In London new builds, £300,000 buys a studio 17 to 20 kilometres out from the centre. None of the 57 London schemes published in the capital.works® portfolio starts below £315,000. Moving up to a one bedroom apartment in the same schemes means going to £347,000. The closer you get to the centre, the less there is to buy on this budget.
None of the figures in this article is an estimate; they are our own listing data. We took the price, the size of the entry apartment and the map position of each of the 57 schemes; distance to the centre is measured from Charing Cross and the nearest station from the whole set of Underground, DLR and National Rail stops. As far as we know, the table below is the only published list of new build schemes in London ordered by distance from the centre.
57 London schemes, ordered by distance from the centre
The list runs from the closest to the centre to the furthest out. Prices are the starting price of each scheme’s entry flat, and the price per square metre is calculated from that flat.
| Scheme | Distance from centre | Entry price | Entry size | Price per m² | Nearest station | Distance to station |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ebury SW1 | 1.5 km | £825,000 | 50 m² | £16,500 | Victoria | 0.3 km |
| Graphite Square London | 2.1 km | £785,000 | 54 m² | £14,537 | Vauxhall | 0.5 km |
| Oval Village | 2.4 km | £750,000 | 52 m² | £14,423 | Oval | 0.6 km |
| Damac Tower | 2.6 km | £659,000 | 50 m² | £13,180 | Vauxhall | 0.3 km |
| Park & Sayer | 2.7 km | £963,000 | 130 m² | £7,408 | Elephant & Castle | 0.3 km |
| Embassy Gardens | 2.8 km | £660,000 | not stated | not stated | Vauxhall | 0.6 km |
| Battersea Power Station | 3.2 km | £765,000 | 43 m² | £17,791 | Battersea Park | 0.5 km |
| Trillium | 3.4 km | £995,000 | 50 m² | £19,900 | Edgware Road (C) | 0.2 km |
| One Bishopsgate Plaza, The Sky Residences | 3.4 km | £1,160,000 | 56 m² | £20,714 | London Liverpool Street | 0.1 km |
| Camden Goods Yard | 4.1 km | £650,000 | 50 m² | £13,000 | Chalk Farm | 0.4 km |
| Principal Tower | 4.1 km | £1,100,000 | 50 m² | £22,000 | Shoreditch High Street | 0.4 km |
| Bermondsey Place | 4,8 km | £515,000 | 53 m² | £9,717 | South Bermondsey | 1.1 km |
| King's Road Park | 5.3 km | £780,000 | 48 m² | £16,250 | Imperial Wharf | 0.3 km |
| 100 Kensington | 5.4 km | £895,000 | 50 m² | £17,900 | Earl’s Court | 0.3 km |
| Regent's View | 5.4 km | £550,000 | 58 m² | £9,483 | Cambridge Heath | 0.4 km |
| Bermondsey Heights | 5.8 km | £469,000 | 54 m² | £8,685 | South Bermondsey | 0.5 km |
| White city living | 6.5 km | £680,000 | 54 m² | £12,593 | White City | 0.1 km |
| Park Avenue Place London | 6.7 km | £390,000 | 43 m² | £9,070 | Deptford | 1.1 km |
| Wandsworth Mills | 7.0 km | £730,000 | 51 m² | £14,314 | Wandsworth Town | 0.4 km |
| Vetro London | 7.0 km | £535,000 | 40 m² | £13,375 | Westferry | 0.0 km |
| Bow Green London | 7.2 km | £460,000 | 50 m² | £9,200 | Devons Road | 0.7 km |
| Aspen Canary Wharf | 7.3 km | £550,000 | 40 m² | £13,750 | South Quay | 0.2 km |
| Woodberry Down | 7.6 km | £549,990 | 55 m² | £10,000 | Manor House | 0.4 km |
| South Quay Plaza | 7.7 km | £772,000 | 56 m² | £13,786 | South Quay | 0.1 km |
| Hornsey Town Hall London | 7.9 km | £509,950 | 49 m² | £10,407 | Crouch Hill | 0.9 km |
| One Thames Quay London | 8.1 km | £635,000 | 70 m² | £9,071 | Crossharbour & London Arena | 0.5 km |
| The Lanes, Springfield Village | 8.2 km | £399,000 | not stated | not stated | Wandsworth Common | 0.9 km |
