18 Sep 2026
Flats 40% cheaper to buy than houses
This price gap between the cost of houses and flats is the biggest it has ever been. Houses are now costing 1.7 times more than a flat, which is 0.4 times higher than 10 years ago
According to Zoopla, the price of a flat has gone up 10% since 2016, while houses have increased 43% over this period.
£327,000 is the cost of an average UK house, whereas a typical flat costs £193,000 – that’s 1.7 times more.
Below, we have listed the average prices of flats and houses by area.
| Region | Flat price | House price | Difference 2026 | Price difference |
| London | £416,000 | £809,000 | 1.9x | £393,000 |
| South East | £207,000 | £480,000 | 2.3x | £273,000 |
| East | £186,000 | £396,000 | 2.1x | £210,000 |
| South West | £174,000 | £368,000 | 2.1x | £194,000 |
| West Midlands | £120,000 | £296,000 | 2.5x | £176,000 |
| East Midlands | £113,000 | £264,000 | 2.3x | £151,000 |
| North West | £120,000 | £273,000 | 2.3x | £153,000 |
| Yorkshire & Humber | £104,000 | £250,000 | 2.4x | £146,000 |
| North East | £86,000 | £202,000 | 2.3x | £116,000 |
| Wales | £116,000 | £248,000 | 2.1x | £132,000 |
| Scotland | £118,000 | £223,000 | 1.9x |
£105,000 |
There are a few things to consider when looking at buying a flat. These include:
Length of lease
Look at how long is left on the lease and obtain a quote on how much it would cost you to renew it, especially if there are under 85 years left.
Service charges
Lots of flats have communal facilities that need paying for by occupants through service charges.
Ground rent
Some leaseholders may be required to pay an annual fee to acquire the right to occupy the land in which their flat sits.
Safety
An EWS1 certificate (External Wall System Fire Review) is an assessment tool to evaluate the safety of external wall materials on multi-storey buildings. This certificate is required for residential buildings over 18 metres tall and buildings with a specific type of cladding.
If you’re looking to buy a flat or house and require a mortgage in principle, get in touch with the experts at Mortgage Required: 01628 507477.
Source: Zoopla.
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