Cheapest Areas to Rent in London
The cheapest place to live in London is Bexley, with the average asking rent currently at £1,587 per month.
London is known for its high prices making it difficult to get onto the property ladder. This has made renting increasingly popular across the UK, but even this can be an expensive option when living in the city. According to the Valuation Office Agency, the median rent in London between April 2017 and March 2018 was £1,400. This is more than double the median rent for England and is still on the rise.
Living in London doesn’t have to be as expensive as it seems. It's useful to use rental websites to find the most suitable property. To help make your London removals as stress-free as possible, have a browse through the best places to rent in London and discover the perfect home for you.
Using data from Zoopla, Compare My Move has created a list of where to rent in London in 2023 if you're looking for affordable properties. Prices often vary, but the areas we’ve found currently have the cheapest rent in London, perfect for those looking to move within a specific budget.
| Area in London | Overall Average Asking Rent (pcm) | Average Asking Rent for 1-Bedroom Flat (pcm) |
|---|---|---|
1. Bexley | £1,587 | £966 |
2. Havering | £1,664 | £1,051 |
3. Croydon | £1,564 | £1,162 |
4. Redbridge | £1,608 | £1,030 |
5. Barking and Dagenham | £1,623 | £1,268 |
6. Bromley | £1,741 | £1,123 |
7. Sutton | £1,813 | £1,125 |
8. Hillingdon | £1,892 | £1,128 |
9. Waltham Forest | £1,866 | £1,339 |
10. Lewisham | £1,991 | £1,369 |
1. Bexley
Number one on our list, Bexley currently has the cheapest rent in London with 1-bedroom flats averaging at £966 pcm. A perfect area for those looking to move to London within a budget, there are a variety of properties to choose from, ranging from quaint apartments to large period houses.
For those considering commuting, Bexley is a 47-minute journey by car or you could catch a train from Bexley Railway Station to arrive in the city within 30 minutes. For those looking for larger properties, the current asking rent for 4-bedroom houses in Bexley is £2,282 pcm, resulting in £570.50 per person each month.
| Property Type | Current Asking Rent (pcm) | Asking Rent Per Person (pcm) |
|---|---|---|
1-bedroom flat | £966 | £966 |
2-bedroom flat | £1,442 | £721 |
3-bedroom flat | £1,543 | £514.34 |
2. Havering
With 4-bedroom houses at a current asking rent of £2,316 pcm, you can definitely get more for your money in Havering. An hour and 10-minutes drive to London City Centre, it’s a great area for those looking to commute, with easy access to train stations too.
Havering is known for its variety of restaurants and good food, as well as the thriving high-street mixing well-known brands with local retailers. There’s an appealing choice of schools for families and with a range of open green spaces, it’s the capital's greenest borough making it perfect for nature lovers or those with pets.
| Property Type | Current Asking Rent (pcm) | Asking Rent Per Person (pcm) |
|---|---|---|
1-bedroom flat | £1,051 | £1,051 |
2-bedroom flat | £1,610 | £805 |
3-bedroom flat | £2,296 | £765.34 |
3. Croydon
Another area popular with young renters, Croydon offers 4-bedroom houses with an asking rent of £2,643 pcm, meaning you can expect to pay an average of £660.75 per person. Croydon is one of the cheapest areas to rent in South London, especially for groups splitting the rent.
There’s a huge variety of property types in Croydon, ranging from modern flats in residential towers to large detached houses and Victorian cottages. You can rest assured you’ll find the perfect home for you with only a 20-minute train journey to London.
| Property Type | Current Asking Rent (pcm) | Asking Rent Per Person (pcm) |
|---|---|---|
1-bedroom flat | £1,162 | £1,162 |
2-bedroom flat | £1,605 | £802.50 |
3-bedroom flat | £2,178 | £726 |
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4. Redbridge
Slightly further afield with just over an hours journey to London by car, Redbridge is the next cheapest area to rent on our list. With high-quality schools and open green spaces, it's a perfect area for families looking to rent. The current asking rent for a 4-bedroom house is £2,346 pcm whilst 3-bedroom houses have an asking rent of £1,881 pcm.