| Springfield Place London | 8.3 km | £470,000 | 52 m² | £9,038 | Tooting Bec | 0.2 km |
| 1840 St George's London | 8.3 km | £399,000 | 39 m² | £10,231 | Tooting Bec | 0.2 km |
| New Union Wharf | 8.4 km | £575,000 | 70 m² | £8,214 | Crossharbour & London Arena | 0.6 km |
| North Gate Park | 8.5 km | £395,000 | 51 m² | £7,745 | Harringay Green Lanes | 0.6 km |
| Heron Wharf | 8.5 km | £455,000 | 50 m² | £9,100 | East India | 0.8 km |
| TwelveTrees Park | 9.2 km | £495,000 | 55 m² | £9,000 | West Ham | 0.4 km |
| GoodLuck Hope | 9.2 km | £430,000 | 44 m² | £9,773 | East India | 0.5 km |
| Cerulean Quarter | 9.4 km | £430,000 | 52 m² | £8,269 | Canning Town | 0.2 km |
| Royal Gateway | 9.7 km | £475,000 | not stated | not stated | North Acton | 0.5 km |
| The London Mews | 10.4 km | £415,000 | 115 m² | £3,609 | Finchley Central | 1.2 km |
| Lightmakers, Sydenham | 10.7 km | £350,000 | 70 m² | £5,000 | Lower Sydenham | 0.7 km |
| Hoola Royal Docks London | 10.8 km | £359,000 | 56 m² | £6,411 | Custom House | 0.3 km |
| Wimbledon Place | 10.9 km | £470,000 | 40 m² | £11,750 | South Wimbledon | 0.6 km |
| Kew Bridge Rise | 11.1 km | £385,000 | 40 m² | £9,625 | Kew Bridge | 0.2 km |
| Hendon Waterside | 11.2 km | £360,000 | 57 m² | £6,316 | Hendon | 0.4 km |
| Silkstream | 11.5 km | £433,000 | 51 m² | £8,490 | Hendon | 0.4 km |
| Grand Union | 11.5 km | £560,000 | not stated | not stated | Stonebridge Park | 0.6 km |
| Kidbrooke Village | 11.8 km | £375,000 | 51 m² | £7,353 | Kidbrooke | 0.2 km |
| Wembley Park Gardens | 12.3 km | £399,000 | 37 m² | £10,784 | Wembley Park | 0.1 km |
| Colindale Gardens | 12.6 km | £405,000 | 51 m² | £7,941 | Colindale | 0.4 km |
| Royal Arsenal Riverside | 13.7 km | £435,000 | 43 m² | £10,116 | Woolwich | 0.4 km |
| Lombard Square | 13.9 km | £345,000 | 50 m² | £6,900 | Woolwich Arsenal | 0.6 km |
| Sterling Place | 14.8 km | £390,000 | 52 m² | £7,500 | New Malden | 0.2 km |
| Trent Park | 16.9 km | £725,000 | 82 m² | £8,841 | Oakwood | 1.3 km |
| Lampton Parkside | 17.0 km | £325,000 | 50 m² | £6,500 | Hounslow Central | 0.4 km |
| Southmere London | 17.4 km | £315,000 | 50 m² | £6,300 | Abbey Wood | 0.7 km |
| The green quarter | 17.5 km | £580,000 | 45 m² | £12,889 | Southall | 0.1 km |
| Eastman Village | 18.0 km | £335,000 | 51 m² | £6,569 | Harrow & Wealdston | 0.8 km |
| Dagenham Green | 19.7 km | £330,000 | 52 m² | £6,346 | Dagenham Dock | 0.7 km |
| Hayes Village | 19.9 km | £315,000 | 51 m² | £6,176 | Hayes & Harlington | 0.5 km |
What changes as you move out, and what does not
When we split the same 57 schemes into four bands the relationship is clear. The correlation between distance from the centre and price per square metre is -0,63, and between distance and total price it is -0,68.
| Distance from centre | projects | Median price per m² | Median entry price | Median entry size | Median distance to station |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 to 5 km | 12 | £14,537 | £785,000 | 50 m² | 0.4 km |
| 5 to 10 km | 24 | £9,628 | £522,475 | 51 m² | 0.4 km |
| 10 to 15 km | 14 | £7,500 | £390,000 | 51 m² | 0.4 km |
| 15 to 25 km | 7 | £6,500 | £330,000 | 51 m² | 0.7 km |
The two columns that really tell the story are at the end. First: the entry flat is about 50 square metres in every band. Moving away from the centre does not buy you a larger apartment; it buys the same size for less. What is bought in the centre is not floor area but the location itself. The price per square metre is £14,537 in the first band and £6,500 in the last, that is 2.2 times for a flat of the same size.
