The 2026 Guide to UK Affordability: Best Places to Live

In 2026, affordability is about more than the asking price. From Hull and Sunderland in the North to Blaenau Gwent and Llanelli in Wales, this guide covers the best value locations in England and Wales, with real data on property prices, living costs, and energy bills to help you make a fully informed decision.

Key takeaways

• Affordability is about more than the asking price. Bills, groceries, and transport all add up month after month.
• Hull and Sunderland remain among the UK’s most affordable cities, with average prices around £135,000 to £146,000.
• In Wales, average earnings have grown 20% faster than house prices over the past year, and Land Transaction Tax thresholds add a further saving over English Stamp Duty.
• Where you live can affect your energy bills. Yorkshire and the East Midlands currently have the lowest electricity unit rates in the UK.
• Always check actual sold prices via HM Land Registry rather than current asking prices, before you make an offer.

Why affordability means more than the asking price

In 2026, affordability is about more than the asking price. It’s about what your mortgage, bills, groceries, and transport add up to month after month.

At Setfords, our residential property team works with buyers across England and Wales every day. Whether you’re purchasing for the first time, upsizing, or relocating somewhere more affordable, we’re here to make the process as clear and stress-free as possible.

Top value locations: England

The North of England continues to offer the most accessible entry points into homeownership, but the picture is more nuanced than it once was. Several cities stand out for combining stable property prices with strong local infrastructure and growing employment bases.

Hull, East Riding of Yorkshire remains one of the UK’s most affordable cities, with an affordability ratio of 4.1 according to ONS 2025 data. Average house prices in early 2026 sit at around £135,000. Significant investment in digital infrastructure has made Hull an increasingly attractive base for remote tech workers, adding long-term economic stability to its affordability credentials.

Sunderland, Tyne and Wear offers a coastal lifestyle with an average price of £146,000. It ranks as the second most affordable city in the UK when balancing salary against property costs, meaning buyers here tend to have more left over at the end of the month than in most comparable locations.

Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire has average prices of around £147,000 as of January 2026. Its central location makes it particularly attractive for buyers who need to commute occasionally to Manchester or Birmingham, while avoiding the higher living costs of both cities.

Liverpool and Sheffield offer a bigger city feel without the price tags that come with London or the South East. Average terrace properties in Liverpool hover around £155,000, while Sheffield’s outlying suburbs offer significant value at around £165,000, with the Peak District on the doorstep.

Top value locations: Wales

Wales has seen average earnings grow 20% faster than house prices over the past year, making it a genuine focus for value-conscious buyers in 2026.

Blaenau Gwent offers entry-level homes averaging £142,000. Beyond its affordability, it’s the focus of the Tech Valleys initiative, a multi-million-pound ten-year plan to create high-value jobs in advanced manufacturing and cyber security. For buyers looking at long-term capital growth alongside low entry costs, this is a compelling combination.

Neath Port Talbot is a rising star in South Wales, with average prices of £163,000 as of January 2026. The area is undergoing active regeneration, with investment in local infrastructure and green energy creating new employment opportunities alongside its more affordable housing stock.

Llanelli, Carmarthenshire offers strong value at an average of £158,000. It sits alongside the Millennium Coastal Park, a ten-mile stretch of coastline with cycle paths, nature reserves, and sandy beaches. It also has direct rail links to London Paddington, making it a practical choice for buyers who want coastal living while staying well connected.

Swansea offers city-by-the-sea living at an average of £195,000. The independent boutiques of Mumbles, the Gower Peninsula, and the city’s growing food and arts scene make it a strong lifestyle choice at a significantly lower cost than Cardiff, where average prices have now risen to around £260,000. For buyers priced out of the capital, Swansea offers real value without compromise.

What you can expect with Setfords

More time, more attention: With no targets, Setfords lawyers can dedicate more time to you.

Ultimate flexibility: Our lawyers can tailor their schedules to meet your needs.

Nationwide coverage: with hundreds of consultant lawyers across the UK, we’ll connect you with the right expert.

Dedicated specialist legal partner: work directly with your chosen lawyer from start to finish.