| Property Type | Current Asking Rent (pcm) | Asking Rent Per Person (pcm) |
|---|---|---|
1-bedroom flat | £1,030 | £1,030 |
2-bedroom flat | £1,514 | £757 |
3-bedroom flat | £1,835 | £611.67 |
5. Barking and Dagenham
Another cheap area to rent in London, the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham offers 4-bedroom houses with an asking rent of £2,120 pcm, meaning you would only have to pay £530 per person. From modern flats to quaint terraced houses, there’s a range of property types to choose from, with a high number of residents deciding to rent.
| Property Type | Current Asking Rent (pcm) | Asking Rent Per Person (pcm) |
|---|---|---|
1-bedroom flat | £1,268 | £1,268 |
2-bedroom flat | £1,844 | £922 |
3-bedroom flat | £3,140 | £1,046.67 |
6. Bromley
Popular with young renters, Bromley is one of the cheapest areas to rent in London if you’re living with other people. Bromley has a variety of Shared Ownership properties as well as a range of houses available using the Help to Buy London scheme for when you’re ready to commit to a mortgage.
For a 3-bedroom house, the average rent per person is £713.67 pcm, whilst for 4-bedroom properties, the rent per person averages at £679 pcm. If you're ready to make the move, we have plenty of Bromley removal companies to help with your move.
| Property Type | Current Asking Rent (pcm) | Asking Rent Per Person (pcm) |
|---|---|---|
1-bedroom flat | £1,123 | £1,123 |
2-bedroom flat | £1,659 | £829.50 |
3-bedroom flat | £1,790 | £596.67 |
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7. Sutton
With well-respected schools, a thriving high street and great transport links, Sutton is well-connected with a 30-minute journey to London Victoria. Sutton is also present on our list of London areas for first-time buyers as the properties are so affordable. With 4-bedroom houses with an asking rent of £2,597 pcm, you can expect to pay £649.25 per person if you decide to live with others.
| Property Type | Current Asking Rent (pcm) | Asking Rent Per Person (pcm) |
|---|---|---|
1-bedroom flat | £1,125 | £1,125 |
2-bedroom flat | £1,490 | £745 |
3-bedroom flat | £2,409 | £803 |
8. Hillingdon
For a 4-bedroom house in Hillingdon, you can expect an average asking rent of £3,050 pcm, paying £762.50 per person. The second-largest London borough, Hillingdon’s most famous landmark is Heathrow Airport, allowing residents to travel further afield. From Victorian and Edwardian houses to maisonettes and modern apartments, there’s plenty to choose from here.
| Property Type | Current Asking Rent (pcm) | Asking Rent Per Person (pcm) |
|---|---|---|
1-bedroom flat | £1,128 | £1,128 |
2-bedroom flat | £1,807 | £903.50 |
3-bedroom flat | £2,092 | £697.34 |
9. Waltham Forest
With easy access to the Underground and a range of bus routes, Waltham Forest is well connected to London City Centre. The more affordable apartments are situated in Walthamstow, but there are also larger Victorian homes around Epping Forest. For a 4-bedroom house in Waltham Forest, you can expect to pay an average of £2,549 pcm, but when split between others, it equates to £637.25 per person.
| Property Type | Current Asking Rent (pcm) | Asking Rent Per Person (pcm) |
|---|---|---|
1-bedroom flat | £1,339 | £1,339 |
2-bedroom flat | £1,694 | £847 |
3-bedroom flat | £2,510 | £836.67 |
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10. Lewisham
Lewisham’s overall asking rent is higher than most but it offers 4-bedroom houses with a current asking rent of £2,853 pcm, meaning £713.25 per person each month assuming someone is in each room. If you’re looking to house-share, this may be an option for you. From smart high-rise flats to suburban homes, Lewisham has plenty to offer, just 51-minutes to London by car.
| Property Type | Current Asking Rent (pcm) | Asking Rent Per Person (pcm) |
|---|---|---|
1-bedroom flat | £1,369 | £1,369 |
2-bedroom flat | £1,906 | £953 |
3-bedroom flat | £3,008 | £1,002.67 |
Saving Money on Your London Move
Now that you’ve seen the range of places to rent in London, don’t forget to fill out our quick and easy form to get connected with up to 6 local and reliable removal companies to help you during your move. Also, look at the average house removal costs so you know what to expect.
