British Renters’ Relocation Wishlist 2021
28-07-2021 | Landlord NewsTwo-thirds of UK renters say they’d rather live elsewhere, with Barcelona, Sydney and New York topping the relocation wish-list.
This data comes from the first phase of the Rental Attitudes Survey (RAS), a major new research project by CIA Landlord Insurance. From rents to pets, retail preferences and relocation ambitions, the RAS takes the pulse of renters nationwide; at the far side of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Interestingly, a majority (57.5%) of renters say they’d happily turn their back on flats and houses in favour of edgy, alternative property types. One in five (20.5%) say they’d prefer life in a caravan or motor home, one in six (17%) a houseboat, and one in seven (13.7%) a modular or ‘tiny’ home.
With that, let’s see what the world has to offer and assess the relocation potential on every continent.
1) Water Villa, Stockholm
About Stockholm
Population: 975,551 (city), 2,391,990 (metro)
City Crime Rating: 4.5/10 (medium risk)
Average monthly rent for one-bed city centre apartment: £637.61
About Sweden
Population: 10,158,840
Average Annual Wage (converted to £): £33,082.51
World Happiness Ranking 2021: 6th
Real GDP Growth rate: 1.2%
Ease of Migration: 8.6/10 (favourable)
Inequality: 6% (excellent)
Ecological Footprint (world ranking): 4/140 (excellent)
Life Expectancy: 81.8 years (excellent)
Wellbeing Rating: 7.6/10 (very good)
Cost of Milk (0.25l): 2.85kr (£0.24)
2) Dome House, Barcelona
About Barcelona
Population: 1,620,343 (city), 5,474,482 (metro)
City Crime Rating: 4.6/10 (medium risk)
Average monthly rent for one-bed city centre apartment: £550.33
About Spain
Population: 47,450,795
Average Annual Wage (converted to £): £27,948.59
World Happiness Ranking 2021: 24th
Real GDP Growth rate: 2%
Ease of Migration: 6/10 (slightly favourable)
Inequality: 10% (good)
Ecological Footprint (world ranking): 91/140 (poor)
Life Expectancy: 82.2 years (excellent)
Wellbeing Rating: 6.3/10 (good)
Cost of Milk (0.25l): €0.20 (£0.17)
3) Treehouse, Berlin
About Berlin
Population: 3,769,495 (city), 6,144,600 (metro)
City Crime Rating: 4.2/10 (medium risk)
Average monthly rent for one-bed city centre apartment: £624.85
About Germany
Population: 83,190,556
Average Annual Wage (converted to £): £45,930.11
World Happiness Ranking 2021: 7th
Real GDP Growth rate: 0.6%
Ease of Migration: 5.8/10 (halfway favourable)
Inequality: 8% (good)
Ecological Footprint (world ranking): 91/140 (poor)
Life Expectancy: 80.6 years (excellent)
Wellbeing Rating: 6.7/10 (good)
Cost of Milk (0.25l): €0.22 (£0.19)
4) Ecolodge, Marrakesh
About Marrakesh
Population: 1,017,379
City Crime Rating: 4.3/10 (medium risk)
Average monthly rent for one-bed city centre apartment: £249.37
About Morocco
Population: 37,112,080
Average Annual Wage (converted to £): £7,003.34
World Happiness Ranking 2021: 80th
Real GDP Growth rate: 2.20%
Ease of Migration: data unavailable
Inequality: 25% (poor)
Ecological Footprint: 45/ 140 (good)
Life Expectancy: 73.4 years (average)
Wellbeing: 5.0/10 (average)
Cost of Milk (0.25l): 1.74 MAD (£0.14)
5) Earth House, Cape Town
About Cape Town
Population: 5,424,000
City Crime Rating: 7.4/10 (high risk)
Average monthly rent for one-bed city centre apartment: £342.72
About South Africa
Population: 59,622,350
Average Annual Wage (converted to £): £12,787.34
