Two South Wales spots named among UK's best to buy a cottage
Home buyers fantasise about that perfect, cosy, rural cottage, similar to the one in the romantic comedy film The Holiday, starring Kate Winslet and Cameron Diaz.
Consumer expert at Zoopla, Daniel Copley, said: 'Our data shows a clear and sustained appetite for the cottagecore lifestyle, a trend that shows no signs of slowing down.
'While the dream of a quaint, rural cottage is often associated with high prices, our analysis highlights that affordability can still be found across the country."
They have become so popular, the term "cottage" was the fourth most-searched on the Zoopla website in 2024.
Insights from our latest House Price Index out now 👇 https://t.co/XOX6au8vUR — Zoopla (@Zoopla) July 30, 2025
With this in mind, the experts at Zoopla came up with a list of the best places to buy a cottage in the UK (cheapest and most popular).
Mr Copley continued: "From the rolling hills of North Lanarkshire to the coastal charm of Sunderland, there are options for prospective buyers on a range of budgets.
'We're seeing this desire for a simpler life translate into market demand, with specific areas becoming hotspots for buyer interest.
"Whether you're a first-time buyer or looking for a change of pace, the cottage market offers diverse opportunities.'
Most expensive UK cities to buy a house in
The best places in the UK to buy a cottage
Cheapest
The cheapest places to buy a cottage in the UK (and the average asking price), according to Zoopla, are:
East Midlands - Amber Valley (£206,000)
- Amber Valley (£206,000) East of England - Fenland (£249,000)
- Fenland (£249,000) North East - Sunderland (£115,000)
- Sunderland (£115,000) North West - Blackburn with Darwen (£157,500)
Blackburn with Darwen (£157,500) Scotland - North Lanarkshire (£83,500)
- North Lanarkshire (£83,500) South East - Southampton (£280,000)
Southampton (£280,000) South West - Plymouth (£248,500)
- Plymouth (£248,500) Wales - Rhondda Cynon Taf (£129,500)
- Rhondda Cynon Taf (£129,500) West Midlands - Stoke-on-Trent and Newcastle-under-Lyme (£238,000)
Stoke-on-Trent and Newcastle-under-Lyme (£238,000) Yorkshire and the Humber - Bradford (£200,000)
Most popular
Meanwhile, the areas of the UK (by region) where cottages are attracting the biggest concentrations of buyer inquiries, according to Zoopla, are:
Scotland - East Renfrewshire (average asking price for a cottage: £100,000)
- East Renfrewshire (average asking price for a cottage: £100,000) Wales - Neath Port Talbot (£170,000)
- Neath Port Talbot (£170,000) Yorkshire and the Humber - Bradford (£200,000)
- Bradford (£200,000) South East - Southampton (£280,000)
- Southampton (£280,000) North East - Sunderland (£115,000)
Sunderland (£115,000) West Midlands - Stoke-on-Trent (£238,000)
Stoke-on-Trent (£238,000) South West - Plymouth (£248,500)
Plymouth (£248,500) East of England - Hertsmere (£485,000)
Hertsmere (£485,000) East Midlands - Leicester (£325,000)
Leicester (£325,000) North West - Blackburn with Darwen (£157,500)
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The experts at Zoopla said Neath Port Talbot appealed to cottage buyers because of its "beautiful coastal and valley landscapes".
It is also one of the cheaper options (from the most popular list) with an average cottage price of £170,000.
These lists from Zoopla are based on analysis of homes available for sale between January and May 2025, with London generally excluded.
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