Compare UK cities like an investor, not a tourist
Eight major markets side by side — entry price, gross yield, rent and price momentum, liquidity and supply risk — so you can match a city to your strategy instead of a brochure. Sourced from HM Land Registry and ONS; yields are estimates with a published method.
| City | Avg price | Avg flat | 1-bed rent | 2-bed rent | Gross yield | Price 1yr | Rent 1yr | Liquidity | Supply risk | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| London | £553,000 | £431,000 | £1,850 | £2,450 | 4.0–5.5% | -2.1% | +2.0% | ●●●●● | High | View ↗ |
| Manchester | £247,000 | £192,000 | £989 | £1,216 | 5.5–7.5% | +1.3% | +3.2% | ●●●●● | High | View ↗ |
| Birmingham | £236,000 | £147,000 | £821 | £993 | 5.0–7.0% | +0.7% | +3.3% | ●●●●○ | Medium | View ↗ |
| Liverpool | £184,000 | £127,000 | £677 | £826 | 6.0–8.0% | +3.6% | +6.2% | ●●●●○ | High | View ↗ |
| Leeds | £244,000 | £150,000 | £773 | £963 | 5.5–7.5% | +2.3% | +2.6% | ●●●●○ | Medium | View ↗ |
| Sheffield | £222,000 | £135,000 | £682 | £831 | 5.5–7.5% | +1.0% | +4.3% | ●●●○○ | Low | View ↗ |
| Newcastle upon Tyne | £209,000 | £129,000 | £806 | £997 | 6.5–9.0% | +5.0% | +10.3% | ●●●○○ | Medium | View ↗ |
| Nottingham | £192,000 | £126,000 | £731 | £909 | 6.0–8.0% | -1.0% | +3.8% | ●●●○○ | Medium | View ↗ |
Source: HM Land Registry UK HPI (Apr 2026), ONS PIPR (May 2026); yields estimated — see methodology ↗ · As of 2026-07-09
Best for rental yield
- Newcastle upon Tyne · 6.5–9.0%
- Liverpool · 6.0–8.0%
- Nottingham · 6.0–8.0%
- Manchester · 5.5–7.5%
- Leeds · 5.5–7.5%
Best for capital-growth momentum
- Newcastle upon Tyne · +5.0%
- Liverpool · +3.6%
- Leeds · +2.3%
- Manchester · +1.3%
- Sheffield · +1.0%
Best for rent growth
- Newcastle upon Tyne · +10.3%
- Liverpool · +6.2%
- Sheffield · +4.3%
- Nottingham · +3.8%
- Birmingham · +3.3%
Best for liquidity
- London · 5/5
- Manchester · 5/5
- Birmingham · 4/5
- Liverpool · 4/5
- Leeds · 4/5
Best for lower entry price
- Liverpool · £184,000
- Nottingham · £192,000
- Newcastle upon Tyne · £209,000
- Sheffield · £222,000
- Birmingham · £236,000
Best for Singapore / overseas investors overall
Manchester and Birmingham lead for balance (liquidity + yield + regeneration); Liverpool and Newcastle for pure income; London for currency-hedged capital preservation on a 10-year view.
London
A currency-hedged store of value and liquidity play: you accept low yields and a soft price cycle for the UK's deepest, most resilient market.
Manchester
The benchmark UK regional growth-plus-yield market: strong tenant demand and rent growth, but you must buy below the new-build premium.
Birmingham
A regeneration-led balanced play on the UK's youngest big city — mid-single-digit yields with a credible long-run growth story.
Liverpool
A high-yield, low-entry income market with the strongest rent growth of the eight cities — for cash-flow investors who screen developments hard.
Leeds
A steady balanced Northern market underpinned by a large financial/legal employment base and one of the UK's biggest student populations.
Sheffield
A quietly stable, affordable two-university market for income investors who prefer low supply risk over headline growth.
Newcastle upon Tyne
The standout current cash-flow and momentum market — highest rent and price growth of the eight, led by North East regeneration.
Nottingham
An affordable, high-yield two-university income market where low entry prices and student demand outweigh a currently flat price cycle.