Edinburgh ranked 6th most expensive city to rent in the UK

Edinburgh has been ranked at sixth place in a list of the 50 most expensive cities in the UK.

The average rent in the city sits at £1,778 per month, while the average rent in the UK outside of London is £1,349.

St Albans, a popular commuter town for London, tops the rankings with £2,307, 71 per cent over the average.

The list, compiled by UK estate agents Rightmove, ranks the 50 most expensive cities in the UK and was released as students begin to prepare for the new academic year.

Oxford (£2,237) and Cambridge (£2,072) came in at second and third on the list, while Carlisle (£791) is ranked as the most affordable city with monthly rents 41 per cent below the national average.

Tim Bannister, a property expert at Rightmove, said that many of the cities on  the list “have seen rental growth of over 40 per cent over the past five years”.

He goes on to say that “it’s likely to be a significant consideration when students are thinking about where to study, and those who have already graduated working out if they can afford to stay in that city and find a job.”.

The pressure on students looking for rental property in the city has increased significantly since 2019. There has been a 42 per cent increase in rent since 2019, when an average monthly rent stood at £1,251.

Rents for student accommodation in many parts of the city have risen drastically over the past few years.

However, a university spokesperson told The Tab: “A number of locations will be charging less rent in the coming year.

“In places where increases are being applied, these range from £3 per week through to £30 per week for our premium housing.”.

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A small single room in Mylnes Court, listed as a “value” priced accommodation was £3,671 in 2022 and had risen to £5,008 in 2024.

Similarly, a large single room in Robertsons Close costed £5,393 in 2022, in 2024 this had risen to £7,155.

A large room in Robertson’s close now costs £7,155. Image via The University of Edinburgh

Edinburgh University told the Tab that accommodations are split into four categories: “Value”, “mid range”, “premium” and “studio”. They told us that value rooms “offer our best value, whether you’re sharing in a prime location or opting for a cosy single room. They are a fantastic choice at an affordable price.”.

At the other end, rent for a standard en-suite room in Brae House, a “premium” listed self catered accommodation, has risen from £7199.64 in 2022 to £8,178 in 2024.

A spokesperson for the university said: “The decision to increase some rent prices has not been taken lightly. This reflects rising operational costs, which includes heating, power and staffing costs”.

Earlier this year, a survey by The Edinburgh Tab found that students in Edinburgh were being squeezed by the cost of living crisis, with 57 per cent of students at Edinburgh University had to skip meals due to financial difficulties.

Additionally, the Edinburgh City Council declared a housing emergency in November 2023, acknowledging the severity of the issues and the city’s homelessness crisis, shortage of social rented homes, and increasing pressure in the private rental market.

We asked the university how it intends to assist students facing financial difficulties, a spokesperson has said that:  “Extended payment plans, hardship funding bursaries and budget management assistance is available to those who need it.”.

Additional services are available to students facing financial hardship at EUSA through the advice place.

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