The Ultimate Guide to Moving to Bristol

Of all the places I have lived in the UK, Bristol has to be my favourite.

I was lucky enough to live in Hanham, just up from the city centre which was super convenient for getting to the city, and Bath, which is only about 10 miles away.

Then I moved to Bradley Stoke where there was plenty of work and at the time many new build estates.

Finally, I moved to Chipping Sodbury which is a gorgeous 12th Century market town only 18 miles from the city centre.

Bristol has every amenity that the best city has to offer, easy access to the motorway network, great train services, a world-class university, some very highly rated schools, stunning countryside, beaches right on your doorstep, and a region steeped in history and culture.

What more could you possibly want? Probably cheaper property prices because some parts of Bristol rival London. But more of that later.

In this guide to moving to Bristol, we will provide you with all the information you could need to make an informed decision as to which area of Bristol to move to.

You may also like to read: The Pros and Cons of Moving to the Southwest. If you are undecided about exactly where you would like to move then you may like to read this guide which explores the Southwest and some of the towns and villages around Bristol.

Why You Should Live in Bristol

It would probably be easier to list the reasons why you shouldn’t move to Bristol!

There are so many great things about Bristol and what gives the residents of Bristol such a great quality of life.

Here are our top 8 reasons why you should move to Bristol (this could have been our top 80 reasons to move to Bristol but space is limited).

• History. Bristol has a fascinating history and there are many places you can visit to relive times past and find out all about this amazing city. There is SS Great Britain, Bristol Cathedral, Clifton Observatory, and the steam crane by the Mshed to name just a few of the local places that you must go.
• Culture. Bristol Old Vic is a must-visit and there is a varied programme of shows year-round to see. Colston Hall will become a favorite haunt for you too. There are independent cinemas around the city, the Watershed being a local favourite. And for art lovers, the Arnolfini is a must-see.
• Shopping. You will find every major high street store in Bristol, but more importantly a great range of independent and quirky stores, as well as the St Nicholas indoor market.
• Food. From Michelin-starred restaurants to the farmers market where you can try locally produced food, Bristol caters to every food lover. There is a truly varied and mouthwatering range of eateries in Bristol.
• Countryside. The great thing about Bristol is that you are never far from some beautiful countryside or the beach. And Bristol has some great parks to visit too, especially Ashton Court.
• Great Transport Links. The rail network will get you just about anywhere in the UK and there are superfast links to all the major UK cities. The M4 and M5 are on the outskirts of Bristol as is Bristol International Airport.
• World Class University. The University of  West England is considered one of the best in the UK but also has a growing reputation as a world-class university. There are also some top schools in Bristol including Clifton College and Bristol Grammar School.
• Things to do. There are an untold number of bars and clubs in Bristol offering something for everyone, not to mention the endless festivals and events (the Balloon Fiesta is unmissable).

You may also like to read: Is Retiring to the City a Good Idea? Moving to the city can be a great idea when you retire and in this guide, we list 16 great reasons why you would want to retire to a city such as Bristol.

Is Bristol a Safe Place to Live?

Like any city, you should always exercise caution and take care wherever you travel or live.

There are good and bad areas in every city, so to see what the specific crime figures are for particular postcodes within Bristol visit www.police.uk

Having lived in Bristol myself, I would suggest that most people would avoid living in the St. Pauls, Hartcliffe, Easton, Eastville, and Stokes Croft areas of the city.

That said, I know people who have lived for decades very happily in those areas because there is a great community spirit and a vibrant mix of cultures.

You may also like to read: Which is More Important: Location or Home? There are so many great places to live in Bristol that it may come down to the type of property you want to live in. In this guide, we suggest 31 things to consider when deciding where to live.

What is the Average Property Rental Cost in Bristol?

It usually makes good sense to rent a property before buying in a city that you are unfamiliar with. This avoids any costly mistakes if the area you thought was ideal turns out to be less than ideal for you.

• The average rental cost of a 1 bedroom home in Bristol is £1,376 pcm
• The average rental cost of a 2 Bedroom home in Bristol is £1,807 pcm
• The average rental cost of a 3 Bedroom home in Bristol is £1,961 pcm
• The average rental cost of a 4 Bedroom home in Bristol is £2,548 pcm

The latest average home rental costs are taken from www.home.co.uk April 2024

What is the Average Property Price in Bristol?

• The average price of a detached home in Bristol is £587,638
• The average price of a semi-detached home in Bristol is £409,465
• The average price of a terraced home in Bristol is £383,702
• The average price of a flat in Bristol is £274,725

The latest average home costs are taken from www.rightmove.co.uk April 2024

You may also like to read: Choosing Where to Live: Location, Location, Location. The type of street you live on can make a huge difference even within the same postcode area. In this guide, we look at the pros and cons of living on a main road, a cul-de-sac, near shops, schools, a park, or a river.

