Best UK cities for students

Wigan, with a population of around 345,000, is one of the most affordable places to rent in the North West. A 2-bed flat goes for about £686 a month — well under half what you'd pay in central London and noticeably below the wider regional average. It's a practical, working-class borough that suits renters who want space and low costs over city-centre buzz.

• 1-bed £531/mo
• Rail 1914 m
• Jobs 0.33

Burnley is one of the most affordable places to rent in the North West — a town of around 99,000 people where a typical 2-bed flat runs about £580 a month. That's well under half the UK national median and makes it one of the cheapest rental markets in England. The trade-off is a town still working through significant economic challenges.

• 1-bed £460/mo
• Rail 1363 m
• Jobs 0.40

Bolsover, in the East Midlands, has around 83,700 people and some of the lowest rents in the region. A 2-bed goes for about £630 a month — roughly half the UK national median — and the median house price sits below £190,000. It's genuinely affordable, but you'll need a car and you'll be commuting a fair distance to reach major employment centres.

• 1-bed £487/mo
• Rail 2846 m
• Jobs 0.41

Stoke-on-Trent, with around 270,000 people in the West Midlands, is one of the most affordable cities in England for renters. A two-bedroom flat goes for about £650 a month — roughly half the UK national average for a two-bed — and you can save a deposit in under three years on a typical local salary.

• 1-bed £513/mo
• Rail 2246 m
• Jobs 0.48

Cumberland covers a huge swathe of north-west England — around 280,000 people across Carlisle, Workington, Whitehaven and the surrounding countryside. Rents here are among the cheapest in England: a typical 2-bed runs about £620 a month, roughly half the UK national median. If you want space, fresh air and low housing costs, this is one of the most affordable places in the country.

• 1-bed £491/mo
• Rail 2364 m
• Jobs 0.48

North East Lincolnshire, with around 160,000 people centred on Grimsby, is one of the most affordable places to rent in England. A typical 2-bed flat runs about £554 a month — less than half the UK median and well below anywhere in the South. The trade-off is a local economy under real strain, with limited job opportunities and long public-transport links to major cities.

• 1-bed £433/mo
• Rail 1552 m
• Jobs 0.43

North Lincolnshire, with around 171,000 people, is one of the most affordable places to rent in Yorkshire and The Humber. A typical two-bedroom home goes for about £596 a month — well under half the national median and significantly cheaper than most English cities. The trade-off is connectivity: this is car country, and reaching the major job hubs takes time.

• 1-bed £455/mo
• Rail 2623 m
• Jobs 0.44

Redcar and Cleveland, on the North East coast with around 139,000 people, is one of the most affordable places to rent in England. A typical 2-bed goes for about £606 a month — roughly half the UK national average — and you can save a deposit in under three years. The trade-off is a relatively long journey to any major employment centre.

• 1-bed £454/mo
• Rail 1967 m
• Jobs 0.29

Caerphilly is a Welsh county borough of around 177,000 people sitting between Cardiff and the valleys — and one of the most affordable places to rent in Wales. A 2-bed flat runs about £679 a month, well under half the UK national median and noticeably cheaper than Cardiff. The trade-off is that most people drive, and rents have been rising fast.

• 1-bed £544/mo
• Rail 1350 m
• Jobs 0.31

Hyndburn, in Lancashire's North West, is home to around 86,000 people and one of the most affordable places to rent in England. A 2-bed flat runs about £611 a month — roughly half the UK average — and you can save a deposit in just over two years. The trade-off is a limited local job market and a long rail commute if your work takes you further afield.

• 1-bed £478/mo
• Rail 1185 m
• Jobs 0.35

St. Helens, with around 189,000 people in the North West, is one of the more affordable places to rent in the region. A two-bedroom flat runs about £707 a month — well under the UK median for a 2-bed and a fraction of what you'd pay in central London. It's a practical base for anyone commuting into Manchester or Liverpool.

• 1-bed £569/mo
• Rail 1284 m
• Jobs 0.34

Neath Port Talbot, with around 143,000 people in south-west Wales, is one of the most affordable places to rent in the UK. A typical 2-bed flat runs about £614 a month — roughly half the UK average — and you can save a deposit in under three years. The trade-off is limited local job options and a long rail haul to any major city.

