London rents are crazy right now: Here’s where rent is cheapest...

by Alice Pizzey

Londoners, hold your breath - room rents have reached four figures. Again. The average room rent across inner London has hit £1,002 per month, they haven't been this high since late 2023.

To no one's surprise, SW7 (South Kensington and Knightsbridge) remains the capital’s priciest postcode, averaging a whopping £1,682 per month for a room. That’s more than double the price of London's most affordable postcode, Manor Park (E12), which averages £752 per month.

If you're planning a move, east London continues to be your best bet. This postcode region has the lowest average at £958 per month and the lowest year-on-year rent growth. Unluckily for south-west London renters, room rent is now hitting £1,065 per month and rising 2.4% year-on-year.

While the averages are daunting, there are still plenty of London postcodes where rent is well below the four-figure price tag. And while they’re not exactly a ‘steal’, they’ll be a lot kinder on the purse strings.

Here are six London postcodes where average room rents sit comfortably below £800 pcm:

E12 (Manor Park) – £752pcm / E7 (Forest Gate) – £781pcm
Sitting on the Elizabeth line, both areas offer fast connections into central London (complete with air conditioning). You also have Wanstead Flats on your doorstep alongside a fast-growing scene of independent bakeries, craft taprooms, and cafes under the railway arches.

N21 (Winchmore Hill) – £761pcm
Winchmore Hill offers leafy suburbia and village vibes if you’re wanting to escape the pace of central London, with the added benefit that central locations like Highbury & Islington and Moorgate are still only a 30-minute journey away.

E6 (East Ham) – £755pcm / E13 (Plaistow) – £789pcm
The high streets are a vibrant mix of independent shops and places to eat. Plus, Plaistow Park and West Ham Park mean that green space is never far away. Luckily, both are connected by the District line, which makes it a good location to commute from.

N9 (Lower Edmonton) – £790pcm
Home to All Saints' Church, a beautiful medieval building, and once the home to the poet John Keats - this is one for the literary lovers and romantics. If you have to face the commute into central, you can catch the Weaver Line to Liverpool Street within half an hour.

To see average rents across all London postcodes click here

*Room rents are inclusive of bills and based on asking prices