World Happiness Ranking 2021: 76th
Real GDP Growth rate: 0.2%
Ease of Migration: data unavailable
Inequality: 33% (very poor)
Ecological Footprint: 85/ 140 (poor)
Life Expectancy: 56.3 years (very poor)
Wellbeing: 5.1/10 (average)
Cost of Milk (0.25l): 3.83 ZAR (£0.19)
6) Ancient Brewery, Moscow
About Moscow
Population: 12,506,468 (city), 17,011,600 (metro)
City Crime Rating: 3.9/10 (low-medium risk)
Average monthly rent for one-bed city centre apartment: £345.40
About Russia
Population: 146,171,015
Average Annual Wage (converted to £): £5,975.74
World Happiness Ranking 2021: 60th
Real GDP Growth rate: 1.3%
Ease of Migration: 3.1/10 (slightly unfavourable)
Inequality: 16% (average)
Ecological Footprint: 121/ 140 (very poor)
Life Expectancy: 69.5 years (poor)
Wellbeing: 5.6/10 (average)
Cost of Milk (0.25l): 16.56 RUB (£0.16)
7) Heritage Hut, Delhi
About Delhi
Population: 20,250,406
City Crime Rating: 5.9/10 (medium risk)
Average monthly rent for one-bed city centre apartment: £114.44
About India
Population: 1,366,000,000
Average Annual Wage (converted to £): £4,927.16
World Happiness Ranking 2021: 92nd
Real GDP Growth rate: -7.30%
Ease of Migration: 2.4/10 (slightly unfavourable)
Inequality: 31% (very poor)
Ecological Footprint: 19/ 140 (excellent)
Life Expectancy: 67.3 years (poor)
Wellbeing: 4.6/10 (average)
Cost of Milk (0.25l): 12.69 INR (£0.12)
8) Tiny House, Beijing
About Beijing
Population: 21,540,000
City Crime Rating: 3.4/10 (low-medium risk)
Average monthly rent for one-bed city centre apartment: £354.56
About China
Population: 1,398,000,000
Average Annual Wage (converted to £): £10,876.00
World Happiness Ranking 2021: 52nd
Real GDP Growth rate: 1.9%
Ease of Migration: 3.2/10 (slightly unfavourable)
Inequality: 17% (average)
Ecological Footprint: 88/ 140 (poor)
Life Expectancy: 74.5 years (average)
Wellbeing: 5.1/10 (average)
Cost of Milk (0.25l): 3.30 CNY (£0.37)
9) Hidden Pool House, Bangkok
About Bangkok
Population: 10,722,815
City Crime Rating: 4.1/10 (medium risk)
Average monthly rent for one-bed city centre apartment: £284.85
About Thailand
Population: 69,630,000
Average Annual Wage (converted to £): £8,074.75
World Happiness Ranking 2021: 48th
Real GDP Growth rate: -7.10%
Ease of Migration: data unavailable
Inequality: 15% (good)
Ecological Footprint: 70/ 140 (average)
Life Expectancy: 74.1 years (average)
Wellbeing: 6.3/10 (good)
Cost of Milk (0.25l): 13.23 THB (£0.29)
10) Traditional Hut, Tokyo
About Tokyo
Population: 13,960,236 (city) 37,393,000 (metro)
City Crime Rating: 2.4/10 (low risk)
Average monthly rent for one-bed city centre apartment: £541.26
About Japan
Population: 125,470,000
Average Annual Wage (converted to £): £27,891
World Happiness Ranking 2021: 40th
Real GDP Growth rate: 0.70%
Ease of Migration: 4.7/10 (halfway favourable)
Inequality: 9% (excellent)
Ecological Footprint: 109/ 140 (poor)
Life Expectancy: 83.2 years (excellent)
Wellbeing – 6.0/10 (good)
Cost of Milk (0.25l): 49.38 JPY (£0.32)
11) Railway Carriage, Sydney
About Sydney
Population: 5,367,206
City Crime Rating: 3.3/10 (low-medium risk)
Average monthly rent for one-bed city centre apartment: £888.87
About Australia
Population: 25,829,300
Average Annual Wage (converted to £): £39,293
World Happiness Ranking 2021: 12th
Real GDP Growth rate: 1.80%
Ease of Migration: 6.5/10 (slightly favourable)
Inequality: 11% (good)
