British homebuyers face 20% premium to live beside the best beaches

The latest research from eXp UK has found that homebuyers hoping to live by one of Britain’s best beaches can expect to pay almost 20% more on average compared to the wider local market, amounting to a seaside property premium of over £46,000.

The research by eXp UK analysed property prices in postcode districts surrounding 18 of the nation’s most highly regarded beaches and compared them to the average house price across the wider local authority in which each beach is located.

It found that the average house price in the postcodes home to Britain’s top beaches sits at £279,105, some £46,096 or 19.8% higher than the average local authority house price of £233,009.

Kingsbarns Beach in Fife ranks top, with local homes commanding a 117.4% premium. Properties in the KY16 postcode where Kingsbarns Beach is located average £367,805, a staggering £198,603 more than the wider Fife average of £169,202.

Rhossili Bay in Swansea is home to the second highest premium at 84.9%, with property prices across the SA3 postcode averaging £379,536, £174,290 more than the wider Swansea average.

Bamburgh Castle Beach in Northumberland commands a 67.2% beach price premium (£136,851), followed by Formby in Sefton at 64.7% (£139,821) and Kynance Cove in Cornwall at 58.9% (£167,601).

Further down the table, property premiums are more moderate in areas such as Woolacombe in North Devon (4.5%) and Achmelvich Bay in the Scottish Highlands (3.4%).

In contrast, several locations offer buyers the chance to secure a coastal lifestyle for less than the wider local average. West Wittering in Chichester sees a marginal discount of 1.2%, while homes near St Bees Beach in Cumbria are 5.2% more affordable than the surrounding area. The biggest beachside bargains are found in Blackpool (-24.4%), Filey (-27.5%) and Scarborough’s South Bay (-33.7%).

See the beach property price premiums around your closest beach here.

Adam Day, Head of eXp UK and Europe, said,“Britain’s beaches are among the best in the world and it’s no surprise that homes near the most desirable stretches of coastline carry a hefty house price premium.

From the dramatic cliffs of Rhossili to the sweeping sands of Bamburgh and Kingsbarns, proximity to a top beach is a powerful lifestyle driver and in property terms, that demand translates to value.

However, not every beachside location comes at a premium, and savvy buyers willing to explore lesser-known coastal towns can still find excellent value by the sea.”