Where's cheap to live?

[DelphiniumBlue]

I was looking at another thread about adult children living at home, and some people were saying how theirs had saved up for a few years for a deposit and were thus able to move out and buy their own place in their 20's.
I am a Londoner, as are my sons. One of them lives in a University town that costs 800 pm for a room in a shared house, in the SE, the others live at home.
They all want to get their own places but with rent at that level, it's really hard to save. But now that working from home is becoming such a thing, it strikes me that they could live almost anywhere, if the wfh continues.
So where is pleasant to live and affordable, either for a starter home or rent? Near public transport and and not too rural - they are used to be able to easily get to cinema/pub/cafe etc.
Because here it's just not an option - DS1 ( living at home) has saved several thousands this year , with no fares etc, but it will be a decade at least before he has enough for a deposit for anything. I'd like them all to have a an acheiveable 5 year plan, especially for DS1 who is already late 20's.
Any suggestions?

As in, in anywhere in the country ?

Scotland or north England

I suppose somewhere within a few hours drive of London, ideally- DH works in West London and he can't retire for another 5+ years. We'd like to be able to see them reasonably regularly.
We'd consider moving ourselves eventually but that won't be for a while.

Burnley.

Depends on their salary - a flat or small terrace in York, only 1hr50 mins on the train from Kings Cross. Not cheap by northern standards but if they're on a London salary I'm sure they could get a foot on the ladder there

I live in the east Midlands near Nottingham. My 2 bed house cost £100k and the 2 bed flat I rented before buying was £425pm. Public transport is great (I don't drive so I need it to be) with good city links.

We live in the NE. Our house cost £135K and is a three bedroomed semi detached with a garden, garage and is in a pleasant, safe area. The NE is a great place to live and has good transport links.

Lincoln. Affordable housing, and direct trains to London, around two hours each way. It’s a nice city, some regeneration in the centre, and reasonable facilities - two cinemas, and for some reason, it gets some big comedy names, such as Jimmy Carr, Sarah Millican and Michael McIntyre.

Not all of Scotland is cheap, not be a very long way.

Yeah, you're looking for something that doesn't exist. Places that are 'cheap' are so for a reason, usually very big ones like lack of transport and services, low employment/education opportunities, low salaries.

South Wales. 2 hours on train to Central London from Cardiff. Motorway pretty much direct. I live 20 minutes outside of Cardiff and my mortgage is £300 a month.

East Mids and southern/eastern parts of Lincs (if wanting to be within a few hours of London)

I live in this region, buying a 4 bed house with 2 reception rooms and double garage for £370,000 and only an hour train ride from London. Excellent schools too. Not MN trendy though

Oh and DH and I are public sector, our wages are the same anywhere in the country for what we do, we wouldn't even get London weighting, so it would be ridiculous to live in an expensive area. Public sector workers living in cheap areas tend to do well.

Corby /Kettering an hour on the train to London.

They can get a shared ownership flat in London. Or buy a property together and agree to sell in, say, 5 years when they’ve paid it down a bit + saved enough to buy own places.

Parts of outer London are pretty affordable too so doable for young people even without shared ownership.

@InDeoEstMeaFiducia I'm a single parent on a low salary and I bought my house on my own. I couldn't do that living down south even if my salary was higher. You see it on here all the time, middle class MNers earning £50k+ living in the south east saying they are struggling to make ends meet. I live comfortably on £24k a year because my mortgage is only £300pm.

Newcastle. I’m from there, and wish I could move back.
Incredible beaches, ditto countryside and cultural scene, outstanding restaurants.
Excellent public transport system.
Under 3 hours on the train to London.

Chernobyl

This is quite a grim idea, as if this catches on prices will be pushed up meaning local workers can't afford properties.

Our housing market is stupid.

We need affordable homes for rent.

I'm not blaming you op, it's not your kids' fault - but it is a sign of the dysfunction in the system.

Grantham. 65 minutes from King’s Cross, close to the A1. You can buy a 3 bed terrace for c£100k.

The north isn’t cheap though...take newcastle for example, plenty of multi million pound properties in the desirable areas like Gosforth.

Of course there are places in the NE that are dirt cheap. Like everywhere...

I was looking on Rightmove last week - I’d buy either of these two in a shot, and still have money left over after selling my tiny £675k house in London.

Earlsmeadow, Earsdon View
www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-84312305.html

Claremont Gardens, Whitley Bay, Tyne and Wear, NE26
www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-68862582.html

Doncaster - Bawtry. Train to London takes 2 hours.
York- similar time train
Grantham
Chesterfield

Look at the main train route from York down to London and stick around there if you're serious about finding somewhere really cheap compared to London.

@Katinthedoghouse of course it is, compared to most of the SE and London.
Of course there are the multimillion £ properties in Jesmond, Gosforth, Darras Hall etc, and Tynemouth is getting insane.

However, my ugly and small 60’s style house in London is on the market for 675k. A similar property in Newcastle would be around £150k

Those two houses I linked to in Newcastle would be at least 2M+ where I live in London.