The best (and worst) places to buy your first home in the UK


Finding out that the average wage to buy your first home in the UK is £54k a year - when the average salary for full-time employees was £30,353 in the 2018/19 financial year - can be disheartening to say the least.
However, if you're keen to get your foot on the property ladder but aren't sure where to settle down, it could be a good idea to find out which cities are the most first timer friendly.
A new report by digital broker Mojo Mortgages has cross-referenced the monthly mortgage cost and the area's average income to pinpoint the best (and worst) places to buy your first property in the UK.
The affordability index calculations include monthly bills, commuting expenses and price per square metre, and it turns out that Newcastle is the place to be for first time buyers.
It's closely followed by Aberdeen, Belfast, Stoke-on Trent and Hull.
And which cities aren't so first time buyer friendly? Well, no surprises here - London tops the list, followed by Derby, Northampton, Brighton and Liverpool.
Best places for first time buyers in the UK
- Newcastle
- Aberdeen
- Belfast
- Stoke-on-Trent
- Hull
- Coventry
- Southampton
- Bournemouth
- Cardiff
- Leeds
Worst places for first time buyers in the UK
- London
- Derby
- Northampton
- Brighton
- Liverpool
- Luton
- Manchester
- Bristol
- Edinburgh
- Leicester
'Getting on the property ladder as a first-time buyer is notoriously difficult, unless you happen to have a few grand stashed away in your savings account or can ask the Bank of Mum and Dad to help with the deposit,' said Richard Hayes, CEO and co-founder of Mojo Mortgages.
'Our first-time buyer index gives potential home buyers the chance to see where they could buy, and what’s affordable for them in some of the most popular towns and cities in the UK.'
Would you consider relocating to get the keys to your first home?
Marie Claire Newsletter
Celebrity news, beauty, fashion advice, and fascinating features, delivered straight to your inbox!

Jadie Troy-Pryde is News Editor, covering celebrity and entertainment, royal, lifestyle and viral news. Before joining the team in 2018 as the Lifestyle and Social Media Editor, she worked at a number of women’s fashion and lifestyle titles including Grazia, Women’s Health and Stylist, and now heads the Marie Claire UK news desk.
-
Be the star gift giver this Christmas with a personalised piece of jewellery to make loved ones smile
If your list of loved ones is long and you’re stumped for ideas, there’s one gift that always keeps on giving – and that’s the perfect piece of jewellery.
By Anna-Louise Dearden
-
How to get tickets to see Eurovision 2024 live
Scandinavia is calling!
By Lauren Hughes
-
Emily Ratajkowski faces backlash for 'fatphobic' and 'tone deaf' photoshoot
People are calling for the model to apologise for the image
By Iris Goldsztajn