Hybrid working has grown in popularity with businesses and their people over the last few years. In fact, searches for flexible or remote jobs have seen an average increase of 23% year-on-year between January 2024 and January 2025.
For employees, flexible arrangements can provide a more convenient way of working, and doing away with the daily commute can be an appealing way to save money too. But where in the UK ranks as the top place to live and work for those looking for a flexible role?
To find out, we conducted a study analysing several metrics related to flexible working in the UK. These included, for each city: the percentage of roles currently advertised that are hybrid or remote, average annual salary, average cost of living, life satisfaction scores and happiness scores. Based on these metrics, we then ranked each location to achieve a final score.
Top 10 locations for flexible working in the UK
Rank | Location | % of flexible jobs (compared to total no. of jobs) | Avg. annual salary | Avg. living cost (one person, including rent, per month) | Life satisfaction score (out of 10) | Happiness score (out of 10) | Avg. Wi-Fi download speed (mb/s) | Avg. cost of a coffee |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Plymouth | 28% | £35,026 | £1,412 | 7.5 | 7.7 | 186 | £3.34 |
2 | Oxford | 25% | £42,182 | £2,010 | 7.8 | 7.6 | 156 | £3.27 |
3 | Edinburgh | 31% | £44,951 | £1,782 | 7.7 | 7.3 | 196 | £3.68 |
4 | Derby | 31% | £38,401 | £1,442 | 7.4 | 7.3 | 150 | £2.93 |
5 | Kingston upon Hull | 20% | £31,232 | £1,204 | 7.4 | 7.3 | 192 | £2.82 |
6 | Blackpool | 22% | £30,080 | £1,235 | 7.5 | 7.3 | 131 | £2.50 |
7 | Milton Keynes | 22% | £42,834 | £1,892 | 7.5 | 7.4 | 130 | £2.71 |
8 | Preston | 15% | £36,994 | £1,258 | 7.4 | 7.8 | 146 | £3.19 |
9 | Leicester | 25% | £33,090 | £1,506 | 7.4 | 7.2 | 173 | £2.71 |
10 | Leeds | 30% | £38,145 | £1,577 | 7.5 | 7.3 | 187 | £3.40 |
*Please note, the above table only shows the top 10 locations.
1. Plymouth
Based on our research, Plymouth comes out as the top location for flexible working. Nearly a third (28%) of jobs currently advertised are flexible or remote and residents here are some of the happiest in the UK.
The coastal city also has a good life satisfaction score of 7.5 out of 10, reinforcing its appeal as a city that offers a positive environment to build a life. To round it off, monthly living costs are among the lowest, at £1,412 on average for one person.
2. Oxford
Taking second place among the UK’s top cities for flexible working is Oxford. Though the percentage of flexible roles is slightly lower at 25%, the city has the highest life satisfaction score among all locations in the study, at 7.8 out of 10. It also boasts one of the highest average annual salaries at £42,182.
The average living cost is also high, however, estimated at £2,010 per month (the second highest in the study). So while the city could be an attractive location for professionals seeking a high quality of life, it’s worth keeping the higher living costs in mind, to determine if this balances out with your salary.
3. Edinburgh
Edinburgh ranks third overall but stands out with the highest percentage of flexible roles among the top three at 31%. Salaries appear slightly higher here, too (£44,951), though living costs are on the more expensive side at around £1,782.
The city offers the second-highest life satisfaction score (7.7) and a mid-range happiness rating of 7.3 out of 10. With the third-fastest Wi-Fi download speed at 196 Mb/s, Edinburgh could provide a well-rounded base for those seeking to balance flexibility with quality of life.
The most affordable places for flexible working
Our study found that, on average, 24% of advertised roles offer flexible working opportunities. But where are the most affordable locations?
To answer that question, we took the locations with average or above-average availability of hybrid or remote work opportunities, and ranked them based on lowest living costs:
Rank | Location | % of flexible jobs (compared to total no. of jobs) | Avg. living cost (one person, including rent, per month) |
|---|---|---|---|
1 | Bradford | 30% | £1,325 |
2 | Plymouth | 28% | £1,412 |
3 | Derby | 31% | £1,442 |
4 | Newcastle upon Tyne | 24% | £1,465 |
5 | Leicester | 25% | £1,506 |
6 | Leeds | 30% | £1,577 |
7 | Glasgow | 27% | £1,598 |
8 | Cardiff | 36% | £1,602 |
9 | Birmingham | 28% | £1,624 |
10 | Manchester | 27% | £1,696 |
*Please note, the above table only shows the top 10 locations, ranked by lowest living costs.
