Newly published figures show that prices continue to be most expensive in London, followed by the South East. Average prices in London are 9.7 per cent higher compared with the UK average and 5.3 per cent higher in the South East. Prices remain lowest in Wales, followed by the North East and then Yorkshire and Humberside. The picture is the same, but less pronounced, when the costs of owner-occupier housing are excluded.
Housing costs show the greatest variation between regions with London being nearly twice as expensive as Northern Ireland. Conversely, food and tobacco prices vary little across regions.
The analysis is based on data collected for the compilation of the Retail Prices Index supplemented by a special purpose-designed survey of regional prices conducted in the Spring and follow a partial update carried out in 2003 of an earlier exercise conducted 2000.
The figures provide an overall picture of how prices generally vary across different parts of the UK.
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Relative regional consumer price levels in 2004