• 1-bed £485/mo
• Rail 1917 m
• Jobs 0.34

Rochdale, with a population of around 236,000, is one of the more affordable towns in the North West. A typical 2-bed flat lets for around £770 a month — noticeably below the national average and a fraction of what you'd pay in central London. Rents rose nearly 10% last year, so the window on low prices may not stay open forever.

• 1-bed £599/mo
• Rail 1696 m
• Jobs 0.39

Pendle, in the North West of England, is home to around 99,800 people and one of the most affordable places to rent in the UK. A typical 2-bed flat goes for about £610 a month — roughly half the national median — and the deposit clock moves fast: most renters can save a full deposit in under three years.

• 1-bed £478/mo
• Rail 1384 m
• Jobs 0.31

Mansfield, with around 113,000 people in the East Midlands, is one of the more affordable places to rent in the region. A typical 2-bed runs about £690 a month — well under half what you'd pay in central London and noticeably below the UK national median. If cost is your priority, Mansfield delivers.

• 1-bed £536/mo
• Rail 1837 m
• Jobs 0.37

Newcastle-under-Lyme is a market town in Staffordshire with around 127,000 people and some of the most affordable rents in the West Midlands region. A 2-bed flat runs about £736 a month — well under the UK median and a fraction of what you'd pay in the major cities. The trade-off is that you'll need a car for most of daily life.

• 1-bed £573/mo
• Rail 2449 m
• Jobs 0.38

Knowsley, in the North West, is a borough of around 162,500 people sitting between Liverpool and St Helens — and one of the most affordable places to rent in the region. A 2-bed goes for around £720 a month, well under the UK median and a fraction of what you'd pay in London. If cost is your main driver, Knowsley delivers.

• 1-bed £565/mo
• Rail 1000 m
• Jobs 0.43

Northumberland, in the North East of England, is one of the largest and most rural local authorities in the country — around 331,000 people spread across a vast county. Rents are among the lowest you'll find anywhere in England: a two-bed goes for around £600 a month, well under half the UK median. Space, greenery and affordability are the draw; connectivity is the trade-off.

• 1-bed £472/mo
• Rail 2047 m
• Jobs 0.35

Bolton, with around 310,000 people, is one of the more affordable towns in the North West. A two-bedroom home rents for about £800 a month — well under the UK median for a two-bed — and house prices are low enough that a deposit is within reach in just over three years for a typical earner. Rents rose around 10% last year, so it's not standing still.

• 1-bed £642/mo
• Rail 1514 m
• Jobs 0.40

Wirral is a peninsula borough of around 329,000 people sitting between the Mersey and the Dee — and one of the more affordable places to rent in the North West. A 2-bed flat runs about £715 a month, well under the UK average for a two-bed and noticeably cheaper than central Liverpool across the water.

• 1-bed £553/mo
• Rail 1032 m
• Jobs 0.32

Rotherham, with around 276,000 people in South Yorkshire, is one of the most affordable places to rent in England. A typical 2-bed flat goes for about £608 a month — roughly half the national median and well below most other northern cities. It's a practical choice if cost is your priority, though the local job market is limited and most residents commute out.

• 1-bed £482/mo
• Rail 2902 m
• Jobs 0.38

South Tyneside, with around 151,000 people on the south bank of the River Tyne, is one of the most affordable places to rent in England. A typical 2-bed flat goes for about £627 a month — roughly half the UK average — and you can save a deposit in under three years. The trade-off is limited local jobs and a long journey south.

• 1-bed £505/mo
• Rail 2609 m
• Jobs 0.28

Hartlepool, on the North East coast with around 98,000 people, is one of the most affordable places to rent in England. A 2-bed flat runs about £520 a month — well under half the UK average for the same property type. Rents rose around 5% last year, but you're still looking at some of the lowest housing costs in the country.

• 1-bed £409/mo
• Rail 1940 m
• Jobs 0.34

Darlington, with around 112,000 people in the North East, is one of the most affordable places to rent in England. A typical 2-bed flat runs about £608 a month — roughly half the UK national average and well below what you'd pay in most major cities. Rents rose around 6% last year, so the market is moving, but the starting point is still genuinely low.

• 1-bed £480/mo
• Rail 1438 m
• Jobs 0.51

Halton, in the North West, is a borough of around 131,500 people sitting between Liverpool and Manchester — and one of the most affordable places to rent in the region. A 2-bed flat goes for about £670 a month, well under half the national median and roughly a third of what you'd pay in central London.

• 1-bed £534/mo
• Rail 1346 m
• Jobs 0.51