In our analysis, Bradford has the lowest monthly living cost (£1,325) among cities with an average or above-average share of hybrid or remote roles (30% in Bradford’s case).
Plymouth ranks second, with 28% of roles advertised as flexible and an estimated monthly living cost of £1,412 for one person.
Derby is the third most affordable option, with 31% of roles offering flexibility. This is the fourth highest in this ranking, tied with Edinburgh. Its average monthly living cost is £1,442.
The top locations for flexible roles
When it comes to finding flexible job opportunities, some cities stand out for offering a higher percentage of hybrid or remote roles. The table below highlights the top locations where flexible jobs make up a significant share of total listings, to offer inspiration for professionals seeking a balanced work environment.
Rank | Location | % of flexible jobs (compared to total no. of jobs) |
|---|---|---|
1 | London | 46% |
2 | Cardiff | 36% |
3 | Bristol | 32% |
=4 | Derby | 31% |
=4 | Edinburgh | 31% |
=5 | Leeds | 30% |
=5 | Bradford | 30% |
=6 | Plymouth | 28% |
=6 | Birmingham | 28% |
=7 | Glasgow | 27% |
=7 | Manchester | 27% |
=7 | Reading | 27% |
=8 | Leicester | 25% |
=8 | Oxford | 25% |
9 | Newcastle upon Tyne | 24% |
=10 | Blackpool | 22% |
=10 | Nottingham | 22% |
=10 | Milton Keynes | 22% |
*Please note, the table only shows the top 10 results, ranked by highest percentage. Results of the same value are ranked equally.
London tops the list as the UK city with the highest percentage of flexible job opportunities, with 46% of roles offering hybrid or remote options. However, it also has the highest living costs among all locations in the study, at £2,720 per month.
Cardiff sits in second place, with 36% of jobs advertised as flexible, followed by Bristol in third, with 32%.
Top tips for saving while remote working
Working remotely can be an opportunity to save money, for example by spending less on commuting, eating out, work outfits and so on. The Money team have put together some top tips for economising and re-budgeting when flexible working.
1. Re-work your budget
While being at home more often will likely mean an increase in utility bills, this is usually more than offset by the money you no longer spend on travelling to and from work, meaning there is potential for savings.
It’s a good idea to track what you would usually spend on things like petrol, public transport or parking, and set that amount aside each month. What you save can be used to help with things like extra electricity or heating costs, and the rest can go into a savings account to help build a financial cushion.
Monitor your new budget regularly to ensure you’re staying on track, and make adjustments if unexpected expenses or rising costs arise.
2. Set financial goals
You can use remote work as an opportunity to save for short-term goals, such as a holiday – or long-term goals, like building an emergency fund. Aligning your spending with your goals helps you stay motivated and avoid unnecessary expenses.
To help you with this, there are lots of budgeting apps you can use to automate tracking and categorise expenses. These tools simplify monitoring your finances, allowing you to stay organised and aware of where your money is going.
3. Reconsider car-related expenses
Used to drive to work? With less frequent commuting, you may find you no longer need multiple cars in your household or a high-mileage car insurance plan. Downgrading to a more affordable policy or selling a vehicle could reduce expenses and contribute to your savings.
The content written in this article is for information purposes only and should not be taken as financial advice. If you require support on the products discussed here, please speak to your bank/lender or seek the advice of an independent professional financial advisor. We also have more information on our Customer Support Hub.
Methodology
To identify the top locations for flexible working, the money team at Compare the Market created a seedlist of the 35 most populated cities and towns in the UK. The destinations were then ranked according to the following metrics:
Number of hybrid jobs - A job ad platform was used, to gather the number of hybrid and remote roles posted. This figure was combined and compared against the total number of roles available.
Average annual salary – ons.gov.uk
Average living cost – livingcost.org
Life satisfaction score – numbeo.com
Happiness score – ons.gov.uk
Average download speed (mbs) – commonslibrary.parliament.uk
Cost of a coffee – numbeo.com
For the most affordable locations for flexible working, the average percentage of flexible roles was calculated, based on all locations. Any locations falling under this average were removed and the remaining places ranked by lowest living cost.
The latest available data was used and was accurate at the time of the research in January 2025. Any locations with missing data were removed from the ranking.
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