Where Remote Workers Pay the Least to Live in the UK
Remote work has permanently reshaped the UK job market, with over 40% of employees now working from home at least part-time. A recent study by Elevate compared digital and economic conditions in 69 U.K. cities to identify the most affordable places for remote workers.
The analysis calculated the score for each city, based on 9 key criteria, including Internet speed and cost, electricity costs, the average monthly rent, co-working spaces, as well as the number of coffee shops and cafes as potential working and social places. The final ranking orders them from the highest score to the lowest.
Here is the summary of the findings:
| City Name | Internet Cost (£) | Electricity Cost (£) | Apartment Cost (£) | N of Co-Working Spaces | Value Score |
| Bangor | 26.67 | 19.73 | 375 | 5 | 99 |
| Lichfield | 31.00 | 19.47 | 650 | 1 | 97 |
| Durham | 25.32 | 18.88 | 603 | 2 | 94 |
| Truro | 28.67 | 18.22 | 767 | 2 | 91 |
| Aberdeen | 31.04 | 18.22 | 564 | 23 | 90 |
| Perth | 27.01 | 19.83 | 425 | 3 | 89 |
| Stoke-on-trent | 31.50 | 18.60 | 450 | 3 | 88 |
| Salisbury | 34.60 | 18.60 | 825 | 7 | 87 |
| Liverpool | 31.50 | 18.88 | 569 | 37 | 86 |
| Exeter | 34.00 | 18.22 | 733 | 13 | 85 |
You can access the full research findings by following this link.
The most affordable UK city for remote workers is Bangor, Wales, with a score of 99 out of 100, offering the lowest rent and affordable Internet and electricity. The average rent here is £375, while Internet is the second-cheapest in the ranking, at £26.6 a month. There are only 5 official coworking spaces in Bangor, but they provide sufficient space for a relatively small population.
Lichfield, England, takes 2nd place in the ranking of the most affordable UK cities for UK workers, with a score of 97. Internet costs here are average at £31 per month, but the city offers the best broadband speed in the ranking, making it a suitable city for remote work. Electricity is a little cheaper in Lichfield than in Bangor, but renting is more expensive at £650 monthly.
Durham, England, scores 94 and ranks third. Durham has the cheapest Internet in the top 10, and cheap electricity, with an average bill of £18.8. The rent here is more affordable than in Lichfield, costing £603, but there are fewer social spaces and coffee shops, with only 32 establishments.
Truro, England, earns fourth place, getting a score of 91. While the rent here comes at £767, the highest in the top 10, it is still much more affordable than in bigger cities like London or Manchester. Both electricity and Internet bills are quite manageable, and Truro has one of the best environmental conditions, with the cleanest air in the top 10.
Aberdeen, Scotland, follows Truro closely, with a score of 90 and a fifth place on the list of the most affordable UK cities for remote workers. It’s easier to pay rent here than in Truro or Durham, with £564 a month, and there are 23 coworking spaces in the city, providing many places for remote workers to focus on the job.
In sixth place is Perth, Scotland, scoring 89. Internet and rent in Perth are more affordable than in many cities on the list, with £27.01 and £425, respectively. The city is also cheaper than Aberdeen, but there are fewer coworking spaces, with only 3.
Stoke-on-Trent, England, ranks seventh, getting a score of 88. Monthly rent here is only £25 higher than in Perth, and there are similar 3 coworking spaces in the city. There are also fewer cafes and coffee places in the city, with 55, than in Perth.
Salisbury, England, holds eighth spot, with a score of 87. The city stands out with the highest safety and availability of coworking spaces, with the highest ratio on the list. The Internet here costs £34.6 a month, but the Internet speed and connection are better than in Aberdeen or Perth.
Liverpool, England, is ninth, scoring 86. The city has the most coworking spaces in the list, with 37, giving remote workers more opportunities to find a comfortable space. It is also pretty affordable, with a monthly rent of £569 and a £18.8 electricity bill.
Exeter, England, rounds up the top 10 most affordable UK cities for remote workers, with a score of 85. Similar to Durham and Truro, the city has the cheapest electricity bill at £18.2, but rent and Internet are more expensive here, with residents paying £733 on average. Exeter also has 13 coworking spaces and 31 coffee shops, offering friendly conditions for remote workers.
A spokesperson from Elevate commented on the study: “The remote work is quietly redistributing wealth and opportunity across the UK. When you can work from anywhere, suddenly paying London’s sky-high rents makes no sense. The trend is particularly notable because it’s driving infrastructure investment in previously overlooked regions, and smaller cities invest in coworking spaces and better internet infrastructure, essentially competing on livability rather than just job availability for the first time in decades.”
