The UK's most expensive cities to live outside London

London is the most expensive place to buy a home in the UK by a sizable margin.

The average property price is around £537,500, according to Zoopla's latest House Price Index, released in October. Cambridge (£470,000) and Oxford (£452,300) top the most expensive cities beyond the capital. On the other end of the spectrum, Aberdeen is the cheapest city to buy a home, with the average price sitting at £136,600.

It has been a "bumper" year for housing sales, marking the highest level of new purchases since the post-pandemic boom in 2020, said Zoopla. The growth is due to a combination of first-time buyers, who were the largest buyer group, making up 36% of sales, and existing homeowners who had delayed moving until the market's outlook improved. This year, mortgage repayments for UK first-time buyers were on average 17% cheaper than renting, compared with 2% last year.

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1. Cambridge: £470,000

The skyline of the historic city is dominated by tightly packed college buildings, with cultural attractions such as world-class art collections. For green space there are the Backs, the colleges' riverside gardens, parks, the Botanic Garden and countryside all around the city.

2. Oxford: £452,300

The home, of course, of the University of Oxford, the oldest university in the English-speaking world. The city is packed with quadrangles, gothic spires and listed buildings, plus parks and the possibility of punting on the river. Its green belt protects rural surroundings – and limits housing availability. The Chilterns and Cotswolds are on the doorstep.

3. Bristol: £341,400

Built around the River Avon, spanned by the Clifton Suspension Bridge, the city-centre docks have been redeveloped as cultural and heritage centres. With the M4 and M5 nearby, it also has an international airport, and is within easy reach of the North Somerset coast.

4. Bournemouth: £333,700

Dorset's largest conurbation has seven miles of award-winning beaches offering diverse watersports, one of southern England's largest entertainment venues and an international airport. To the west is Poole Harbour, Europe's largest natural harbour, with the New Forest to the east.

5. Portsmouth: £280,300

A waterfront city, centred around a port and naval base, Portsmouth is home to beaches, cultural and artistic hotspots, and stacks of green space. It's known for its maritime heritage and and houses Portsmouth's Historic Dockyard, with ships including the Mary Rose, and a cruise terminal and international ferry port nearby.

6. Edinburgh: £273,500

Scotland's capital, perched on an extinct volcano, is renowned for its medieval Old Town, and Georgian New Town, and many historic sites including Edinburgh Castle. As befits a Unesco World Heritage Site and City of Literature, it's home to no fewer than 10 major international festivals.

7. Southampton: £258,700

This southern coast port city in Hampshire is home to the longest surviving stretch of medieval walls in England, and the largest theatre in the south of England. Its excellent transport links include road, rail and an international airport, plus ferries and a major cruise terminal. Close to countryside, there's easy access to the coast and the New Forest.

8. Cardiff: £256,700

The Welsh capital is compact, with national museums, a spectacular castle and a 76,000-seat sports stadium in the heart of the city. Transport-wise, there are convenient motorways, rail links and an international airport. Nearby is the scenic Glamorgan Heritage Coast.

9. Manchester: £228,200

Home to world-famous football, renowned art galleries and a music scene, Manchester was once the world's manufacturing powerhouse. Its former industrial buildings now house shops, restaurants and accommodation. Its airport is the busiest outside London, and trains, buses and trams serve the city.

10. Leicester: £226,400

In the heart of England, built on the Grand Union Canal and surrounded by beautiful market towns, is one of the oldest cities in the country and the place where King Richard III was killed in battle. Home to one of Europe's largest covered markets, it has a multicultural buzz and is close to the M1, with Birmingham and East Midlands airports a short drive away.

11. Birmingham: £212,100

The second largest city in the UK, Birmingham is regarded as the social, cultural and commercial centre of the Midlands. It is home to a number of major arts institutions – the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, Birmingham Royal Ballet, Birmingham Repertory Theatre, Library of Birmingham and The Barber Institute of Fine Arts. The city is a major transport hub, served by the M5, M6, M40 and M42 motorways.

12. Leeds: £211,500

The unofficial capital of Yorkshire has vibrant cultural and sporting communities, world-class theatre and an expanding retail sector. The city has a big student population, stimulating the growth of its nightlife. It's well-connected to the rest of the country, served by extensive road, bus and rail networks.

13. Nottingham: £203,900

Robin Hood's battleground is filled with historic remnants, from the city’s 11th-century castle to the Lace Market, a protected heritage site. Served by trams, it is one of only nine English cities to have a light rail system.

14. Belfast: £179,100

The capital of Northern Ireland sits on the banks of the River Lagan, with the Titanic Belfast museum, St. George's Market and it is one of only three Unesco Music Cities. A new bus service makes the scenic Causeway Coast easily accessible.

15. Sheffield: £173,800

The city has more trees per person than any other in England, over 60% green space and more than a third sits within the Peak District National Park. The city centre has a major retail scene, featuring several department stores and luxury boutiques.