Manchester named best city in UK for young professionals to live and work

Manchester is the best place to live and work in the UK for young professionals, ahead of many other major cities, according to a new study.

As 2021 changed the landscape of the working world, many individuals are left with a greater ability to choose where they live and work from. 

In order to decipher the ‘best cities to live and work in the UK’, Orega Offices, who provide quality and affordable serviced offices across the UK, has looked at pollution levels, access to parks, top restaurants, number of jobs, rental costs, and number of co-working spaces to calculate a UK leaderboard.  

Findings reveal that Manchester comes out on top, providing 12,000 live job listings, affordable rent, over 40 co-working spaces and a vibrant lifestyle offering including several Michelin Guide restaurants, and 10 ‘green flag’ parks.

The average two-bedroom rental will cost you around £1163 a month in Manchester, says the research, compared with an average of £3000 a month for a two-bedroom home in London, meaning it’s much more affordable than the capital.

Coming close behind is London, whilst performing well on the majority of metrics, is undone by living costs such as expensive rent. 

Birmingham, Bristol and Edinburgh complete the top five, with many cities such as Leeds and Liverpool having much to do to catch up.

“Every year young professionals are moving from home towns to vibrant and exciting cities to start their careers,” said Laura Walker, marketing and sales director at Orega, about the new research.

“Considering all the needs and wants that come into play when deciding which city can be overwhelming. 

“Maintaining a high quality of life while starting a career is really important, and young professionals desire cities with good amenities, a wealth of career opportunities and a flexible work/life balance. 

“Flexible office space and co-working spaces feature in our research as this gives businesses the opportunity to quickly gain a presence in new locations and tap into the locally available talent.

“As working patterns shift to accommodate the younger demographic, we have seen an increase in demand for office space, as the younger demographic want to meet and collaborate in person.”