious faith, may be more likely to be found in larger cities (though Christian or Catholic faith schools are commonplace all over the UK). If your child needs to attend a school for special educational needs, it may be wise to find a place to live near one of these schools.

If you want your child to attend a boarding school, then where you live may be less important of a consideration, as your child will not be travelling between school and home regularly.

4. Concluding Thoughts

Choosing where to live can be a very personal choice, as you may be making that place your home for years to come. In addition to the factors listed above, you may also wish to consider things such as the relative quality of life in certain places, proximity to amenities that you consider to be important to you, and your own personal preferences.

If you’re able to, it can be beneficial to visit places first before deciding to settle down there. Cities and areas of the UK can differ greatly in terms of their character, feel, and what they can offer their residents. This even applies within relatively small areas; for example, Liverpool and Manchester are only around 34 miles apart, but are culturally, demographically and architecturally distinct from one another. Being able to get a ‘feel’ for a place before committing to moving may make the process easier.

Need further advice on your move to the UK? Maybe you’re still in the planning stages and need some additional assistance with your visa or immigration documents, or you require help with the logistics of moving to a new country.

If so, then reach out to IAS’s advisers for immediate help on 0333 305 9375 or contact to us online today for personalised, empathic help with your move to the UK.