Some 20% of households are now made up of people living alone, with the number of solo dwellers hitting 8.4m in 2023. This marks an 8% increase since 2013, surpassing the overall UK population growth of 6% – underscoring the rising trend of solo living.
In light of this surge, rental insurance firm the Alan Boswell Group analysed the cost and square footage of one-bedroom flats, studios and single rooms in England to determine the most and least expensive cities to rent alone. They’ve also offered tips on the dos and don’ts of house hunting to help renters find their dream homes hassle-free.
| Rank | City | Average rental price to live alone per sqm |
| 1 | Kingston upon Hull | £8.85 |
| 2 | Bradford | £9.17 |
| 3 | Stoke-on-Trent | £9.22 |
| 4 | Liverpool | £9.91 |
| 5 | Wolverhampton | £10.57 |
| 6 | Newcastle upon Tyne | £10.99 |
| 7 | Sheffield | £10.99 |
| 8 | Coventry | £11.51 |
| 9 | Plymouth | £11.77 |
| 10 | Leicester | £11.83 |
Hull is the most affordable UK city to live alone, with rent costing just £8.85 on average per square metre. Every city in the top ten is based in the north/midlands, with the exception of Plymouth. Residents in this south-west city pay £11.77 per sqm, around £3 more than those in Hull.
Bradford ranks as the second cheapest city to live alone, costing £9.17 per sqm on average. This is far cheaper than neighbouring Leeds, where those living alone pay an average of £12.31.
Ranking third cheapest is Stoke-on-Trent, costing renters £9.22 per sqm to live alone. They’re closely followed by Liverpool (£9.91) in fourth and Wolverhampton (£10.57) in fifth.
| Rank | City | Average rental price to live alone per sqm |
| 1 | London | £23.39 |
| 2 | Bristol | £19.33 |
| 3 | Brighton and Hove | £19.32 |
| 4 | Reading | £17.40 |
| 5 | Milton Keynes | £16.67 |
| 6 | Luton | £16.34 |
| 7 | Southampton | £15.50 |
| 8 | Manchester | £14.74 |
| 9 | Portsmouth | £14.69 |
| 10 | Northampton | £13.82 |
London is the most expensive city to live alone in the UK, costing renters an average of £23.39 per square metre. The bustling capital of the UK is one of the world’s leading financial centres for international business and is packed full of amenities, however its rental prices may make it trickier to live alone in this city.
Bristol, ranks as the second most expensive city to live alone in the UK, costing renters £19.33 per sqm on average.
Northern areas have an average price for renting a flat to live alone in equal to £10.22 per sqm. Southern areas have an average price for renting a flat to live alone in equal to £18.09 per sqm, a 76.95% increase compared to the North.
*The full dataset including data for all UK cities is available to view here.
