Doncaster family costs revealed: How the city compares with the rest of the UK

For parents deciding where to raise a family, housing is only one part of the household budget. Nursery fees, childcare, utilities and education can all make a significant difference to the overall cost of bringing up children.

placeholder image — Doncaster family costs revealed: How the city compares with the rest of the UK | Source: Unsplash

New research by Go Au Pair has compared 40 UK cities across nursery costs, salaries, rent, house prices, private school fees, nanny rates, utilities and boarding costs.

Doncaster ranks 37th overall among the 40 cities analysed, making it the fourth least expensive place in the study to raise a child.

Housing is one of Doncaster’s biggest advantages. Average rent stands at just £691 a month, the lowest figure of any city analysed.

The average house purchase price is £171,000, making Doncaster the second-cheapest city for buying a home. Only Sunderland, where properties average £143,000, comes in lower.

Childcare costs are also comparatively low. Nursery fees average £215 a week, placing Doncaster among the six cheapest cities in the study.

Hiring a nanny costs an average of £14.45 an hour, the second-lowest rate among all 40 locations. Only Bradford is cheaper at £12.29 an hour.

Household bills are another area where Doncaster performs well. Average utility costs stand at £149.89 a month, joint second lowest in the ranking.

Median annual earnings are comparatively strong at £34,967, placing Doncaster 17th among the cities analysed. This puts local salaries above those recorded in Manchester, Liverpool, Sheffield, Leeds and Newcastle.

Private school day fees are one area where costs are less favourable, averaging £19,584 a year. However, Doncaster's lower housing, childcare and household costs pull the city towards the bottom of the overall expense ranking.

Its 37th-place finish means Doncaster is less expensive for raising a child than cities including Sheffield, Leeds, Manchester, Birmingham, Nottingham and York.

Only Wolverhampton, Wigan and Sunderland rank as less expensive overall.

Sunderland takes 40th place, helped by the lowest average house price in the study at £143,000 and rent of just £704 a month.

Wigan ranks 39th and records the lowest nursery fees at £169.25 a week, while Wolverhampton comes 38th with nursery costs of £196.50.

At the other end of the ranking, London is the most expensive city to raise a child, with average rent of £2,784 a month, house prices of £732,500 and nursery fees of £481 a week.

St Albans ranks second, followed by Reigate, Cambridge and Oxford.