The property cost of daylight – Belfast, Aberdeen and Liverpool are the UK’s unlikely daylight property hotspots
This weekend the clocks go back and while we all look forward to an extra hour in bed, the dark mornings and even darker evenings aren’t a particular fan favourite.
While resistance is futile, national fast sale estate agent, Springbok Properties, has looked at where across the UK is home to the longest average daylength (hours of daylight), and how much you can get onto the property ladder for with a greater chance of more daylight in your life.
Across the UK, we enjoy an average of 4,486 hours of daylight every year, that’s an even split of 12 hours a day. With the average cost of property currently £230,118, that’s £51 in property prices for each hour of daylight.
While the amount of daylight doesn’t differ drastically by location, the difference between the most daylight (Belfast) and the least (London) is a notable 12 hours per year which can make all the difference.
With an average house price of £129,191, Belfast is home to the best mix of longer days and bricks and mortar affordability, resulting in a property price cost of £29 for every hour of daylight per year.
Belfast is closely followed by Glasgow (£29), Liverpool (£30), Nottingham (£32) and Swansea (£33) where the cost of property for every hour of daylight per year is at its lowest.
Aberdeen is also home to a property price of (£33) for every hour of daylight, but with 4,495 days of daylight per year, it’s the best bet for reducing the darker winter evenings.
London is predictably the most depressing location in the list, with property prices averaging £469,639 and one of the lowest average hours of daylight (4,471), you’re forking out £105 in property costs for every hour of daylight each year.
Founder and CEO of Springbok Properties, Shepherd Ncube, commented:
“There’s no doubt that the shorter days and longer nights can have a detrimental impact on your mood and so opting for one of our daylight property hotspots could not only improve this, but they are also far more affordable than some areas of the UK property market.
Perhaps the new trend in the UK market won’t be those looking to invest in a getaway for the summer months, but in a property for the winter in order to make the most of the limited daylight available.”
|
Ranking – by lowest cost per daylight hour
|
|||
|
Location
|
Average daylength hours per year
|
Average house price (2019)
|
£ cost per daylength hour
|
|
Belfast
|
4483
|
£129,191
|
£28.82
|
|
Glasgow
|
4489
|
£132,096
|
£29.43
|
|
Liverpool
|
4477
|
£133,305
|
£29.78
|
|
Nottingham
|
4477
|
£142,903
|
£31.92
|
|
Swansea
|
4471
|
£147,904
|
£33.08
|
|
Aberdeen
|
4495
|
£149,774
|
£33.32
|
|
Newcastle
|
4483
|
£157,272
|
£35.08
|
|
Sheffield
|
4477
|
£165,368
|
£36.94
|
|
Inverness
|
4495
|
£166,802
|
£37.11
|
|
Leicester
|
4477
|
£173,164
|
£38.68
|
|
Plymouth
|
4471
|
£177,231
|
£39.64
|
|
Manchester
|
4477
|
£178,749
|
£39.93
|
|
Newport
|
4471
|
£183,277
|
£40.99
|
|
Leeds
|
4483
|
£183,959
|
£41.03
|
|
Birmingham
|
4477
|
£187,816
|
£41.95
|
|
Southampton
|
4471
|
£208,564
|
£46.65
|
|
Cardiff
|
4471
|
£208,820
|
£46.71
|
|
Portsmouth
|
4471
|
£211,239
|
£47.25
|
|
Bournemouth
|
4471
|
£252,109
|
£56.39
|
|
Edinburgh
|
4489
|
£263,224
|
£58.64
|
|
Bristol
|
4471
|
£277,178
|
£62.00
|
|
Oxford
|
4471
|
£404,837
|
£90.55
|
|
Cambridge
|
4477
|
£433,584
|
£96.85
|
|
London
|
4471
|
£469,639
|
£105.04
|
|
United Kingdom
|
4486
|
£230,118
|
£51
|
You May Also Enjoy
London renters making it onto the ladder without a deposit
Prime London Sees Post-Budget Surge in £2m+ Listings
2026 Will Test BTR’s Potential and Government’s Resolve
December Cash Buyers on the Decline
Breaking Property News 10/12/25
