When it comes to the most expensive and cheapest local authorities to purchase a home, the borough of Kensington and Chelsea retains the crown as the most expensive local authority in the UK in 2025 with an average house price of £1,071,600.
This is according to an analysis by Zoopla, which says the London borough is 10 times more expensive than the cheapest local authority of Inverclyde, which has an average house price of £109,400.
Outside of London, Elmbridge in Surrey takes the top spot with average house prices of £705,800, followed by South Buckinghamshire2 – home to the UK’s least affordable town, Beaconsfield – with average house prices of £671,400.
Most and least expensive local authorities to purchase a home in 2025
| Position | Most expensive | Average home price | Least expensive | Average home price |
| 1 | Kensington and Chelsea | £1,071,600 | Inverclyde | £109,400 |
| 2 | City of Westminster | £914,600 | East Ayrshire | £112,100 |
| 3 | Richmond upon Thames | £750,200 | Kingston upon Hull | £115,700 |
| 4 | Camden | £749,400 | West Dunbartonshire | £117,200 |
| 5 | Hammersmith and Fulham | £709,800 | Hartlepool | £117,300 |
Moving to the rental market, local authorities in London again dominate the most expensive list with the borough of Kensington and Chelsea the UK’s most expensive place to rent a home with an average rent of £3,531 pcm, over 2.5 times the UK average of £1,318.
Hartlepool in the North East retains the top spot as the cheapest place to rent a property in 2025 with an average rent of £578 pcm. This was followed by the Scottish local authorities of East Ayrshire (£602 pcm) and Dumfries and Galloway (£615 pcm).
Most and least expensive local authorities to rent a home in 2025
| Position | Most expensive | Average monthly rent | Least expensive | Average monthly rent |
| 1 | Kensington and Chelsea | £3,531 | Hartlepool | £578 |
| 2 | City of Westminster | £3,282 | East Ayrshire | £602 |
| 3 | Camden | £2,802 | Dumfries and Galloway | £615 |
| 4 | Hammersmith and Fulham | £2,739 | County Durham | £632 |
| 5 | Islington | £2,560 | Redcar and Cleveland | £634 |
The property sold the furthest north in the UK in 2025 was Easter House, a two bedroom bungalow on the island of Unst, Britain’s most northerly inhabited island and part of the Shetland Islands. Listed for £85,000, the property benefits from uninterrupted countryside views and buckets of character, with exposed beans and an original stone fireplace.
At the opposite end of the country, a three bedroom terraced house on St Mary’s, the largest of the Isles of Scilly in Cornwall, was the most southerly property sold on Zoopla in 2025. Listed for £1,200,000, Vine Cottage provides harbour views just moments from the water’s edge with easy access to local shops and restaurants. As a Grade II listed property originally built in 1820 as a shipbuilder’s cottage, the home is truly a slice of seaside history.
What’s next for the housing market?
Following a period of hesitance in the UK housing market amidst property tax speculation in the run up to the Autumn Budget, Zoopla expects to see a boost in momentum heading into 2026.
It says potential buyers in the £500,000 to £2m bracket will be breathing a sigh of relief and re-entering the property market, and as a result Zoopla expects a steady year ahead, with sales remaining around 1.15 million, consistent with 2025. Mortgage lending is expected to stay competitive, and first-time buyers should prioritise understanding their affordability as the first step in their home-buying journey.
This article is taken from Landlord Today