Aberdeen, Scotland, has been identified as the most affordable city for single homebuyers in Great Britain, with the average price of a one- or two-bedroom home just under £120,000, according to an analysis of national property data.
Research by property website Zoopla found that monthly mortgage payments in Aberdeen for such properties average £510, roughly 16% of the local average salary. In England, Liverpool ranked as the most affordable city for single buyers, with mortgage payments accounting for 18% of earnings, or around £540 per month.
According to Halifax, UK property prices rose by 0.7% in January to a record £299,138 after a 0.2% decline in December. The increase was driven by first-time buyers rushing to secure purchases ahead of a stamp duty hike expected this spring.
Nationwide building society noted a slight improvement in affordability across Great Britain in 2024, as wage growth outpaced house price increases and mortgage costs dipped slightly. However, first-time buyers still typically pay around five times their annual income for a home.
While Aberdeen remains the most affordable city in Scotland, Zoopla’s analysis found that Edinburgh is the priciest. However, affordability in the capital has improved over the past year due to slowing price growth and rising wages.
In Wales, Blaenau Gwent was the most affordable local authority, with homes averaging £112,090 and mortgage payments of £470 per month. Monmouthshire, in contrast, was the least affordable, with average prices at £240,900 and monthly payments of £1,010.
London remains England’s least affordable city, with mortgage payments exceeding £1,000 per month in all boroughs. Havering, in East London, was the most affordable borough, with average home prices of £306,480 and mortgage payments of £1,100 (29% of local salaries). Kensington and Chelsea ranked as the least affordable, where the average property cost £925,870—amounting to 73% of monthly earnings.
Over the past year, house prices in southern England (excluding London) have increased by nearly 1.5%. Cities like Bristol, Oxford, Portsmouth, and Cambridge have seen some of the most notable improvements in affordability.
