It’s a given that the overall cost of living is higher for residents in cities and more built-up areas of the UK, compared to members of the population who live in quieter areas such as towns and the countryside. Monthly outgoings like rent and parking costs to residents are noticeably higher for people living in a city; but are these the only costs which are increased depending on the location you live in?
It may come as a surprise to you, especially if you’re a car owner, but the city you live in can have a negative effect on the overall cost of running a vehicle. For most drivers it’s common knowledge that the area you live in and where your car is kept overnight, will determine the annual price of your insurance. Surprisingly, this isn’t the only cost which can be affected according to the city you live in.
To see what the overall cost of owning a car was across 20 UK cities, Kwik Fit conducted some research which looked at mandatory costs such as insurance, parking costs and MOT. After collating all of the data, we can now see which city is the most expensive to own a car and which has been awarded the cheapest.
The most expensive city to own a car is…
Unfortunately for people living in Birmingham, it appears you’re paying the most to keep your vehicle running. Average parking costs for residents comes out at around £785 and a high average cost for insurance, totalling £1,125.91. As well as a host of other factors, these play their part in the annual cost of owning a car in Birmingham amounting to £2,170.19.
Besides Birmingham, both Manchester and London made it into the top three for the most expensive cities to own a car. This may come as a surprise to some people, as most car owners would expect the capital to top the list.
The cheapest city to own a car is…
If you’re living in Exeter then you’ll be happy to know you’re paying the lowest overall cost compared to other cities in the UK. On street parking for visitors is at the lower end of the scale, with an hourly price of around £1.10. Average insurance costs in Exeter are half the price of what drivers are paying in Birmingham and as such; result in the overall cost of owning a car totalling an attractive £867.48
Finishing in second place is Reading with an overall cost of £1,014.12 and Cardiff finishes third, with a total price of £1,034.50.
Hopefully if you are a driver living in one of the 20 cities researched by Kwik Fit, you’ll have an idea of how your overall vehicle costs compare to other cities in the UK. We want to know what you think of the findings and whether or not you agree. Share your thoughts on social, using #UKCarCosts.