2 days ago
Scotland's most affordable seaside towns named as 'seafood capital' tops list
The cheapest coastal spots to rent and buy have been revealed.
Scotland's "most affordable seaside towns have been revealed, with a resort town famous for its seafood topping the list. New research conducted by The Co-operative Bank has revealed the cheapest UK coastal towns for both buying and renting based on data from property site Rightmove.
Coming in at number one for both Scotland and the UK is Oban. Situated within the Argyll and Bute council area, Oban is a popular resort town.
Its population is approximately 8,100, but this can more than double during the busy summer tourist season. According to The Co-operative Bank, the average price of a house in Oban is £220,458. This is 7.97 times the average yearly income for the area.
Meanwhile, the average rent price in Oban is £800 per month. This equates to 34.7 per cent of the average monthly income in the town, which is the lowest percentage of all locations the experts looked at.
On top of affordable prices, Oban offers picturesque coastal views and nearby beaches such as Ganavan Sands. The town is also known as Scotland's 'seafood capital', home to renowned restaurants such as Ee-Usk, The Waterfront Fishouse Restaurant, and The Oban Fish and Chip Shop.
Elsewhere, the second most affordable seaside town in Scotland was named as Troon. The South Ayrshire town came in at number four on the UK-wide list.
The average house price in Troon was found to be £225,977, which is 7.84 times the local average annual salary. Meanwhile, the average monthly rent came in at £982—equating to 40.9 per cent of local average monthly income.
Troon is popular amongst locals and visitors alike for its beach and golf course. It is also easily accessible from Glasgow, and can be reached in around 45 minutes by car.
The third and final Scottish destination to appear on the list of the most affordable seaside towns is Dunbar. Situated in East Lothian, it placed at number nine on the overall roundup.
In Dunbar, the average house price was revealed to be £327,821—12.15 times the yearly salary in the area. Rent in the town is £945 on average according to the experts, which is equal to 42.02 per cent of local monthly income on average.
Dunbar is known for its relatively high levels of sunshine, the picturesque John Muir Country Park, and its sandy beaches. It is also around just 30 miles out of the centre of Edinburgh.
Head of Mortgage Products at The Co-operative Bank Warren Cain commented: "Buying a home, especially in a sought-after seaside location, requires careful financial planning. Start by researching the average house prices in your preferred seaside town and calculate how much deposit you'll need.
READ MORE: The Scottish seaside town that is food lover's paradise with chippies and restaurants
"Typically, you'll need to save a minimum of 10 per cent of the cost of the property you want to buy. You'll also need to figure out how much you can afford to spend and create a budget.
"You can use tools like our mortgage calculator to see what property price you can afford or what your monthly mortgage repayment could be. Don't forget to consider additional costs of coastal living such as flood insurance premiums that may be higher in coastal locations, the maintenance costs for sea-facing homes such as salty air causing wear and tear, and the commuter costs."
See below for the full list of the UK's "most affordable seaside towns". More information can be found on The Co-operative Bank website.
UK's 10 most affordable seaside towns
Oban
Morecambe
Blackpool
Troon
Filey
Scarborough
Whitby
Southport
Dunbar
Swansea
