For decades, the "North-South divide" upheld the idea that: London was expensive, and everywhere else was a bargain in comparison. Now, rapidly increasing rents across the UK are challenging the concept that cities outside London are ‘cheap’ and, even if they are, for how long?
Over the past five years, rent rises across the UK have squeezed affordability, no matter where you’re renting. The average cost of a room in London is the highest in the country at almost £1,000 per month, but the gap in affordability is rapidly closing between other cities, which were once considered significantly more affordable.
We looked at the biggest cities in the UK to see which ones have seen the largest increases in rent over the last five years. And despite London remaining the most expensive, you may be surprised to see which cities are topping the list.
In first place is Belfast, which has seen the steepest rent rises of all. Room rents have increased by more than 50%, meaning the average person is paying a whopping £2,460 more per year in rent today than they did in 2020.
Following close behind are Newcastle and Cardiff. The Welsh capital also hit a record high of £666 per month at the end of 2025. While two Scottish cities, Glasgow and Edinburgh, ranked in the top 10, with rents rising by over 40%.
So what’s really going on - Are regional cities quietly becoming the new hotspots? And is the "affordable North" a thing of the past?
London was once seen as the ‘place to be’ for career opportunities, but the introduction of hybrid/remote working has made the need to actually live in the city much less relevant. Plus, it’s still much more expensive for renters than elsewhere. While London has its perks, there are plenty of other cities with exciting things to offer in the way of nightlife, food, fashion, art, etc. Renters now have more incentive to explore other cities, which are, for now, still relatively cheaper…
The table below ranks the UK's biggest cities with the highest rent increases over the last five years:
