With the average UK rent now sitting at £1,320 (or £18,840 a year) as of Zoopla’s latest data from December 2025, many of us can’t help but wonder where in the country is the cheapest place to rent. Especially if the chances of buying a house are slim…
But just how far do you need to go from Manchester to find the cheapest place to rent? Less than an hour, in fact. According to a recent study from property experts Zoopla, the cheapest place to rent in the UK is closer than you think – and certainly more affordable than the average rent in Manchester of £1,173 per month.
Burnley: The cheapest place to rent in the UK
Ranking the average monthly rents for towns and cities across the UK, Zoopla revealed Burnley as the cheapest place to rent, with the average rent of £652 per month. The journey from Burnley to Manchester city centre takes roughly 55 minutes by car, and there is a direct bus (X43 Witchway) which takes 1 hour and 19 minutes and a 46-minute train journey.
The Burnley, Allerdale, and Pendle were the three North West districts ranked as having the lowest rents compared to the rest of the UK, despite seeing higher-than-average annual growth. The average monthly rent in Allerdale, Cumbria, is £666, and Burnley’s neighbouring Lancashire district, Pendle, has an average monthly rent of £668. According to Zoopla, these districts offer good commuting options and access to landscapes like the Pennines and the Lake District.
The cheapest towns and cities to rent in the UK in 2026, according to Zoopla (average rent pcm)
- Burnley – £652
- Sunderland – £661
- Hull – £674
- Middlesborough – £674
- Grimsby – £683
- Doncaster – £745
- Aberdeen – £746
- Barnsley – £747
- Blackpool – £752
- Huddersfield – £771
The Zoopla study also revealed the North East as the cheapest region to rent in the UK. The average rent here is £760 per calendar month (pcm), which is a rise of 4.5% in the last year. The North East was then followed by Northern Ireland (£854 pcm), Yorkshire and the Humber (£869 pcm), and Scotland (£882 pcm).
And how does the English capital fare? Look away now! London’s average rent of £2,224 pcm makes it almost twice as pricey to rent compared to anywhere else in the country. London was followed by the South East, East of England, and South West as the most expensive regions to rent in the UK.
See the full study by Zoopla here.