The best places to live in London

When deciding where to live in London, it’s important to consider what you look for in an area to call home. North, South, East and West London have different qualities to explore, with housing prices varying depending on which Underground Zone you look at, or proximity to transport links or green spaces. Luckily, London has one of the best city transit systems in the world, with Underground stations readily available to help you get around quickly and easily.

North London

With a more family-friendly vibe, North London remains quirky despite its more established roots.

Angel (N1)

Near to East London, Angel sits between Clerkenwell and Islington, with Kings Cross St Pancras just minutes away. The Angel Centre offers excellent entertainment options, including a cinema, retail, and restaurants, and Upper Street is renowned as one of the local areas best dining streets, with bars and restaurants to suit all tastes. Islington is home to theatres and music venues.

• Average rental price per week: £472

• Average property price: £940,412

Camden (NW1)

Just north of St Pancras and King’s Cross stations, Camden is lively, with a busy market and plenty of cafes and restaurants along the Regent’s Canal. Camden Lock and the Stables are host to a huge indoor/outdoor market, with lots of stalls to explore, and history to take in.

You’ll find food, books, and clothing on offer, as well as some more touristy options. Though housing prices in Camden can be steep, the nearby areas of Kentish Town, Mornington Crescent, or Chalk Farm all have their own tube stations and accommodation costs can be considerably less.

From Camden, heading up to Primrose Hill, you’ll find the best views of London the city has to offer.

• Average rental price per week: £519

• Average property price: £980,773

South London

South London can be more affordable, with green spaces at Crystal Palace Park and the new Elephant Park - London’s biggest new green space in 70 years.

Bermondsey (SE1)

Just South of the River Thames, and frequently topping lists of the best areas in London (including 2020’s Sunday Times list), Bermondsey offers easy links to Central London (you can even walk across Tower Bridge to the Square Mile), and some great restaurants, as well as cafes, parks, and art galleries.

Recently regenerated, Bermondsey does still have some affordable apartments, and the surrounding up-and-coming areas can offer better-priced options.

• Average rental price per week: £463

• Average property price: £619,572

Greenwich (SE10)

Further out to the South-east, the Royal Borough of Greenwich has been the setting for many movies. With lots of green space, including the Royal Observatory and the park around it, and a bustling high street, it’s perfect for families and young professionals.

Greenwich housing can be slightly more expensive, but houses here have more space, rather than the apartment options you’ll find closer to Central London.

There are National Rail links to Central London stations, as well as the Jubilee line, the DLR to East London and Docklands, river boats, the foot tunnel, and easy access to London City Airport.

• Average rental price per week: £404

• Average property price: £661,956

East London

The trendier side of London, and containing London’s Docklands area, East London has been regenerated with bustling bars and restaurants and a vibrant art scene. As well as tube and overground links, East London also offers easy links to Canary Wharf and the Docklands via the DLR - an above-ground transit system.

Shoreditch (E1)

In Zone 2, Shoreditch - and it’s close neighbour, Dalston - is home to a mixture of young professionals and creatives. Living in this area could mean that you call one of East London’s converted warehouses home - many period buildings have been regenerated to provide new housing.

Much of East London is accessible via the Overground, though Liverpool Street Station is nearby, with lots of available tube lines, and regional trains offering transport outside of London.

Homes in Shoreditch and Dalston can be expensive, though there are lots of more affordable areas close by, including Hackney, London Fields, and Stoke Newington.

• Average rental price per week: £491

• Average property price: £723,123

Isle of Dogs (E14)

Known locally as “the Island”, the Isle of Dogs manages to maintain a community spirit within a financial hub. Transport links for the tube, the DLR (for Stratford as the main line station), river buses, and the Greenwich foot tunnel mean commuting around London is simple, and London City Airport is less than half an hour away.

• Average rental price per week: £552

• Average property price: £491,565

West London

Quieter than East London, and with some of the wealthiest neighbourhoods in the city (including the Queen - you’ll find Buckingham Palace in West London), West London is leafy, with trees lining the streets, and a lot of open, green spaces.

Acton (W3)

An area dating back to the Tudor era, Acton used to sit on one of the main roads between London and Oxford, though the capital has expanded around it.

With many tube links, as well as rail and bus network links, Acton (and its surrounding areas) is primarily residential, with many primary and secondary schools close by, as well as international schools, making it an excellent choice for families.

• Average rental price per week: £391

• Average property price: £625,426

Shepherd’s Bush (W12)

One of West London’s more affordable options, Shepherd’s Bush is also home to Westfield White City, one of London’s biggest shopping centres.

Shepherd Bush Green, redeveloped in the early 2010s, offers green space with play parks for children, as well as cycle and pedestrian pathways. With five nearby Underground stations, it’s also an important hub for almost twenty bus routes, so it is easy to travel to and from.

• Average rental price per week: £417

• Average property price: £697,049

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