Is rent affordable in South East?
Average private rent in South East is £1,418 a month — that is 43.6% of a full-time gross median salary of £39,038. That is above the 30% line the ONS treats as affordable on a single-earner basis.
- Average rent (ONS, May 2026): £1,418/month
- One-bed average: £987/month
- Two-bed average: £1,266/month
- Full-time gross median salary (ONS ASHE 2024): £39,038/year (£3,253/month)
- Rent as % of gross income: 43.6%
- Salary needed to hit the 30% line: ~£56,720/year
Frequently asked questions
- Is rent affordable in South East?
- Average private rent in South East is £1,418 a month (ONS, May 2026), which is 43.6% of a full-time gross median salary of £39,038 (ONS ASHE 2024). That is above the 30% line ONS treats as affordable on a single-earner basis.
- What salary do you need to afford rent in South East?
- To keep South East's average rent of £1,418 at the 30% affordability line, a single full-time earner would need a gross salary of about £56,720 a year. The region's actual full-time gross median is £39,038 (ONS ASHE 2024).