Buying a house is a big deal, and where you are planning to buy will make a difference financially.
Of course, London is one of the priciest areas to buy a property. You’ll be required to earn £86,513 for a flat compared to £14,426 for the equivalent property in Burnley, or £205,405 for a detached home versus £42,996 for the same property in Middlesborough which is quite a contrast.
According to the Office for National Statistics (ONS), the average UK wage is £37,430, and the type of property makes a big difference in the price, for example; a detached house compared to a flat is going to be more expensive.
Most affordable areas in the UK*
Research from GoCompare shows the salaries you need to purchase a house and the average price in different areas across the UK. Below are the top five affordable areas:
| Salary Required | Flat | Terraced | Semi | Detached |
| Burnley | £14,426 | £18,940 | £27,214 | £42,262 |
| Middlesborough | £15,751 | £20,458 | £28,549 | £42,996 |
| Blackpool | £15,859 | £22,923 | £29,065 | £43,702 |
| Sunderland | £17,097 | £22,964 | £29,366 | £48,800 |
| Stoke-on-Trent | £18,268 | £23,160 | £30,560 | £51,243 |
| Average Price | Flat | Terraced | Semi | Detached |
| Burnley | £72,150 | £95,196 | £136,780 | £212,414 |
| Middlesborough | £79,166 | £102,825 | £143,492 | £216,101 |
| Blackpool | £79,708 | £115,213 | £146,084 | £219,652 |
| Sunderland | £85,933 | £115,420 | £147,597 | £245,274 |
| Stoke-on-Trent | £91,816 | £116,405 | £153,596 | £257,553 |
Most expensive areas in the UK*
These are the salaries you need to purchase a house, and the average price in different areas across the UK. Below are the top five most expensive areas:
| Salary Required | Flat | Terraced | Semi | Detached |
| London | £86,513 | £113,764 | £135,326 | £205,405 |
| Cambridge | £66,650 | £100,023 | £119,439 | £193,519 |
| Oxford | £61,982 | £94,256 | £117,701 | £189,489 |
| Brighton | £58,464 | £93,227 | £104,011 | £157,673 |
| Edinburgh | £52,136 | £73,962 | £91,976 | £145,882 |
| Average Price | Flat | Terraced | Semi | Detached |
| London | £435,818 | £571,783 | £680,157 | £1,032,371 |
| Cambridge | £334,988 | £502,721 | £600,304 | £972,634 |
| Oxford | £311,527 | £473,734 | £591,569 | £952,380 |
| Brighton | £293,845 | £468,564 | £522,764 | £792,472 |
| Edinburgh | £262,037 | £371,735 | £462,275 | £733,211 |
Remember, wherever you are looking to buy, the team at Mortgage Required are experts at finding the best product available. Give them a call on 01628 507477 or email team@mortgagerequired.com.
*House prices were taken from HM Land Registry UK House Price Index: June 2024. Repayments were calculated based on a 90% mortgage with 5.5% interest rate over 25 years.
Monday 22nd June saw Keir Starmer resign as Prime Minister and Labour leader. The resignation does not directly impact mortgage rates, as changes were taking place before this announcement. However, it could influence mortgage rates indirectly through financial markets and future government policies.
Homebuying reform to cut homebuying times by around four weeks, and save first-time buyers around £650, says the government.
Buying your first home is a huge milestone, but it can also be a complex process. There are several factors a first-time buyer should consider before making an offer on a property, including understanding the difference between leasehold and freehold and checking council tax bands.
We’ve detailed some questions you can ask your estate agent to help you make an informed decision.
6 days ago
Here are the lowest fixed mortgage rates of the week, available to first-time buyers, home movers, buy-to-let, and those remortgaging.
Call us for more information: 01628 507477 or email: team@mortgagerequired.com.
8 days ago
Remortgaging means switching to a new mortgage deal. This will either be with your current lender or a new one.
Getting advice and moving to a new deal when the time is right can mean lower monthly mortgage payments, better interest rates, or releasing equity from your property.
Here are some signs it may be time to remortgage.
According to Nationwide Building Society’s latest House Price Index, house prices dropped 0.6% month on month in May – the first monthly decline this year.
19 May 2026
Research from Lloyds identifies the most affordable areas in the UK for first-time buyers to be able to get onto the property ladder.
On Wednesday, 13th May, King Charles delivered his speech at the House of Lords, outlining the government’s plans for the upcoming year.
Here is a summary of the housing and energy/environment points.