Why the Outer Boroughs Are the Best Value in London

Most listings sites stop at zone one. The bulk of the market does sit centrally, but there is a whole city outside it charging half as much.

The price gap

£150 to £220 in the outer boroughs against £250 to £400 centrally, for a comparable hour. That is not a quality gap, it is a rent gap.

Where the depth is

Croydon is the biggest roster outside the centre and the strongest Brazilian and Latin market in London. Ilford has the deepest Indian and Pakistani rosters by a wide margin. Hounslow and Ealing carry the Asian and Polish depth in the west.

What you actually give up

Travel, and some flexibility. Outcall into central London from out here carries a real supplement, so it works best if you are local or willing to travel. Short notice is harder than in the hotel districts.

What you do not give up

Quality. The idea that central means better is a rent argument dressed up as a standards argument.