But with city dwellers relocated to the countryside, house prices have shot up in rural spots putting homes out of reach for many budgets.
Overall, cities still tend to be marginally more affordable across the UK, but new findings reveal that house hunters will typically pay more than eight times average earnings.
City house prices have surged by 10.3 per cent over the past year, increasing to £287,440 on average, according to Halfiax.
Meanwhile, average earnings in city locations has only increased annually by 2.1 per cent, to £35,677, making city living unaffordable for many buyers.
But which areas offer the best value for money? Listed are the 10 cheapest cities to live in 2021, according to, based on average house prices, annual earnings and price-to-earnings ratios.

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These 10 cities are the most affordable (Photo: Shutterstock) Photo: Shutterstock

. Londonderry, Northern Ireland
Price-to-earnings ratio: 4.7. Average house price: £155,917. Average annual earnings: £33,138 Photo: Shutterstock

1. Londonderry, Northern Ireland
Price-to-earnings ratio: 4.7. Average house price: £155,917. Average annual earnings: £33,138 Photo: Shutterstock

2. = Carlisle, North
Price-to-earnings ratio: 4.8. Average house price: £163,232. Average annual earnings: £34,087 Photo: Shutterstock

3. = Bradford, Yorkshire and the HUmber
Price-to-earnings ratio: 4.8. Average house price: £164,410. Average annual earnings: £34,219 Photo: Shutterstock

4. = Stirling, Scotland
Price-to-earnings ratio: 5.4. Average house price: £208,927. Average annual earnings: £38,744 Photo: Shutterstock