Second, and less well known: the median distance to a station is 0.4 kilometres in three of the four bands, and 0.7 kilometres in the outermost one. Moving out does not mean moving away from a station. The reason is how these schemes are chosen: developers build on the line in outer London too. Southmere sits next to Abbey Wood and Hayes Village next to Hayes & Harlington, both Elizabeth line stops.
Rent does not rise as fast as price
For an investor this is the most important section of the article. Price climbs steeply as you approach the centre, rent does not climb at the same gradient.
In figures. According to Office for National Statistics data for July 2026, the average monthly rent for a one bedroom flat is £2,533 in Westminster and £1,226 in Bexley. The gap is 2.07 times. The one bedroom price of our schemes in those same two boroughs is £825,000 and £315,000, which is 2.62 times. Rent rises 2.07 fold while price rises 2.62 fold, and the gross yield is what disappears into that gap.
| Scheme | Borough | Distance from centre | One bedroom price | Borough average monthly rent | Gross yield |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ebury SW1 | Westminster | 1.5 km | £825,000 | £2,533 | 3.7% |
| Aspen Canary Wharf | Tower Hamlets | 7.3 km | £550,000 | £1,981 | 4.3% |
| Hoola Royal Docks | Newham | 10.8 km | £359,000 | £1,630 | 5.4% |
| Hendon Waterside | Barnet | 11.2 km | £360,000 | £1,496 | 5.0% |
| Southmere | Bexley | 17.4 km | £315,000 | £1,226 | 4.7% |
| Hayes Village | Hillingdon | 19.9 km | £347,000 | £1,248 | 4.3% |
The curve does not run one way, and this is the part to watch. Yield rises as you move out from the centre, but it peaks in the middle band, not at the edge. It reaches 5.4% in Royal Docks and 5.0% in Hendon, then falls back to 4.7% in Bexley and 4.3% in Hillingdon. The reason is simple: in the outermost boroughs rents fall faster than prices. So "the further out, the higher the yield" is not true; for yield the sweet spot is the band 9 to 13 kilometres from the centre.
None of this makes a central flat a bad investment. What the premium buys in the centre is not rent, it is saleability and resilience of value. But if your priority is monthly cash flow, that premium has no mathematical return.
The London schemes closest to £300,000
The eight cheapest London schemes in our portfolio and their distance from the centre:
| Scheme | Distance from centre | Entry price | Entry size | Nearest station |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Southmere London | 17.4 km | £315,000 | 50 m² | Abbey Wood, 0.7 km |
| Hayes Village | 19.9 km | £315,000 | 51 m² | Hayes & Harlington, 0.5 km |
| Lampton Parkside | 17.0 km | £325,000 | 50 m² | Hounslow Central, 0.4 km |
| Dagenham Green | 19.7 km | £330,000 | 52 m² | Dagenham Dock, 0,7 km |
| Eastman Village | 18.0 km | £335,000 | 51 m² | Harrow & Wealdston, 0.8 km |
| Lombard Square | 13.9 km | £345,000 | 50 m² | Woolwich Arsenal, 0.6 km |
| Lightmakers, Sydenham | 10.7 km | £350,000 | 70 m² | Lower Sydenham, 0.7 km |
| Hoola Royal Docks London | 10.8 km | £359,000 | 56 m² | Custom House, 0.3 km |
Southmere and Hayes Village head the list at £315,000, and both are studios. A one bedroom flat starts at £347,000 in Hayes Village, £340,000 in Eastman Village and £375,000 in Lombard Square. In practice £300,000 is a studio budget and £350,000 is a one bedroom budget.
What matters more as the budget falls
In an £800,000 flat the location carries the premium by itself and finding a tenant is not a problem. In the £300,000 to £400,000 band the choice rests on completely different criteria:
- Walking distance to a station. In this band the tenant is unlikely to own a car. The difference between a 5 minute and a 15 minute walk to the station affects both the rent and the void period directly. Look at the station column in the table above: the spread runs from 0.2 to 1.3 kilometres.
