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Best UK Cities To Relocate To For Work in 2025

by
February 28, 2025

Feeling like a change of scenery? Or want to completely change your norm? You aren’t alone, as Brits, while we are nervous for being creators of habit but we also get the itch to holiday somewhere warm for a change and pack up everything and move. Especially if you are relatively young and want to seize some better opportunities for yourself.

It’s also extremely common for people all over the world to come over to the UK, as we provide better opportunities for people to make a name for themselves, but also we are also known for innovation, skilled workers, and so much more.

With up and coming cities in the UK to the classics, we have composed a list of the best UK cities to relocate to in 2025 based on research and statistics.

Norwich

Voted the best city to work and live in by a number of people, magazines and so forth. For a number of reasons, such as being the first ever city in the UK to be labelled as a UNESCO city of literature in 2012. It’s a nicer choice if you want to have a city lifestyle but are not interested in the likes of Manchester or London.

If you would be interested in moving to Norwich, here is what you’d be signing up for financially.

Average salary per year:    £29,000

Average property price:      £292,542

Average rent per month:     £1,452

I would say personally, for a small city that is rather expensive in terms of rent and property price. Although this might not be a cause of concern if you have an above average salary.

Liverpool

I went to university in this city, so I might be slightly biased; however, it’s a very warm sense of community, especially in some areas slightly away from the city, such as Bootle or Sefton. I would say this is a very up-and-coming city in terms of modernisation. It’s the perfect middle-sized city—not too big and everything is a 10-minute walk from each other. good and affordable transport and a lot to do here.

Average salary per year:    £33,000

Average property price:      £209,973

Average rent per month:    £1,084

Already you can see a difference in the north versus the south in terms of cost of living and wage, which is very interesting.

London

Right where the action is and a vast amount of opportunity available here, however, that being said, it’s all rather competitive and it’s not just other locals but people from all over the world in some career paths. You will have to really stand out and put the work in for a good salary opportunity. Cost of living is always a major concern here, so you need to establish if your wage is enough for you to have a quality life.

Average salary per year:     £37,000

Average property price:       £720,279

Average rent per month:     £4,644

While you could always live further away from the city centre to reduce your rent prices, this is a great city if you have big goals and aspirations, but also within a career that caters for salary increases. There are a lot of pros and cons to this city; you need to establish which is more sustainable and attainable.

Manchester

This is the city that Londoners move to because they can’t keep up with London prices. People usually call Manchester a mini-London; however, I don’t see any comparison other than the fact it’s a thriving city also. There are a lot of opportunities available in this northern city compared to the likes of Liverpool, however, which is continuously becoming more expensive due to its popularity.

All that being said, it’s a great place to be a city slicker, as transport links are great and you can find some rental spots for great prices. It’s just all about luck and timing, really.

Average salary per year:      £31,180

Average property price:        £291,985

Average rent per month:      £1,823

While rent prices are on the rise currently in most cities, I think in terms of Manchester, you can stay in the likes of Salford and so forth and get great rental prices while still being on the doorstep. It’s all about looking in the right places.

Bristol

A city that is renowned for its vibrant cultural scene and a great university spot, I’ve been told this is on the rise to being one of the best spots for those aged between 18 and 40 in terms of career opportunities.

Average salary per year:      £35,000

Average property price:        £386,827

Average rent per month:      £1,739

This is a great spot if you are looking to rent for sure, as prices compared to the average salary are great. The cost of buying is relatively high, but this could change depending on the location where you can find more affordable places; that may mean a longer commute.

Key Considerations

If you are moving withing the UK this a great opportunity for you to visit the city for a week or two before you plan on moving, there are always pros and cons to any city but it’s all down to personal preference for example, I wouldn’t live in the likes of a busy city centre no matter where it was and I’m more a country person, however if I had to choose it would be Manchester based on family, lifestyle availability and just overall vibe the city offers.

If you are moving from abroad, I would definitely check in with the likes of job opportunities and job offers; maybe come and visit the UK for a week and spend a day or two in a few cities you think you might like; and make sure you keep in check with your visa. There are a lot of things happening in the world right now and discussions on visa restrictions, so be sure your employer has a sponsor license and so forth. If you aren’t sure and do have more questions regarding moving to a UK city, we would recommend getting in touch with immigration lawyers in London for the best advice.