Is Bristol Expensive to Live?

According to www.numbeo.com, the average monthly costs excluding rent or mortgage repayments are:

• A single person on average will need £804pm to cover living costs
• A family of 4 on average needs an income of £2,757pm to cover living costs

Cost of Living in Bristol vs Major UK Cities

Here is a comparison of the cost of living in Bristol with other major UK cities with data taken from www.expatisan.com

• The cost of living in Bristol is 25% cheaper than in London
• The cost of living in Bristol is 16% more expensive than in Birmingham
• The cost of living in Bristol is 17% cheaper than in Leeds
• The cost of living in Bristol is 21% cheaper than in Liverpool
• The cost of living in Bristol is 30% more expensive than York
• The cost of living in Bristol is 50% more expensive than in Leicester
• The cost of living in Bristol is 35% more expensive than Glasgow
• The cost of living in Bristol is 22% more expensive than in Edinburgh
• The cost of living in Bristol is 51% more expensive than Cardiff
• The cost of living in Bristol is 35% more expensive than Plymouth

You may also like to read: Is Life Better in the city, the suburbs, or the countryside? In this guide, we look at the pros and cons of living in the countryside, the suburbs, or the city to help you decide which area of Bristol you would like to live in.

How Much Does it Cost to Move to Bristol?

How much does it cost to move a 1-2 Bedroom home to Bristol?

Obviously, each home move is different, and the only way to get an accurate removal cost estimate is to request one from a comparison price website.

Must do: Get a home removal cost estimate for free.

But to give you a rough idea, excluding packing costs, you can expect to pay on average the following home moving costs when hiring a professional removal firm to move you to Bristol.

• Moving from London to Bristol costs an average £1,520
• Moving from Birmingham to Bristol costs on average £1,455
• Moving from Leeds to Bristol on average costs £1,670
• Moving from Liverpool to Bristol costs about £1,550
• Moving from York to Bristol costs about £1,695
• Moving from Leicester to Bristol costs about £1,540
• Moving from Glasgow to Bristol costs about £1,945
• Moving from Edinburgh to Bristol costs about £1,945
• Moving from Cardiff to Bristol costs about £900
• Moving from Plymouth to Bristol on average costs £1,530

On average expect to pay about £275-£475 for a professional packing service for a 1-2 bedroom home.

You may also like to read: How much is the average cost to move a 1-2 bedroom home? In this guide, we compare the different moving options and how much on average they cost for a 1 or 2-bedroom property.

How much does it cost to move a 3 bedroom home to Bristol?

• Moving from London to Bristol on average costs £1,655
• Moving from Birmingham to Bristol on average costs £1,590
• Moving from Leeds to Bristol on average costs £1,805
• Moving from Liverpool to Bristol on average costs £1,685
• Moving from York to Bristol on average costs £1,830
• Moving from Leicester to Bristol on average costs £1,675
• Moving from Glasgow to Bristol on average costs £2,080
• Moving from Edinburgh to Bristol on average costs £2,080
• Moving from Cardiff to Bristol on average costs £1,200
• Moving from Plymouth to Bristol on average costs £1,665

On average expect to pay about £450-£950 for a professional packing service for a 3 bedroom home.

You may also like to read: How much is the average cost to move a 3-bedroom home? In this guide, we look at the average costs of moving a 3-bedroom home using different moving options.

Where are the Best Areas to Live in Bristol?

Thinking of moving to the Bristol area? Here is a Bristol neighbourhood guide with 6 of the best places to rent or buy a home in the Bristol area.

• Clifton. THE place to live in Bristol if you like elegant period homes, enjoy a huge variety of shops and cafes, and want loads of places to visit in your spare time such as Clifton Suspension Bridge, the zoo, and the observatory. And you are just 5 minutes from the city centre. Property prices are steep here (well, it is on a hill) but it is a truly outstanding place to live. Although this is an affluent area of Bristol it is also popular with students. Homes here are generally Georgian or Victorian in style, many being listed buildings. There are some good schools in the area such as Redland Green School.
• Cotham. Cotham is located near Clifton and Redland and shares many of the desirable traits of both those areas including large period homes. With easy access to the great shops on Whiteladies Road and Gloucester Road, some great schools, parks, and local transport, it is easy to see why Cotham is such a popular area to live.
• Cabot. Cabot pretty much encompasses all the city centre. The vast majority of homes are rented in this area and it is popular with both students and young professionals.
• Westbury-on-Trym. The river Trym runs through this part of the city, hence the name. Westbury is the home of the famous Badminton Girls School where Indira Gandhi and Princess Haya of Jordan were taught. You will be spoilt for choice when it comes to great places to eat out and although Westbury is more like a village than a city, there are plenty of good stores here.
• Horfield. Horfield has plenty of amenities, a leisure centre, a library, a primary school, Horfield Common with tennis courts and a bowling club, as well as a couple of GP surgeries. Gloucester Road, the longest road of independent stores in Europe runs through Horfield. Bristol Rovers home, Memorial Stadium is also in Horfield.
• Hanham. Hanham is to the east of Bristol between the City and Bath, so both are easily commutable from here. Hanham has a great range of available housing from terraces, to 1930s family homes, to modern new builds. The high street offers a good range of independent stores and you have easy access to some great countryside from Hanham. A beautiful area of Bristol to raise a family due to the excellent schools, a great choice of shops and restaurants, and The Downs are right on your doorstep. Houses here are mostly large 1930-40’s homes and consequently, have large price tags to go with them.

