Study Pinpoints Scotland’s Most Affordable Commuter Towns

Many thousands of Scots could be saving themselves considerable sums of money by swapping city centres for commuter towns.

In fact, according to a new study by the Bank of Scotland, there are many thousands of pounds to be saved by living in places such as Motherwell, Greenock and Arbroath, rather than Edinburgh, Glasgow and Aberdeen.

The bank’s study looks at the average costs of properties that lie within around 30 minutes of Scotland’s three largest cities as compared with the average prices of houses in their respective city centres.

The findings make for interesting reading and potentially food for thought for anyone currently struggling for money while living in a major city centre.

Edinburgh apparently has the highest average house price of any city in Scotland at £225,000 but nearby commuter towns such as North Berwick, Livingston and Bathgate all have average house prices of around £155,000.

Meanwhile, Motherwell stands out as perhaps the most affordable town from which to commute to the Scottish capital, with its average house price level currently standing at £130,000.

In Glasgow, the average house price is much lower than in Edinburgh and stands at £162,000 but there are still significant sums to be saved by living in a nearby commuter town rather than in the centre of the city.

According to the Bank of Scotland, Greenock is Glasgow’s most affordable commuter town, offering as it does the appeal of an average house price level as low as £121,000.

In Aberdeen, the average house price currently stands at just over £210,000, with its most affordable nearby commuter town being Arbroath, where the typical property price stands at a little over £127,000.

“Scotland has some great commuter towns where considerable savings on property can be made,” noted Graham Blair, a mortgage director with the Bank of Scotland.

Although, Mr Blair did also point out that there are often a range of different factors besides price that play a part in any homebuyer’s decision making process.

If you live anywhere in Scotland and you’re finding it difficult to cope with the pressure on your personal finances then Scotland Debt Solutions can help. You can contact any of our offices directly to arrange a free and confidential consultation.