What is the average rent in Reading?

A 1-bedroom apartment in Reading city centre costs approximately GBP 1,299 per month. Outside the centre, rent drops to GBP 1,047 (saving 19%). A 3-bedroom apartment in the centre costs around GBP 2,195.

Is Reading affordable to live in?

Reading is expensive by global standards. Groceries are average, restaurants are average, and local purchasing power is average. Workers in United Kingdom earning GBP 42,720 gross take home approximately GBP 2,857 per month after tax.

🇬🇧 United Kingdom · 2026

Cost of Living in Reading

Q: How expensive is Reading compared to the rest of United Kingdom?

Reading ranks #77 out of 577 cities globally. It is 4.3% more expensive than the United Kingdom average, based on 23 cities. The rent index is 38.2 and local purchasing power is 118.8.

4.3% above the United Kingdom average

Ranked #77 of 577 cities · More expensive than 86.7% of cities worldwide

+4.3%

Cost of Living

+14.7%

Rent

-5.2%

Groceries

-8.0%

Purchasing Power

Compared to United Kingdom average · See United Kingdom ranking →

Rent Prices in Reading

Apartment	City Centre	Outside Centre	You Save
1-Bedroom	GBP 1,299/mo ≈ $1,721	GBP 1,047/mo ≈ $1,387	19%
3-Bedroom	GBP 2,195/mo ≈ $2,907	GBP 1,702/mo ≈ $2,254	23%

Numbeo · 2026-10-02

Multi-Source Comparison

★★ Medium Confidence

Reading has a cost of living index of 56.0 (New York = 100, rent included), the average of 2 of 2 data sources.

56.0

Index

Sources

0.4

Gap between sources

Source Values (NYC = 100)

Numbeo

56.2

Expatistan

No data

LivingCost

55.8

ShouldIMove price index

No data

ShouldIMove price index: our own basket of real item prices plus rent.

View all 577 cities

Cost Indices

Cost of Living

+4.3% Average

Rent

+14.7% Expensive

Groceries

-5.2% Average

Restaurants

+7.2% Average

Purchasing Power

-8.0% Average

Living in Reading: What to Expect

Reading is expensive by global standards (ranked #77 of 577 cities). It is 4.3% more expensive than the United Kingdom average, based on 23 cities.

Groceries are average and dining out is average. The best value is groceries and the priciest is rent.

Workers in United Kingdom earning GBP 42,720 gross take home GBP 2,857/month after tax (19.8% effective rate). See full United Kingdom tax calculator →