- Journey time, not straight line distance. A location on the Elizabeth line is worth more than one that is closer on the map but poorly served. Southmere is 17.4 kilometres from the centre, but Abbey Wood reaches Canary Wharf on the Elizabeth line.
- Employment in the area. Where the tenant is going decides it: a hospital, a university, a business district or a logistics hub.
- The area’s own regeneration plan. In this band most of the growth in value comes from the area developing, not from London as a whole.
- Leasehold terms. Years remaining, service charge and ground rent. In a cheaper flat the ratio of annual costs to yield bites harder than in the centre, because the same service charge comes out of a much smaller rental income.
What the same budget buys outside London
While £300,000 is an entry budget in London, outside London it is a comfortable one. Our portfolio holds ten schemes below that figure:
| Scheme | City | Entry price | Entry size |
|---|---|---|---|
| Willow Court | Manchester | £120,000 | 30 m² |
| SoapWorks | Liverpool | £179,950 | 35 m² |
| One Trafford Edge | Manchester | £188,000 | 46 m² |
| St James Quay | Norwich | £199,950 | 53 m² |
| Trinity Point | Gravesend | £210,000 | 50 m² |
| Lu2on | Luton | £210,000 | 37 m² |
| Park View | Manchester | £220,000 | 50 m² |
| Eastbrook Village | Milton Keynes | £260,000 | 50 m² |
| St Albans Square | St Albans | £275,000 | 50 m² |
| Hartland Village | Fleet | £280,000 | 53 m² |
The decision is not "London or outside London", it is "what am I buying this for". If yield is the priority, the arithmetic outside London is better. If owning property in London is a goal in itself, £315,000 is the entry ticket.
Frequently asked questions
Can you buy a flat in London for £300,000? Hard, in new build. The cheapest of the 57 London schemes in our portfolio starts at £315,000 and is 17.4 kilometres from the centre. The second hand market may throw up options on this budget; this article covers new build.
How many bedrooms does £300,000 buy? A studio. In the same schemes a one bedroom flat starts in the £340,000 to £375,000 range.
Does a flat closer to central London earn more? Not in rental yield. Gross yield on a one bedroom flat is 3.7% in Westminster against 5.4% in Royal Docks. What the centre offers is not yield, it is saleability and preservation of value.
Is yield highest in the areas furthest out? No. Yield peaks in the band 9 to 13 kilometres from the centre and falls back in the outermost boroughs, because rents there fall faster than prices.
How much is added on top of the price? Roughly £2,500 to £4,000 excluding stamp duty. Stamp duty varies with the buyer profile and on its own can run to tens of thousands of pounds. The detail is on our buying costs and stamp duty pages.
How much tax will I pay on rental income? The first £12,570 is tax free and the rest starts at 20%. Our rental income tax page sets it out band by band.
Method and sources
The sample is the 57 London schemes published in the capital.works® portfolio as at 9 September 2026 with a complete price and map position. The price per square metre could be worked out for 53 of them, and the square metre figures in the band table come from those. Prices are the developer's stated entry price and the size of the apartment at that price. The median is used rather than the mean, because a single expensive scheme distorts the mean.
Distance from the centre is measured as a straight line from Charing Cross, not as journey time. Charing Cross is the official zero point from which distances to London are measured in the UK. Even so, a single centre does not describe every scheme fairly: Canary Wharf and the City are employment centres in their own right, and a scheme near them looks far from the centre in this table while being central for its own tenants. The nearest station is the closest stop as the crow flies across all London Underground, DLR and National Rail stations, so the walking distance will be longer than this.
Rent figures come from the Office for National Statistics private rental data for July 2026, averaged across one bedroom flats borough wide. That average covers the whole housing stock, old and new; new build flats typically let above the borough average, so the gross yields in the table sit on the cautious side. The table is not a promise of a particular return, it shows how yield takes shape relative to the centre. The gross yield calculation excludes service charge, ground rent, management fees, insurance and void periods, and net yield emerges once those are deducted.
This is not a market index, it is a snapshot of our portfolio. It does not cover the resale market or developers outside our portfolio.
The next step
Write to us with your budget and your priority and we will send you three schemes that fit, with the figures: Contact us. To see the three markets side by side, look at our price and tax study covering 119 schemes, and for the whole of the UK side, our UK Property Guide page.
Answers to the most common questions on this topic: Is Buying a Home in London a Good Idea?