You may also like to read: Which Type of Property is Right for Me: House, Bungalow, or Flat? In this guide, we look at the pros and cons of different styles of home to help you decide which would suit your lifestyle better.

Moving to Bristol Alone

Are you thinking of moving to Bristol alone, perhaps as a student or for work? Is Bristol a good place to live for single people?

Here are some essential things to know when moving to Bristol as a single person.

• Consider renting a room in a shared house, or flat sharing, if you want to save some money, get to know the area, and make instant friends in Bristol. Useful websites for finding rooms to rent in Bristol include: www.gumtree.co.uk and www.spareroom.co.uk
• Join local social media groups to find out all the best places to go and get the low down on Bristol city life.
• meetup.com has plenty of local groups to join so that you quickly find new friends and get to learn all about living in Bristol.
• Consider volunteering in your spare time, it is a great way to meet new people and help the local community at the same time.

You may also like to read: Can I Move to A New City Alone? In this guide, we share some essential tips to make moving to Bristol as a single person easier and cheaper as well as tips on how to make the most of your new life in the city.

Living in Bristol as a Student

If you have been accepted as a student at Bristol or are considering becoming one, then this section is for you.

There are over 40,000 students in Bristol so you can rest assured that the city is well set up to cater to your every need with an extensive support network should you require it.

There is no shortage of culture, history, bars, clubs, live music venues, things to do, and plenty to get involved within and around Bristol. And did I mention Cider? There is plenty of that too!

Here are some useful links if you are going to study in Bristol.

• University of Bristol: bristol.ac.uk
• UWE Bristol: www1.uwe.ac.uk 
• The Bristol Students Union has a website that will help you find accommodation in Bristol but with no agency fees to pay. www.bristollettings.co.uk 
• And here is the Bristol Student Union’s website with lots of useful information for students.
• www.university.which.co.uk has a great guide to what it costs to be at university as well as some living expense-saving tips for students

You may also like to read: Everything You Need to Know About Moving to College. In this guide, we share some top tips to make moving to university or college easier and cheaper.

Moving to Bristol with Family

Is Bristol a family-friendly city? Most certainly.

There are many highly rated schools, plenty for young and old children to occupy their free time, many family-friendly attractions and restaurants, as well as easy access to beautiful local countryside and coastline.

www.bristolpost.co.uk lists these as the top 5 places for families to live in Bristol:

• George / Redfield
• Horfield & Bishopston
• St Werburgh’s
• Downend
• Henleaze

As parents, you will want to know about healthcare in Bristol so to find local doctors, dentists, healthcare specialists, and hospitals visit www.nhs.uk

Read on to find out which are the best schools in Bristol.

You may also like to read: How to Decide Where to Live Next. In this guide, we share 12 things that you may wish to consider when deciding where your new home will be.

Which are the Best Schools in Bristol?

You may be interested in visiting www.compare-school-performance.service.gov.uk which allows you to compare every local school in Bristol.

For overall performance, www.compare-school-performance.service.gov.uk lists these schools as the top-performing in Bristol:

Top 3 Primary Schools in Bristol

• St Teresa’s Catholic Primary School, BS7.0
• St George Church of England Primary School, BS1.5
• Holy Cross RC P BS1.5rimary School, BS3.1

Top 3 Secondary Schools in Bristol

• Redland Green School, BS6.7
• Colston’s Girl’s School, BS6.5
• Bristol Metropolitan Academy, BS16.2

Top 3 A-Level Performing Schools

• Redland Green School, BS6.7
• Bristol Cathedral Choir School, BS1.5
• Colston’s School, BS16.1

Is There Much Employment in Bristol?

Not only is Bristol a great place to live, but it offers some great employment opportunities.

Amongst the many accolades that Bristol has won over the years, it has been voted as one of the happiest places to work as reported by www.theguardian.co.uk

There is a wide and varied employment sector in Bristol, but who are the biggest employers in Bristol?

The top 10 employers in Bristol are:

• Ministry of Defence, Filton
• GKN Aerospace, Filton
• Airbus, Filton
• The University of West of England, Frenchay
• Rolls Royce, Filton
• Aviva, Stoke Gifford
• EE, Bradley Stoke
• John Lewis, Cribbs Causeway
• Tesco, Severnside
• South Gloucestershire and Stroud College, Filton.

