November is here, and while it hasn’t been THAT cold yet, we are entering the most freezing time of year. As a result, it is always harder on our wallets when we see the heating bill. And to make it even worse, Glasgow is officially the second most expensive city to run a home in the UK.
Wayfair, the online home store, has done research to help determine where in the UK is the most costly to keep the home going, analysing data from Numbeo. The analysis looked into the size of the average home in each city, utility prices such as for heating, electricity, cooling, water and garbage, as well as utilities per square meter and for a 85m2 property.
Glasgow took the second spot on the list, with an average home size of 97 square meters and the average cost for utilities at £300.57, or £3.10 per square meter. Liverpool is officially the most expensive city to run a home in the UK, with an average property size of 92 square meters and monthly costs of £316.71 on average, resulting in £3.44 per square meter.
Edinburgh took third place on the list, with a median home size of 97.00 square meters and utilities costing a hefty £293.56 a month for the average person. Birmingham has landed fourth place, costing £258.34 a month on average for a 90-square-meter home. Bristol followed closely after at fifth place, with an average home size of 92 square meters and the average utility bill being £257.69.
The most expensive cities to run a home in the UK
- Liverpool
- Glasgow
- Edinburgh
- Birmingham
- Bristol
- Nottingham
- Manchester
- Leeds
- Brighton
- London
How to reduce the cost of utilities
Wayfair has also recommended avoiding using utilities during peak hours – typically between 8 am and 10 pm. However, it’s probably not the best idea to have the washing on or hoovering in the middle of the night or early in the morning, as the neighbours won’t be too pleased…
People are also advised to switch off appliances completely when not in use, install timers on lights and appliances, invest in energy-efficient appliances and improve insulation where possible.