Manchester (M1) vs Westminster (SW1A)
The classic North vs South prime question. Same desk job in finance: London salary £85k, Manchester salary £55k. Which city is the better property buy?
Side-by-side detail
| Metric | Manchester (M1) | Westminster (SW1A) |
|---|---|---|
| Average sale price | £92,277 | £291,445 |
| Median sale price | £69,000 | n/a (UK HPI regional) |
| Sample size | 98 sales | UK HPI · England |
| Crime incidents (recent) | 4 | 4,253 |
| Avg EPC score | n/a | n/a |
| Avg annual energy cost | n/a | n/a |
| Local authority | Manchester | Wandsworth |
| Country | England | England |
Bottom line
On affordability multiples, Manchester wins by a country mile, typically buying at 4-5x salary vs London's 8-12x. On absolute capital growth, central London has historically led but the gap has narrowed since 2018. On amenity and culture, both world-class but very different in character. Manchester offers a higher quality of life per pound spent; London offers career optionality. Most buyers can't optimise for both.
Full data
Manchester (M1)
Sold prices, crime, EPC, demographics
Full data
Westminster (SW1A)
Sold prices, crime, EPC, demographics
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