Single living in the UK now costs up to £27,500 a year, new study finds

With nearly one in three UK households now made up of a single person, more people than ever are shouldering the full cost of soaring rent, rising utility bills, and everyday spending alone. But just how much more are single people now paying each month to live alone, and where are costs rising the fastest? 

New research from the credit card experts at Zable reveals the cities where living alone has become increasingly expensive, analysing one-bedroom rental prices, council tax rates, and household spend relative to wages.

Newport leads among the UK cities that have seen the biggest jump in costs for singles.Monthly spending has risen to £1,654 in 2025 from £1,312 in 2020, an increase of £342 per month, driven by rising rent costs, which have increased by almost 50% in the last five years. 

Edinburgh follows in second. Costs have risen to £2,304 in 2025 from £1,845 in 2020, an increase of £459 per month and nearly 25%, highlighting how quickly the cost of living alone has escalated in the Scottish capital.

Cardiff ranks in third. Monthly costs have risen from £1,558 in 2020, to £1,914 in 2025, a £356 increase per month. With a 23.75% rise, it’s becoming apparent that solo living costs are accelerating rapidly in major regional cities across the UK, particularly in Wales. 

– Brighton and Hove is the least affordable city for single people, with living expenses taking up 87% of the average salary.

– London comes in as the seventh least affordable, despite being the most expensive city to live in the UK, due to higher-than-average wages.

– The average cost of living as a single person is now almost £300 more per month than it was five years ago.

– Arielle Rogers-Jenkins, Senior Product Manager (UK Credit Cards) at Zable, shares expert insights on managing your money amid the financial pressures of living alone.