Oxford ranks as the most costly location in Britain for solitary residents, with monthly expenses exceeding £2,300 for those living by themselves.

This emerges from fresh research conducted by Zable, which identifies the urban areas where independent living has grown prohibitively expensive.

The study examined one-bedroom rental rates, council tax charges, and domestic expenditure in relation to earnings.

Oxford occupied the second position in the ranking, trailing only the capital, with a combined monthly expense of £2,391 for single occupancy.

This surpassed Cambridge at £1,280, Edinburgh at £2,304, Brighton and Hove at £2,298, Bristol at £2,225, and Milton Keynes at £2,031.

Portsmouth, Exeter and Southampton completed the top ten at £1,968, £1,956, and £1,945 respectively, though all fell considerably below London, which led the table at £2,553 monthly.

The research showed that the average monthly rent for a one-bedroom property in Oxford stood at £828, which was less expensive than both London at £1,191 and Cambridge at £1,280.

Nevertheless, the proportion of earnings required to maintain a single-person household in the city reached 84 per cent, one of the highest figures recorded, narrowly exceeded by Brighton and Hove’s 87 per cent.

Arielle Rogers-Jenkins, senior product manager at Zable, explained that the data highlights how solo living carries a substantial financial premium, and for many people, that pressure is only increasing. She suggested that it may be worthwhile to examine where money is going each month in greater detail. She recommended starting by reviewing fixed costs and identifying where adjustments can be made, noting that council tax discounts are an entitlement for single occupants but are not always claimed correctly. She also advised that building a simple monthly budget that distinguishes essentials from discretionary spending can meaningfully improve how far a salary goes. Additionally, she mentioned that exploring whether regular expenses such as broadband and utilities can be switched to better deals may help, as small savings across multiple bills can accumulate quickly, and gaining a clearer view of one’s finances represents the initial step toward feeling more in control of them.