Price pressure – cities with lowest and highest rents

• St Albans tops the list as the most expensive city in the UK to rent outside of London, paying an average £2,307 per month, 71% above the national average.

• As students prepare to start a new academic year, many university cities have seen five-year rental growth of over 40%. Students' study choices and graduates' decisions on working in the city will be influenced by affordability.

• Carlisle has the lowest rental prices in the UK, with an average rent of £791 per month, 41% below the national average.

• With an average difference of over £1,500 between the most and least expensive cities, the rental divide across the UK is clear. Source: Dataloft by PriceHubble, Rightmove, August 2024