Apsley and Oxshott top London’s commuter town rankings after today’s rail fare price hike
Hertfordshire's Apsley has been named London's cheapest town for City commuters, after the UK today hiked up rail fares by 3.1 per cent and hit the capital's train riders the hardest.
In an analysis of house prices, mortgage payments, the cost of a rail season ticket and journey duration, Apsley won out in costing the average London worker £1,466 per month to put a roof over their head and get to and from work.
London fintech Trussle put more than 300 towns within a 90-minute journey of central London under the microscope, and awarded Ebbsfleet in Kent the silver medal with a commuting time of 36 minutes and total cost of £1,516.
Tilbury in Essex took third place at £1,607, followed by Basildon and Pitsea.
| Town | Average house price | Monthly season ticket | Commuting time | Total cost per month |
| Apsley | £228,030 | £303.67 | 52 mins | £1,466 |
| Ebbsfleet | £242,623 | £401.33 | 36 mins | £1,516 |
| Tilbury | £240,487 | £204 | 83 mins | £1,607 |
| Basildon | £270,347 | £245 | 68 mins | £1,663 |
| Pitsea | £241,878 | £256.67 | 84 mins | £1,671 |
| Laindon | £274,714 | £245 | 68 mins | £1,679 |
| Luton | £265,575 | £359 | 57 mins | £1,690 |
| Rainham (Essex) | £327,725 | £164.67 | 52 mins | £1,692 |
| Earlswood | £251,029 | £237 | 88 mins | £1,710 |
| Sudbury | £308,174 | £439,33 | 24 mins | £1,719 |
"House prices in London are unaffordable for a lot of people, so it’s little wonder that so many workers choose to commute from areas where they can get more for their money," said Trussle founder and chief executive Ishaan Malhi.
"This often comes at the price of hefty rail fares, and with the rise in transport costs, it’s important homeowners are taking this into consideration as they look to move house."
Trussle also calculated the most expensive commuter towns for Londoners, with Oxshott taking the crown thanks to an average house price of nearly £2m.
Virginia Water was named the second least affordable with an average price of £1.5m and an 87-minute daily commute, while Longcross followed closely behind at £1.4m. All three towns amounted to a total monthly cost of over £6,000.
Estate agency Jackson-Stops compiled a similar list, with Luton topping its chart for London's cheapest commuter hotspot. As well as the factors used by Trussle, the firm also looked at issues such as whether commuters managed to grab a seat in the morning.
"Although rail fares have not increased as much as they did at the start of 2018, commuters across the country are still unlikely to be impressed with the 3.1 per cent price hike," said Jackston-Stops chairman Nick Leeming.
"Those looking to move this year will be carefully considering a raft of factors, from the impact of Brexit to the average house price of area – but for those commuters amongst us the time, cost and reliability associated with travelling into London by train will be key concern."