words Al Woods
The current situation the UK and many other countries find themselves in is pretty surreal. As some of the world’s leading countries are now on lockdown, roads are almost empty, high streets shops have closed their doors and the hustle and bustle of everyday life has been put on hold.
One of the most noticeable differences is the lack of cars on UK roads. Although many people won’t have ventured out in their car for some time now, that doesn’t mean the costs of owning a car stop, just because you’re not using it as much.
If you’re not using your car then it’s obvious you won’t be paying as much for fuel, but the majority of drivers will still have to pay for mandatory costs such as insurance, unless you have been granted a payment holiday due to the current pandemic.
Prior to the coronavirus outbreak, Kwik Fit conducted a study to see which UK city is the most expensive to own a car. We all know that living in a city comes at a higher cost compared to those living in quieter areas such as a town, but it’s more than likely that you’ve never questioned if where you live affects how much you’re paying to own your vehicle.
What did Kwik Fit’s study reveal?
If you were to guess which UK city was the most expensive to own a car, you’d probably think either one of the capitals; those being London, Cardiff, Edinburgh or Belfast. It may come as a surprise to you but in fact, it is Brimingham who appeared to be the most expensive according to Kwik Fit’s study.
If you live in Birmingham, then it’s probably never crossed your mind how much you spend on fuel each year. Research shows that on average, car owners in the city spend around £1,189.76 on fuel. As well as this, insurance costs total around £1,125.91, which plays its part in the total cost of owning a car in Birmingham each year, adding up to a whopping average of £3,326.87.
Which city appears to be the cheapest?
By creating a list of the most expensive cities to own a car, it inevitably meant that we are able to find out the cheapest as well; but which location came out on top?
According to the study, the idyllic city of Exeter has been awarded the cheapest city to own a car. The average spend on fuel each year is around £924.04, but one of the biggest differences compared to Birmingham, is the cost of insurance. With over a £550 difference compared to Birmingham, Exeter has an average insurance cost of £559.47. Low figures like these all help towards an impressive total annual cost of around £1,675.75.
You can see the huge difference in annual costs between both Birmingham and Exeter. Do you live in either of these cities or one of the many others featured in the study? We want to hear your thoughts.
