This is the salary you need to earn to afford a house in every UK region — and it’s grim

For Generation Rent, the struggle to afford a house is real, with many relying on the Bank of Mum and Dad for a deposit.

And it’s not just about the lump sum, as banks will also look at your monthly income to determine whether you can pay off a potential mortgage.

You’ll need to earn a decent salary, either individually or combined with a partner’s earnings.

So, altogether, how much cash are we talking?

As part of exclusive data for Metro, Zoopla has crunched the numbers, and determined how much you’d need to earn annually in order to afford a 20% deposit, as well as mortgage repayments, in different parts of the UK.

And while it might be a pretty bleak picture across the country, there are pockets of relative affordability cropping up.

It comes as little surprise that London is still the priciest area in the property world, as here, you’ll need an overall salary of £100,000, bang on.

If you and your partner earn £50,000 each, or one takes £70,000 and one £30,000, then you’ll qualify; or you can earn that figure yourself. Baller.

For a little bit of perspective, this towers over the average UK salary, as data from the Office For National Statistics finds that, in December 2025, the typical worker was taking home £739 per week.

This translates to roughly £38,428 per year, which is more than £60,000 less than the amount that Londoners need to be earning to qualify for a mortgage, which goes some way towards demonstrating just how out of control things have become in the UK housing market.

To put that into perspective, in 1986, the going rate for a house in London was £55,000, and it was normal for builders and nurses to be able to get on the ladder.

Fast forward to 2026, though, and it’s a very different story: homes in the capital now cost £529,400, almost 10 times the situation 40 years ago.

Outside of the capital, the nearby South East is the second most expensive area to buy a home in the UK. Prospective homeowners here will need to take home a (joint or combined) salary of £72,330 to pick up the keys, with a current average property price of £382,900.

Things are slightly, but not much better, in the East of England. If you want to buy in the likes of Suffolk, Norfolk, or in parts of Cambridgeshire, then you’ll need to be gathering a yearly salary of £63,840, as the going rate for property here is £338,000.

Meanwhile, the South West is also likely to cost a pretty penny, as you’ll need to earn at least £58,770 (houses here rack up to £311,100).

There’s hope yet, though. At the other end of the spectrum, the most affordable UK region is the North East, where you’ll need to earn £28,130 to qualify for a mortgage, with homes costing an average of £148,900.

On a separate note, if you’re committed to life in London and want to move where the buzz is, the hottest postcodes for 2026 have been named.

Leyton is somewhat overshadowed by its equally trendy neighbour, Walthamstow, which has previously been named the most popular London area for first-time buyers, as well as the best digs to live in the capital, but it’s been applauded for its unique, village-like appeal.

Nearby Leytonstone was also previously named the capital’s fastest-selling residential area by Rightmove, with homes spending an average of just 34 days on the market. Alright, we get it, it’s like being the popular girl.

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