5 most affordable areas to rent in Manchester

Manchester is experiencing fantastic economic growth. More workers are moving to the city and thousands of students’ study there too. And many of those workers and academics will be looking for accommodation in the private rental sector. Finding an affordable area to live is high on the priority list of every tenant. After all, there's no point paying more than necessary. But where's the most affordable areas to rent in Manchester? We've looked at the numbers to come up with five places which provide cheap housing.

But there is a caveat here. These are average rent figures. They include all private rental properties and each will have a mixture of one bedroomed apartments to family sized properties. For example, while the average cost of renting in Salford may be £675 you will find some properties cheaper and others more expensive. But the figures are very useful in showing the general affordability of an area.

So, that being said let's look at the 5 most affordable areas to rent in Manchester according to research published recently in the Manchester Evening News.

Wigan £475

People unfamiliar with the area are often surprised how big the district of Wigan is. And the wonderful mix of shops, pubs and clubs it has. There's more to Wigan than the eponymous pier. Commuting to Manchester is around 50 minutes by car with train travel being a few minutes shorter. The average rental cost is £475 though a room share would typically come in around £350 and a two-bed property at £450.

Rochdale £475

Part of a larger metropolitan district the small market town of Rochdale is only around ten miles from Manchester. A 15-minute train journey should make the area attractive to commuters. As should the low rents. It’ll cost £550 for a three bedroomed property but the overall average rent is on a par with Wigan at £475. And that's despite an increase of around 6% in the last year.

Oldham £525

Rents have increased recently but Oldham is still one of the most affordable areas for renting in Manchester. Room shares provide the best value at £368 per month.  Average rents top out at £525 with a three-bed property costing in the region of £625. Not the best commute but the low rents make up for the slightly longer journey times.

Tameside £525

Often tagged as one of the best places to live in Manchester Tameside is an up and coming area popular with families. Yet it's still surprisingly affordable despite rents having risen by £30 in the past twelve months. It's a relatively easy commute as well with Manchester only 30 minutes away by car. Train travel takes longer but there's a regular service to make up for the added journey time.

Bolton £525

Rents are rising quickly in Bolton. There's been a 17% increase over the previous 12 months. Listed as the UK's biggest town with a population of over 260,000 Bolton is becoming more popular with tenants. With low rents and an easy commute into Manchester it's not surprising to see more renters moving into the town. However, it's likely the average rental figure of £525 will continue to increase.

And at the other end of the scale....

It's probably no surprise to find Manchester itself is the most expensive area. Average rents come in at £775. This is a 7% increase year-on-year. Increasing rents are a trend in most areas of Greater Manchester. Though rents have risen most sharply in Bury (20%) and Salford (18%).

Despite the across the board increases the North West is still the second cheapest area to rent in the UK. But like all regions some areas are far more affordable than others.

If you're looking for cheap housing and the best places to live in Manchester you can find your ideal property here.