It’s a truth universally acknowledged that renting in London is eye-wateringly expensive, but recent research from SpareRoom has revealed just how much those in the capital need to earn to affordably rent a room here.
Spending no more than 30 per cent of your income on rent is a popular budgeting tactic but, to do this, Londoners would need to be earning £40,000 a year — way beyond the reach of many, especially those starting out in their careers. The median pay in September 2025 for the whole of London was £2,992, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS), so a gross income of £35,900.
