The Top 20 Cities For Young People
If you’re thinking about where to go for uni or where to move after uni, here’s everything you need to consider.
With the cost of living crisis, cities across the UK have seen a steep increase in the costs of renting, dining out, public transport, and more. This can be super challenging for young people who are trying to decide where to live and work, as the unpredictable costs of living can have a huge impact on your overall happiness.
Luckily, thanks to new research from Comparethemarket, it’s easier than ever to see the top cities for young people in the UK based on the number of jobs available, the number of pubs, the cost of renting, and much more!
The top 20 cities for young adults in the UK
1. Nottingham
Percentage of total population aged 18-30: 28.23%
Number of jobs listed: 2,719
Cost of a monthly transportation pass: £60
Average cost of a meal: £12
Number of bars and pubs: 119
Average cost of rent per month: £765
Overall happiness score: 7.20
2. Southampton
Percentage of total population aged 18-30: 23.63%
Number of jobs listed: 1,038
Cost of a monthly transportation pass: £55
Average cost of a meal: £11.47
Number of bars and pubs: 95
Average cost of rent per month: £805
Overall happiness score: 7.40
3. Coventry
Percentage of total population aged 18-30: 21.03%
Number of jobs listed: 995
Cost of a monthly transportation pass: £50
Average cost of a meal: £10
Number of bars and pubs: 64
Average cost of rent per month: £537.50
Overall happiness score: 7.41
4. Newcastle upon Tyne
Percentage of total population aged 18-30: 25.69%
Number of jobs listed: 1,360
Cost of a monthly transportation pass: £72
Average cost of a meal: £14
Number of bars and pubs: 120
Average cost of rent per month: £784.50
Overall happiness score: 7.49
5. Bradford
Percentage of total population aged 18-30: 16.30%
Number of jobs listed: 640
Cost of a monthly transportation pass: £57.40
Average cost of a meal: £10
Number of bars and pubs: 182
Average cost of rent per month: £537.50
Overall happiness score: 7.49
6. Plymouth
Percentage of total population aged 18-30: 18.82%
Number of jobs listed: 727
Cost of a monthly transportation pass: £55
Average cost of a meal: £10
Number of bars and pubs: 27
Average cost of rent per month: £760
Overall happiness score: 7.53
6. Luton
Percentage of total population aged 18-30: 18.20%
Number of jobs listed: 465
Cost of a monthly transportation pass: £63
Average cost of a meal: £12
Number of bars and pubs: 72
Average cost of rent: £750
Overall happiness score: 7.74
7. Kingston upon Hull
Percentage of total population aged 18-30: 18.60%
Number of jobs listed: 779
Cost of a monthly transportation pass: £56.52
Average cost of a meal: £10.50
Number of bars and pubs: 43
Average cost of rent per month: £452.50
Overall happiness score: 7.38
8. Birmingham
Percentage of total population aged 18-30: 20.05%
Number of jobs listed: 3,205
Cost of a monthly transportation pass: £57.50
Average cost of a meal: £11.20
Number of bars and pubs: 200
Average cost of rent per month: £807.12
Overall happiness score: 7.32
9. Sheffield
Percentage of total population aged 18-30: 20.91%
Number of jobs listed: 1,260
Cost of a monthly transportation pass: £73.91
Average cost of a meal: £11
Number of bars and pubs: 103
Average cost of rent per month: £702.78
Overall happiness score: 7.45
10. Middlesbrough
Percentage of total population aged 18-30: 17.70%
Number of jobs listed: 571
Cost of a monthly transportation pass: £62.50
Average cost of a meal: £10
Number of bars and pubs: 49
Average cost of rent per month: £475
Overall happiness score: 7.41
11. Manchester
Percentage of total population aged 18-30: 26.35%
Number of jobs listed: 3,433
Cost of a monthly transportation pass: £70
Average cost of a meal: £15
Number of bars and pubs: 240
Average cost of rent per month: £917.59
Overall happiness score: 7.26
11. Bolton
Percentage of total population aged 18-30: 15.19%
Number of jobs listed: 598
Cost of a monthly transportation pass: £65.96
Average cost of a meal: £10
Number of bars and pubs: 188
Average cost of rent per month: £550
Overall happiness score: 7.52
12. Leicester
Percentage of total population aged 18-30: 21.98%
Number of jobs listed: 1,437
Cost of a monthly transportation pass: £54
Average cost of a meal: £14
Number of bars and pubs: 55
Average cost of rent per month: £750
Overall happiness score: 7.41
13. Stoke-on-Trent
Percentage of total population aged 18-30: 16.84%
Number of jobs listed: 863
Cost of a monthly transportation pass: £65
Average cost of a meal: £12
Number of bars and pubs: 33
Average cost of rent per month: £550
Overall happiness score: 7.59
14. Swansea
Percentage of total population aged 18-30: 17.72%
Number of jobs listed: 863
Cost of a monthly transportation pass: £15.74
Average cost of a meal: £12
Number of bars and pubs: 34
Average cost of rent per month: £617.50
Overall happiness score: 7.51
15. London
Percentage of total population aged 18-30: 19.58%
Number of jobs listed: 21,507
Cost of a monthly transportation pass: £150
Average cost of a meal: £15
Number of bars and pubs: 1,206
Average cost of rent per month: £2004.44
Overall happiness score: 7.45
16. Portsmouth
Percentage of total population aged 18-30: 21.90%
Number of jobs listed: 604
Cost of a monthly transportation pass: £62.61
Average cost of a meal: £12
Number of bars and pubs: 53
Average cost of rent per month: £726.67
Overall happiness score: 7.53
17. Leeds
Percentage of total population aged 18-30: 20.47%
Number of jobs listed: 2,447
Cost of a monthly transportation pass: £75
Average cost of a meal: £12
Number of bars and pubs: 165
Average cost of rent per month: £805.56
Overall happiness score: 7.35
18. Cardiff
Percentage of total population aged 18-30: 23.44%
Number of jobs listed: 1,014
Cost of a monthly transportation pass: £53
Average cost of a meal: £14
Number of bars and pubs: 57
Average cost of rent per month: £782.31
Overall happiness score: 7.21
19. Aberdeen
Percentage of total population aged 18-30: 19.58%
Number of jobs listed: 442
Cost of a monthly transportation pass: £91.30
Average cost of a meal: £12
Number of bars and pubs: 65
Average cost of rent per month: £552.43
Overall happiness score: 7.47
20. Peterborough
Percentage of total population aged 18-30: 16.08%
Number of jobs listed: 873
Cost of a monthly transportation pass: £65.22
Average cost of a meal: £9
Number of bars and pubs: 18
Average cost of rent per month: £536.67
Overall happiness score: 7.26
Which city is best for me?
Well, this depends on what’s most important to you! While Kingston-upon-Hull, Middlesbrough, Peterborough, and Bradford are the cheapest cities to rent, the more expensive cities such as London, Manchester, and Birmingham have more job prospects and the chance of a more active social scene.
While many graduates find jobs in London after uni, the high rent and rising living costs could impact your overall happiness. If you’re struggling to afford your bills and can’t enjoy a social life due to having no money left after paying your rent, chances are moving to London probably isn’t worth it and there’s another city which could work better for you.
Hopefully, this data can help you to weigh up the choices and see which cities you could see yourself living in and can be a good start when it comes to seeing which areas of the country are affordable vs what’s unachievable for you.
You can read the rest of the research from Comparethemarket here.
Don’t forget to check out Student Beans for all of the best student discounts to help you save some money during the cost of living crisis.
