Does where you live affect how you spend? Very often, it does. The cost of living varies wildly around the UK and it dictates how much we have left over to spend on enjoying ourselves once we’ve finished paying for the necessities. 

The three main living expenses are housing, transport, fuel and power. The Office for National Statistics revealed that in 2018, the highest weekly spend for households was transport, which cost an average of £80.80: “equivalent to 14% of a household’s average total weekly expenditure.” So, which areas of the UK pay the most for their essentials and does it impact on the luxuries we all enjoy? 

Cost of accommodation 

Somewhat unsurprisingly, London ranks highest for both renters and buyers in terms of cost of housing. A survey last year reported that the average monthly rent in the capital was £836.05, eating up just over a third of a Londoner’s monthly salary, which would leave very little to spend on luxuries like eating out. No wonder Londoners are most likely to bring last night’s leftovers to work for lunch.  

On the other end of the scale, Hull is the cheapest city in which to rent, with an average of £227.68, just 11.64% of the average Hull salary. The low cost of housing and accommodation in the north-east means that they’re able to spend the highest amount in the UK on recreation and culture: 16% of their total weekend expenditure. 

The Scots are the second highest spenders on recreation and culture, although they spend a similar amount on transport. 

Life’s little luxuries 

It seems like Northern Ireland places a high value on enjoying themselves. They spent the most on takeaway meals eaten at home and also spent a higher proportion of their weekly expenditure on eating out.  

We’re all spending less on alcoholic drinks. This could be due to health reasons, or because our finances are becoming more squeezed. However, the north-west spends the most on alcoholic drinks and Wales spends the lowest.  

Where we live obviously has a bearing on what we spend our money on. The more we have to spend on life’s essentials, the less we have to spend on treating ourselves. Whether you live in a rural or urban area can also make a difference. People who live in rural areas, for example, are more likely to spend more money on transport and may have to pay more for their groceries because they don’t have the flexibility to shop around like people who live in urban areas do. 

Wherever you live in the UK, you’ll have to carefully manage your budget, to make sure you can hit all the essential payments, but hopefully have room to spend on a little fun too!