What house can I afford on a £45,000 salary? What you could borrow, what it costs each month, and where it buys a home.

You could borrow£203k£180k–£248k depending on the lender

Home price, 10% deposit£225k£23k deposit

Monthly payment£1,1335.37% 2-year fix, 30 years

3-bed houses in reach23%of districts in England & Wales

On a £45,000 salary most lenders would lend around £202,500, four and a half times your income. A cautious lender, or one weighing up children and car finance, might stop nearer £180,000; a few go to £247,500 for higher earners.

With a 10% deposit of £22,500 that buys a home for about £225,000, at about £1,133 a month at today's average 2-year fixed rate of 5.37%. If rates were two points higher when you remortgage, it would be about £1,398. As a first-time buyer in England you would pay no stamp duty at this price.

That price buys a typical 3-bedroom house in 500 of 2,219 postcode districts, from 73% of districts in North East to 0% in South East.

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What £45,000 buys with different deposits

Deposit	Home price	Deposit	Rate	Monthly	Stamp duty, first home	Cash needed
5%	£213,000	£10,500	5.7%	£1,175	£0	£14,999
10%	£225,000	£22,500	5.37%	£1,133	£0	£26,999
15%	£238,000	£35,500	5.26%	£1,119	£0	£39,999
25%	£270,000	£67,500	5.13%	£1,103	£0	£71,999

Mortgage of £202,500 (4.5 × income) over 30 years at the Bank of England's average 2-year fixed rate for that loan-to-value (Sep 2026). Stamp duty for a first-time buyer in England (April 2025 (England) and October 2022 (Wales)); cash needed adds the deposit, stamp duty and typical fees (solicitor, survey, mortgage fee, removals).

Where £225k buys a 3-bedroom house

Stoke-On-Trenttypical 3-bed £195k Doncastertypical 3-bed £178k Bradfordtypical 3-bed £181k Hulltypical 3-bed £172k Prestontypical 3-bed £213k Boltontypical 3-bed £224k Swanseatypical 3-bed £211k Wigantypical 3-bed £197k Barnsleytypical 3-bed £180k Rotherhamtypical 3-bed £179k Newporttypical 3-bed £216k Chesterfieldtypical 3-bed £212k

Just out of reach: Birmingham (£256k), Nottingham (£247k), Liverpool (£226k), Sheffield (£244k).

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By region

North East

73%

Yorkshire and the Humber

56%

Wales

51%

North West

43%

East Midlands

29%

West Midlands

20%

East of England

South West

London

South East

Share of postcode districts where a typical 3-bedroom house sold for £225,000 or less over the last five years, in today's money.

Questions

How much can I borrow on a £45,000 salary?

Most lenders lend about 4.5 times income, so around £202,500 on £45,000. Cautious lenders, or households with children or other loans, are nearer 4 times (£180,000); some lend up to 5.5 times (£247,500) to higher earners.

Can I get a £230,000 mortgage on £45,000?

Possibly: it is 5.1 times income, which some lenders offer, mostly to higher earners and some professions, if your outgoings are low.

What house price can I afford on £45,000?

With a 10% deposit, about £225,000: a £22,500 deposit plus a £202,500 mortgage. With 5% down it is about £213,000.

What would the monthly payments be?

About £1,133 a month on a £202,500 mortgage over 30 years at 5.37%, the Bank of England's average 2-year fixed rate at 90% loan-to-value (Sep 2026). If rates rose 2 points it would be about £1,398.

Where can I buy a house on £45,000?

A typical 3-bedroom house sells within £225,000 in 500 of 2219 postcode districts in England and Wales (23%), most of all in North East (73% of districts), including Stoke-On-Trent, Doncaster, Bradford, Hull.

A guide, not mortgage advice: lenders decide on your full circumstances, credit history and outgoings. Rates: Bank of England quoted household interest rates (Sep 2026). Prices: HM Land Registry sales in the last five years matched to the EPC register, in today's money.