Ecological Footprint: 139/ 140 (very poor)
Life Expectancy: 82.1 years (excellent)
Wellbeing: 7.2/10 (very good)
Cost of Milk (0.25l): 0.41 AUD (£0.22)
12) Cabin, Toronto
About Toronto
Population: 2,731,571 (city) 6,417,516 (metro)
City Crime Rating: 4.1/10 (medium risk)
Average monthly rent for one-bed city centre apartment: £771.26
About Canada
Population: 38,048,738
Average Annual Wage (converted to £): £38,409
World Happiness Ranking 2021: 15th
Real GDP Growth rate: 1.60%
Ease of Migration: 8/10 (favourable)
Inequality: 9% (excellent)
Ecological Footprint: 136/ 140 (very poor)
Life Expectancy: 81.7 years (excellent)
Wellbeing: 7.4/10 (very good)
Cost of Milk (0.25l): 0.62 CAD (£0.36)
13) Houseboat, Los Angeles
About LA
Population: 3,979,576 (city), 13,131,431 (metro)
City Crime Rating: 4.9/10 (medium risk)
Average monthly rent for a one-bed city centre apartment: £957.88
About the USA
Population: 331,449,281
Average Annual Wage (converted to £): £47,191
World Happiness Ranking 2021: 14th
Real GDP Growth rate: -4.30%
Ease of Migration: 7.3/10 (slightly favourable)
Inequality: 13% (good)
Ecological Footprint: 136/ 140 (very poor)
Life expectancy: 78.8 years (average)
Wellbeing: 7.4/10 (very good)
Cost of Milk (0.25l) – 0.21 USD (£0.15)
14) Yurt, San Francisco
About San Francisco
Population: 805,235 (city), 4,729,484 (metro)
City Crime Rating: 5.7/10 (medium risk)
Average monthly rent for one-bed city centre apartment: £856.77
15) Converted Caravan, New York City
About New York
Population: 8,253,213 (city), 19,979,477 (metro)
City Crime Rating: 4.7/10 (medium risk)
Average monthly rent for one-bed city centre apartment: £1,011.02
16) Tiny House, Mexico City
About Mexico City
Population: 9,209,944 (city), 21,804,515 (metro)
City Crime Rating: 7.0/10 (medium-high risk)
Average monthly rent for one-bed city centre apartment: £303.97
About Mexico
Population: 126,014,024
Average Annual Wage (converted to £): £14,177
World Happiness Ranking 2021: 46th
Real GDP Growth rate: -0.10%
Ease of Migration: 5.1/10 (halfway favourable)
Inequality: 19% (average)
Ecological Footprint: 77/ 140 (average)
Life Expectancy: 76.4 years (average)
Wellbeing: 7.3/10 (very good)
Cost of Milk (0.25l): 5.23 MXN (£0.19)
17) Converted Plane, Bogota
About Bogota
Population: 7,412,566 (city), 10,700,000 (metro)
City Crime Rating: 6.4/10 (medium-high risk)
Average monthly rent for one-bed city centre apartment: £185.26
About Colombia
Population: 50,372,424
Average Annual Wage (converted to £): £10,619
World Happiness Ranking 2021: 55th
Real GDP Growth rate: -8.20%
Ease of Migration: data unavailable
Inequality: 24% (poor)
Ecological Footprint: 48/ 140 (average)
Life Expectancy: 73.7 years (average)
Wellbeing: 6.4/10 (good)
Cost of Milk (0.25l): 657.10 COP (£0.12)
18) Bio Hut, Buenos Aires
About Buenos Aires
Population: 2,891,082 (city), 15,594,428 (metro)
City Crime Rating: 6.3/10 (medium-high risk)
Average monthly rent for one-bed city centre apartment: £166.69
About Argentina
Population: 45,620,642
Average Annual Wage (converted to £): £4,087.40
World Happiness Ranking 2021: 47th
Real GDP Growth rate: -2.20%
Ease of Migration: 5.8/10 (halfway favourable)
Inequality: 16% (average)
Ecological Footprint: 83/ 140 (average)
Life Expectancy: 75.9 years (average)
Wellbeing: 6.5/10 (good)
Cost of Milk (0.25l): 18.58 ARS (£0.14)
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