Study Reveals UK’s Best Cities for Remote Workers

Remote working has become a permanent part of the working lives of millions of people across the UK. What started as a temporary change during the COVID-19 pandemic has evolved into a long-term change in how and where people work. For many employees, working from home now offers greater flexibility, reduced travel costs and the freedom to live further from traditional employment centers.

However, not all cities are suitable for remote work. Factors such as broadband speed, cost of living, and overall quality of life can make a significant difference to the work from home experience. Some cities offer fast internet and affordable living, while others offer a better work-life balance and higher levels of life satisfaction.

To find out which locations offer the best environment for remote workers, here OddsMonkey The study compared 19 cities across England representing different regions of the country. Cities were evaluated based on several key indicators including broadband speed, cost of living, life satisfaction scores and the proportion of residents who primarily work from home.

Full Dataset: The UK’s Best Cities for Remote Workers

Best Cities for Remote Work in the UK

Milton Keynes

Milton Keynes was ranked as the best city in the UK for remote workers, with strong performance across several key indicators used in the research. The city had the third fastest broadband speed among the 19 cities analyzed, at 582.4 Mbps, providing the fast and reliable internet connections that remote workers rely on for video calls, cloud services and daily online collaboration.

The city also performs well in terms of overall quality of life. Milton Keynes had a life satisfaction score of 7.5, ranking it fourth in the study, indicating that its residents enjoy a healthy balance between work and personal life. Although the cost of living ranks eighth, the city is still relatively competitive compared to major urban centers, making the city an attractive choice for professionals looking for affordability without sacrificing connectivity or amenities.

Milton Keynes also fosters a positive environment for modern working patterns. According to the Center for Cities, the city will be the fastest growing residential city in the UK by 2026 and is ranked in the top 10 nationally in terms of innovation, employment, population growth, business stock and GVA per hour. Along with this growth, city centers have also seen an increase in coworking and laptop-friendly spaces, including cafes, hotel lobbies, and flexible workspaces that actively cater to remote professionals.

Coventry

Coventry was ranked the second best city in the UK for remote workers, driven largely by its excellent digital infrastructure and affordability. The city had the fastest broadband speeds among the 19 cities analyzed, with an average of 698.2 Mbps.

Affordability is another major strength. Coventry ranks second in terms of cost of living, with a score of 63.9, meaning its residents enjoy lower daily expenses than other UK cities. Although a life satisfaction score of 7.3 places the city in 10th place, the combination of strong connectivity and a relatively affordable cost of living makes the city an attractive choice for those looking to maximize productivity and financial flexibility while working remotely.

Coventry’s impressive performance is also supported by a rapidly developing digital infrastructure. The city has one of the most advanced broadband networks in the UK, with the prospect of almost universal full fiber coverage of around 99.9%. This continued investment in connectivity helps ensure that remote workers in Coventry benefit from reliable, future-proof internet access across much of the city.

Brighton

Brighton was ranked the third best city in the UK for remote workers, supported by reliable connectivity and the majority of residents already working from home. The city has the second fastest broadband speeds among the 19 cities analyzed, with an average speed of 628 Mbps, ensuring remote professionals have access to essential utilities.

Brighton also stands out for its established remote working culture. About 42.7% of the population mostly works from home, which is the fourth highest percentage in the study. This shows that flexible work arrangements have been widely implemented in this city. This can help create a supportive environment for remote professionals, with more businesses, cafes and shared spaces adapting to flexible working patterns.

Additionally, Brighton achieved a life satisfaction score of 7.4, ranking eighth overall, indicating that its residents enjoy a relatively high quality of life. Although the cost of living ranked 16th, making it one of the most expensive cities in the study, the city’s strong digital infrastructure, established remote working culture and lifestyle appeal help it maintain its position among the UK’s best cities for remote workers.

Methodology

This research aims to identify the best cities in the UK for remote workers by analyzing several factors that influence the quality of remote work and overall lifestyle. Data for analysis is sourced from a range of public data and reliable industry sources.

Data collection

Four indicators were selected to represent the main aspects affecting remote workers:

• Wideband speed
• Cost of living index
• Life satisfaction score
• The percentage of the population who mostly work from home
  

Broadband speed data is collected from BroadbandSpeedTest.uk, which provides information on average internet speeds in UK cities.

Cost of living data is sourced from Numbeo’s Cost of Living Index, which compares the relative affordability of cities based on daily expenses.

Life satisfaction scores are taken from Personal Wellbeing in England: April 2022 to March 2023, published by the Office for National Statistics (ONS). This data set measures the population’s overall life satisfaction.

Data on the proportion of people who predominantly work from home was obtained from the Office of National Statistics Census data collection, which records working patterns across England.

These indicators were chosen because they reflect important elements of remote working life, including internet infrastructure, affordability, well-being, and the prevalence of remote work culture.

Data Normalization

Because each indicator is measured using different units and scales, the data is normalized to allow meaningful comparisons between cities.

Each factor is converted into a score out of 10, where:

• 10 represents the best performing cities
• 0 represents the lowest performing city
  

For positive indicators such as broadband speed, life satisfaction, and the percentage of people working from home, higher values ​​mean higher scores.

For the cost of living index, a lower value means a higher score, as a lower cost of living is more favorable for remote workers.

Composite Score Calculation

After normalization, each city gets a score of 10 for each of the four indicators.

The overall score for each city is calculated by taking the average of the four normalized scores, resulting in a final composite score of 10.

This ensures that each factor contributes equally to the final evaluation.

Rating

Cities are then ranked based on their combined scores from highest to lowest.

Cities with higher scores are considered more favorable locations for remote workers based on selected indicators.