With an estimated 30% of UK companies offering full-time remote working, and 7 out of 10 businesses have permanently closed office space since the pandemic began, now is a particularly flexible time for workers. No longer forced to live in a certain area, or at least within a commutable distance from their work, workers are escaping to new parts of the country.
By analysing important factors, such as broadband speeds, cost of living, average monthly rent and house prices, property expert Thomas Goodman from MyJobQuote reveals the top cities for remote workers to try.
Which cities have the fastest broadband speeds?
If your work is totally online and you are dependent on reliable internet service, then broadband speeds should be at the top of your list when seeking a city to work remotely. Out of the 77 cities in the UK, the top five with the fastest broadband are:
- Belfast – an average of 179 Mbps
- Swansea – an average of 124 Mbps
- Winchester – an average speed of 123 Mbps
- Portsmouth – an average speed of 118 Mbps
- Southampton – an average speed of 112 Mbps
On the other hand, the cities that have the slowest broadband speeds are:
- Liverpool – an average speed of 34.26 Mbps
- Sheffield – an average speed of 31.78 Mbps
- Glasgow – an average speed of 31.58 Mbps
- Inverness – an average speed of 26.49 Mbps
- Wrexham – an average speed of 24.98 Mbps
Although the above figures seem significantly slower than the cities that boast the fastest broadband speeds, generally speaking, an optimum broadband speed is around 11Mbps. If you only need access to emails, then you shouldn’t be put off by slower internet speeds.
Which cities are the most expensive?
Cities are generally more expensive in the Midlands and South of England, where both cost of living and monthly rent is significantly more expensive than those in the North of England, Scotland and Wales. Unsurprisingly, London is ranked as the most expensive city in the whole of the UK, with the average monthly rent reaching almost £4,000 per month! Based on monthly rental prices, the five top expensive cities in the UK are:
- London – an average monthly rent of £3,885
- Cambridge – an average monthly rent of £2142
- Bath – an average monthly rent of £2,094
- Brighton and Hove – an average monthly rent of £2,010
- Winchester – an average monthly rent of £1,794
On the other hand, the cheapest UK cities to rent every month are:
- Doncaster – an average monthly rent of £542
- Swansea – an average monthly rent of £548
- Derry – an average monthly rent of £557
- Carlisle – an average monthly rent of £570
- Stoke-on-Trent – an average monthly rent of £573
As the rising cost of living has been a constant talking point in the last month, with inflation reaching record highs and food and petrol prices costing more than ever, the difference in the cost of living between cities is a significant factor to keep in mind when moving to a new city. Some cities boast lower rents, especially in comparison to larger cities, such as London or Cambridge, however, the cost of living is still significantly high. Overall, the cities with the highest cost of living are:
- Bath – the average cost of living is £1582.06
- London – the average cost of living is £888
- Lincoln – the average cost of living is £617
- Leeds – the average cost of living is £598
- Manchester – the average cost of living is £592
The cities with the lowest cost of living are:
- Derry – the average cost of living is £478
- Dundee – the average cost of living is £484
- Hereford – the average cost of living is £488
- Inverness – the average cost of living is £490
- Gloucester – the average cost of living is £505
However, it is worth noting that while Dundee and Gloucester boast lower living costs, their average rent cost is only just under the UK average rental cost of £1,103 per month, with Dundee costing £1,032 and Gloucester averaging £954 per month.
