Rankings

Cheapest places to live in the UK

Ranked on cost of living, using average private rents, which is the household cost that varies most by location.

In short

The cheapest places to live in the UK are ranked here by average private rent from the ONS Price Index of Private Rents. The current top three are Dumfries (97), Hartlepool (97) and Burnley (93).

Cost of living category: ONS Price Index of Private Rents, by local authority.
Ranked from 539 indexed UK areas, rebuilt daily from the latest published figures.
Every area links to a full report with the source behind each figure.

Compiled by the TrackPostcode.UK data team Data last updated 1 November 2026 How we score every area Data sources

Cheapest places to live in the UK: the top ten, drawn from the same figures as the table below.

Top ten compared across the categories that most often change the answer
#	Area	Nation	Score	Cost of living	Safety	Weather	Broadband
=1	Dumfries	Scotland	97	97	48	22	68
=1	Hartlepool	England	97	97	39	78	97
3	Burnley	England	93	93	41	64	96
=4	Accrington	England	92	92	45	64	95
=4	Bishop Auckland	England	92	92	55	78	88
=4	Chester-le-Street	England	92	92	53	78	88
=4	Consett	England	92	92	52	78	88
=4	Peterlee	England	92	92	47	78	88
=4	Seaham	England	92	92	55	78	88
10	Nelson	England	91	91	49	64	93

Category scores are 0 to 100 and a dash means that dataset has not loaded for the area yet, in which case it is excluded from the overall score rather than guessed at. Open any area for the full report and its sources.

Cheapest places to live in the UK: the full ranking

Showing only areas measured on all twelve categories. 386 otherwise-eligible areas are hidden because at least one category has no data - most often crime, which Greater Manchester Police do not publish at street level. Show all areas.

Best in Scotland

1DumfriesDumfries and Galloway, Scotland97 2HawickScottish Borders, Scotland88 =3LerwickShetland Islands, Scotland87 =3StornowayNa h-Eileanan Siar, Scotland87 =3ThursoHighland, Scotland87 6PerthPerth and Kinross, Scotland86 =7ArbroathAngus, Scotland81 =7ForfarAngus, Scotland81 =7KirkcaldyFife, Scotland81

Best in England

1HartlepoolHartlepool, North East, England97 2BurnleyBurnley, North West, England93 =3AccringtonHyndburn, North West, England92 =3Bishop AucklandCounty Durham, North East, England92 =3Chester-le-StreetCounty Durham, North East, England92 =3ConsettCounty Durham, North East, England92 =3PeterleeCounty Durham, North East, England92 =3SeahamCounty Durham, North East, England92 9NelsonPendle, North West, England91 10CarlisleCumberland, North West, England90

Best in Wales

1TredegarBlaenau Gwent, Wales90 2CarmarthenCarmarthenshire, Wales89 3HolyheadIsle of Anglesey, Wales88 4CaernarfonGwynedd, Wales87 5CaerphillyCaerphilly, Wales86 =6AberdareRhondda Cynon Taf, Wales85 =6MaestegBridgend, Wales85 =6PorthcawlBridgend, Wales85 9PontypoolTorfaen, Wales79 10AbergavennyMonmouthshire, Wales71

Ranked from 539 indexed areas by TrackPostcode.UK scores. Coverage grows as more areas are indexed.

About this ranking

How is cost of living measured?

It is based on average private rents from the ONS Price Index of Private Rents - the largest and most locally variable living cost. ONS analysis shows most other prices vary little between regions, so rent is the honest single indicator. Right now the highest are Dumfries (97/100), Hartlepool (97/100), Burnley (93/100).

Does this include bills and food?

Those vary far less by location than housing, so the score focuses on rent as the dominant local cost. The affordability calculator lets you add your own living costs for a personal estimate.

How current is the rent data?

It uses the latest monthly edition of the ONS Price Index of Private Rents, re-imported as new editions publish.

Every ranking

Best places to live Best places for remote workers Best places for families Best places for students Best places for retirement Best places under £200,000 Most affordable places Safest places Sunniest places Best weather Fastest broadband Cleanest air Best places for jobs Best transport links Most to do Best healthcare access

The same index ordered by a different measurement each time, from the same twelve category scores and rebuilt daily. Each one states on its own page what it measures and what it does not.

What this ranking measures: Cost of living category: ONS Price Index of Private Rents, by local authority. Read the full methodology before quoting a figure.

Primary source: ONS. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.