Highly experienced: Setfords lawyers have an average of 20 years’ experience, so you can be assured you’re in safe hands.

Capacity-based allocation: our lawyers never take on more work than they can handle, so you get the focus and attention you deserve.

Get a conveyancing quote

The city-by-city cost of living picture

Property prices are only one part of the equation. The table below sets out average monthly costs for 2026, excluding mortgage or rent, to give a clearer picture of what day-to-day life costs in each location.

Does your region affect your energy bills?

Yes, and the difference is worth knowing before you move.

According to the Ofgem Price Cap for April 2026 and regional cost analysis from Confused.com (December 2025), the Yorkshire and East Midlands regions currently hold the lowest electricity unit rates in the UK, at approximately 25.33p/kWh compared with a UK average of 26.35p/kWh. At the other end of the scale, the North Wales and Mersey region currently has the highest electricity unit costs in the country.

For buyers choosing between locations, this is a small but real factor in the long-term cost of living calculation.

How to research property values by postcode

Before making an offer, it’s worth understanding what similar homes in your target area have sold for, not what they’re currently listed at.

HM Land Registry is the definitive source. It records every property sale in England and Wales going back to 1995 and is updated monthly. Searches are free and show actual completed transactions rather than asking prices.

Rightmove and Zoopla both draw on Land Registry data and present it in a more accessible format alongside current listings.

For a forward-looking view, it’s also worth checking your local council’s development plans. New infrastructure and regeneration projects, such as the Tech Valleys initiative in Blaenau Gwent, can have a meaningful effect on future property values.

For day-to-day living cost comparisons, Numbeo and the ONS Cost of Living Tracker are both reliable tools that are updated regularly.

When to speak to a solicitor

A solicitor can’t tell you which area offers the best value, but the right conveyancer will make sure the value you see on paper is backed by a secure title once you’ve found the right place. It’s worth speaking to a solicitor if:

• You’ve found a property in an area you’re relocating to and want to move quickly once an offer is accepted
• You’re buying in an area with active regeneration or development plans and want to understand how this could affect title or searches
• You’re moving between England and Wales and want to understand how tax thresholds differ
• You want a clear picture of costs and timescales before you commit to an offer

FAQs

How do I access cost of living comparisons between UK cities?

The most reliable approach is to combine government data from the ONS with independent tools like Numbeo. When comparing cities, look at purchasing power parity, which shows how far your salary will stretch in your chosen region, rather than focusing on headline property prices alone.

Which UK regions have the most affordable energy costs?

According to April 2026 Ofgem data, Yorkshire and the East Midlands currently benefit from the lowest electricity unit rates in the UK. The North Wales and Mersey region has the highest. These differences are modest but worth factoring into long-term budgeting.

How do I research property values in different UK postcodes?

The Land Registry’s Price Paid Data is the definitive source, covering every sale in England and Wales since 1995. Rightmove and Zoopla present the same data in a more visual format if you prefer a quicker overview.

Is Wales becoming more affordable relative to England?

Yes. Average earnings in Wales have grown 20% faster than house prices over the past year, improving affordability across several key areas. Wales also offers lower entry costs for buyers through its Land Transaction Tax (LTT) thresholds, where no tax is paid on main residential properties priced up to £225,000, a significant saving compared with standard English Stamp Duty bands.

Why do local development plans matter when buying a home?

New transport links, regeneration schemes, and public investment can significantly affect future property values. Checking local council plans before you buy can help you identify areas with long-term growth potential alongside current affordability.

Taking the next step

Knowing where you want to move is one thing. Getting there is another.

Whether you’re buying in the valleys of Wales or on the coast of the North East, the conveyancing process is your primary safeguard. It ensures that the value you see on paper is backed by a secure title and no hidden liabilities, from local authority searches to mining reports.

At Setfords, our conveyancing solicitors work with buyers across England and Wales, helping them move efficiently and with confidence.

This article is for general guidance only and is not legal advice. Property prices and living costs are subject to change; please verify current figures with the relevant source, and speak to a qualified conveyancing solicitor about your circumstances.