Britain’s most expensive seaside towns and cheaper ‘hidden gems’ revealed

26 May 2025, 00:01 | Updated: 26 May 2025, 13:59

With its golden beaches and associations with luxury lifestyles, Sandbanks in Dorset has been identified as Britain’s most expensive seaside location.

Home buyers wanting to move to Sandbanks will not get much change from £1 million typically, with the average house price sitting at £965,708 last year, according to Lloyds.

The bank said while the average house price in Sandbanks has fallen by 3%, or £33,595, compared with 2023, it still sits at the top of its coastal property league, which is dominated by locations in the South West of England.

Sandbanks is known as a popular location for celebrities, with it array of upscale restaurants and glitzy nightlife.

Salcombe in Devon, with its galleries and boutiques, is second on the Lloyds list, with an average house price of £826,159 in 2024.

Foodie hotspot Padstow in Cornwall is third, with buyers paying £715,974 on average to live there and enjoy the charm of its harbour and seafood scene on a daily basis.

Aldeburgh, Suffolk, known for its arts scene and architecture, is fourth with an average house price of £619,693.

Across Britain, the average price of a home by the sea was £295,991 last year – down 1% compared with 2023 – Lloyds said.

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The Lloyds Coastal Homes Review tracked house price movements in 197 coastal locations.

Despite the small dip, prices in coastal towns increased nearly a fifth (18%) over the five years from 2019, the bank said.

Purchasers could buy around nine homes in the most affordable seaside location on the Lloyds list, based on average house prices, for the cost of one property in Sandbanks.

For buyers looking for a home by the sea at a more affordable price, Campbeltown on the scenic Kintyre Peninsula in Argyll and Bute has an average house price of £103,078. Home movers to the region can raise a toast to their new property with a dram of locally-produced whisky.

Other coastal areas at the less expensive end of the house price spectrum include the Rothesay on the Isle of Bute (with an average house price of £111,764), Millport on Great Cumbrae (£114,008), and Port Bannatyne also on Bute (£115,421).

Amanda Bryden, head of mortgages at Lloyds, said: “Coastal living continues to hold a special appeal – whether it’s the lure of sea views, sandy beaches, or a slower pace of life."

She revealed that in some of the UK's most desirable coastal towns, average prices have dipped slightly, but added: "Over the longer term, values remain significantly higher – especially in the South West, where demand from lifestyle movers continues to shape the market."

“At the other end of the scale, there are still pockets of real affordability – particularly in Scotland, where buyers can find coastal homes for a fraction of the price," she said. "For those willing to look beyond the traditional hotspots, there are some hidden gems offering great value and a strong sense of community."

She added: “It’s also important to recognise that not all coastal areas share the same fortunes. Some seaside towns face significant challenges, from seasonal economies to a lack of affordable housing for local people.”

Lloyds used data from the Land Registry and the Registers of Scotland for its research.

Here are Britain’s most expensive seaside locations, with the average house price in 2024, according to Lloyds:

1. Sandbanks, South West, £965,708

2. Salcombe, South West, £826,159

3. Padstow, South West, £715,974

4. Aldeburgh, East of England, £619,693

5. Lymington, South East, £608,253

6. St Mawes, South West, £552,198

7. Lyme Regis, South West, £531,815

8. Budleigh Salterton, South West, £496,998

9. Dartmouth, South West, £495,643

10. Kingsbridge, South West, £484,986

Here are Britain’s least expensive coastal locations, according to Lloyds, with the average house price in 2024:

1. Campbeltown, Argyll and Bute, Scotland, £103,078

2. Rothesay, Argyll and Bute, Scotland, £111,764

3. Millport, North Ayrshire, Scotland, £114,008

4. Port Bannatyne, Argyll and Bute, Scotland, £115,421

5. Girvan, South Ayrshire, Scotland, £116,211

6. Greenock, Inverclyde, Scotland, £117,751

7. Ardrossan, North Ayrshire Scotland, £124,532

8. Wick, Highlands, Scotland, £126,708

9. Stranraer, Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland, £128,888

10. Saltcoats, North Ayrshire, Scotland, £129,194

Here are England and Wales’s least expensive coastal locations, according to Lloyds, with average house prices in 2024:

1. Newbiggin-by-the-Sea, North East, £132,863

2. Fleetwood, North West, £146,338

3. Blackpool, North West, £146,764

4. Withernsea, Yorkshire and the Humber, £148,402

5. Maryport, North West, £153,243

6. Seaham, North East, £157,100

7. Blyth, North East, £158,265

8. Hartlepool, North East, £158,271

9. Cleethorpes, Yorkshire and the Humber, £166,909

10. Whitehaven, North West, £170,673

Here are the most, followed by the least, expensive coastal locations in each region or nation, according to Lloyds, with average house prices in 2024:

East Midlands

Chapel St Leonards, £214,802

Skegness, £202,559

East of England

Aldeburgh, £619,693

Lowestoft, £238,372

North East

Whitley Bay, £310,918

Newbiggin-by-the-Sea, £132,863

North West

Grange-over-Sands, £308,419

Fleetwood, £146,338

Scotland

St Andrews, Fife, £458,381

Campbeltown, Argyll and Bute, £103,078

South East

Lymington, £608,253

East Cowes, £239,605

South West

Sandbanks, £965,708

Plymouth, £248,668

Wales

The Mumbles, £417,043

Prestatyn, £192,331

Yorkshire and the Humber

Whitby/Robin Hood’s Bay, £299,161

Withernsea, £148,402