Average Apartment Rent Prices in London (2026 Update)

I’ll admit it: I got London’s rent story wrong. I kept repeating the same tired lines about zones and steady increases, even as the numbers quietly shifted under my feet.

The 2026 data tells a messier, more revealing truth—one that catches renters and landlords off guard. Let’s unpack what’s actually happening to average apartment rents across London, and why it matters now.

That story used to be mostly true.

But heading into 2026, the London rental market has quietly shifted in ways many renters haven’t noticed yet—and those shifts can save or cost you thousands of pounds a year.

London rent prices in 2026: what’s really happening

According to the latest Office for National Statistics (ONS) data, the average private rent in London reached £2,252 per month in mid‑2025, the most recent full-year dataset available as we enter 2026. That’s more than double the UK average and still the highest of any region in the country.

But here’s the part most headlines miss.

While rents are high, the pace of growth has slowed sharply. Major indices from Hamptons and Rightmove show London rents flattening in late 2025, with some boroughs even seeing small declines as supply finally increases.

This doesn’t mean London has become affordable. It means the market has become uneven. And uneven markets reward informed renters.

The most expensive boroughs to rent in London

If you picture sky‑high rents, you’re probably imagining the right places.

As of the latest borough‑level data (July 2025), Kensington and Chelsea remains the most expensive place to rent in London, with an average monthly rent of £3,616. That makes it the most expensive rental market in the entire UK.

Westminster follows closely at £3,251 per month, driven by proximity to government, finance, and limited housing supply.

Camden, Islington, and Hammersmith & Fulham now sit firmly in the upper tier too—areas once considered merely “pricey” are now objectively premium.

Average rent prices in London by borough (latest data)

The table below shows the most recent average monthly rents by London borough, based on ONS data published in 2025 and used as the benchmark for 2026 planning.

The surprise: where London is still (relatively) affordable

This is where assumptions break down.

Many renters assume affordability means “far away from everything.” But data shows the cheapest boroughs are not the most remote—they’re the ones with improving transport links and less hype.

Bexley (£1,485), Havering (£1,522), and Sutton (£1,521) remain London’s lowest‑cost boroughs, even after years of increases. These areas consistently undercut the London average by over £700 per month.

That gap is not cosmetic. It’s the difference between paying £18,000 and £27,000 a year in rent.

Why London rents feel worse than the numbers suggest

Even as growth slows, renting feels harder. That’s because affordability isn’t just about averages.

London still has fewer rental homes than before the pandemic, competition remains intense, and wage growth hasn’t kept pace with the last five years of rent inflation. Since 2020, London rents have risen by over 35%, far outstripping earnings growth.

How to rent smarter in London in 2026

If there’s one takeaway for 2026, it’s this: London rewards strategy, not loyalty to postcodes.

1. Track borough‑level data, not headlines.
2. Be flexible on exact location—one Tube stop can save £400 a month.
3. Watch areas where rent growth is slowing, not accelerating.
4. Act fast when prices dip—plateaus don’t last long in London.

London hasn’t become cheap. But it has become predictable again—and predictability is power.

The people who win in 2026 won’t be the ones chasing yesterday’s “hot” areas. They’ll be the ones reading the market as it actually is.