You may also like to check out these websites for available work within Bristol.

• totaljobs.com
• jobsite.co.uk
• reed.co.uk

What are the Best Ways of Getting Around Bristol?

Bristol, like every major city, does get congested during peak commuter times, but there are plenty of options to get you about Bristol.

• Cycle. Bristol is the cycling capital of the UK with cycle lanes on nearly every major route in the city. There is plenty of bike parking as well as free-to-use bike pumps all around the city. Visit www.betterbybike.info which has a wealth of information about cycling within Bristol.
• Walk. Bristol is a walker-friendly city, although some parts can be hilly, to put it mildly. Bristol even holds its own walking festival in May every year.
• Park and Ride. If you want an easy way to get to the centre of Bristol there is a Park and Ride service from Portway, Long Ashton, Brislington, and Lyde Green.
• Bus. There is a great network of local buses in Bristol. Visit www.travelwwest.info for bus information and timetables.
• Motorcycle. Bristol MAG (Motorcycle Action Group) has produced a map of available motorcycle parking in Bristol.
• Car. If you travel into Bristol by car, here is a useful list of all the car parks in Bristol.
• Car Share. For those who don’t own a car but want to explore the beauty of Bristol or further afield, there is the Zipcar which is a car rental scheme. Find out more at zipcar.com
• Train. Bristol is a hub for the national rail network so it has great links to all the UK. For train information and information visit travelwest.info

What is There to Do in Bristol for Free?

There is so much to see and do in Bristol. But it is even better when you get to experience parts of Bristol for free.

So, apart from the fabulous parks such as The Downs, Oldbury Court, and Snuff Mills, which are free fabulous places to visit, what else has Bristol to offer you for a free day out?

What can you do for free in Bristol?

Top 7 Free Things to Do In Bristol

• M Shed. Learn all about the history of Bristol with some great interactive activities. Find out more here.
• Bristol Museum and Art Gallery. From Egyptian mummies to Dinosaurs, the Bristol Museum and Art Gallery is a great free place to visit again and again. Find out more here.
• Banksy Tour. Discover the street art of Banksy on a self-guided walking tour.
• Bristol Balloon Fiesta. This will become a family favourite event year in and year out. Be sure not to miss the night glow where the hot air balloons are fired up in time to music.
• The Arnolfini Art Centre. Stages films, music, dance, and art exhibitions.
• Bristol Cathedral. A stunning building with many events held throughout the year.
• The Harbourside Market. Each weekend you can explore the many stalls that sell wares from all over the South West whilst sampling some great street food.

The Best of Bristol

If you are moving to Bristol you will probably be overwhelmed with the number of things to do, the great restaurants, bars, and clubs. So here is our top 5 of the best of Bristol.

Top 5 Restaurants in Bristol

These are the top 5 rated restaurants in Bristol as ranked by www.bristolpost.co.uk

• The Olive Shed, Princes Wharf, BS1
• Eatchu, Exchange Avenue, BS1
• Pasta Ripiena, St Stephens Street, BS1
• Under The Stars, Bristol Harbour
• Oowee, Bedminster

Top 5 Coolest Bars in Bristol

www.designmynight.com lists these 5 as the coolest bars in Bristol.

• Lola Lo, Queens Rd, BS8
• London Cocktail Club Bristol, Triangle West, BS8
• Black Rock, Marsh Street, BS1
• The Milk Thistle, Colston Ave, BS1
• Smoke and Mirrors, Denmark St, BS1

Top 5 Clubs in Bristol

Some of the best nightclubs in Bristol are:

• Motion, Avon St, BS2
• Dojo, Park Row, BS1
• The Bootlegger, Cheltenham Rd, BS6
• Pryzm, Cannons Rd, BS1
• Love Inn, Stokes Croft, BS1

Top Local Bristol Removal Firms

Luckily there are some great removal companies that can help you with your home move to Bristol.

Finding top-rated local removal companies to move you to Bristol is an important step to experiencing a stress-free home move. It is vitally important to choose your removal company wisely as all removal firms are not equal, unfortunately.

You may also like to read: How to Pick the Right Removal Company. The Ultimate Step-by-Step Guide. Choosing the right removal firm for your home move is critically important so we have created a step-by-step guide to help you avoid the pitfalls.

• Find great local Bristol removal firms here.
• Find a local removal company to move you to Bristol here.

No doubt you will have many more questions regarding your home move, so be sure to visit our resources section where you will find a wealth of useful information to make your home move to Bristol easier, cheaper, and safer.

We could go on forever about just what a great place Bristol is to move to but we hope this has given you some useful information that makes your decision about moving to Bristol just a bit easier.