Skip to main content

Where to live in East London – East London Location Guide

August 23, 2021 |

Over the last few years, East London has become one of London’s trendiest places to live. With a wide range of areas to live in, there is something for everyone here. From chic to luxury East London has it all.  

In this post, we will look at where to live in East London so you can make an informed choice if you are looking to move here. If you are looking to move you should know that we offer affordable self storage in East London to help your move be less stressful.

With that said let’s look at some of the best areas to live in East London.

Shoreditch

https://www.instagram.com/p/CS1n1POM8xL/

Shoreditch is one of the most sort after locations in East London. If you are moving to a place and want to see culture, art, fashion and enjoy your food then Shoreditch could be a great choice for you.  

Some of the biggest tech companies in the world have moved to Shoreditch including Google and Amazon over the last few years and as a result house prices in the area have increased significantly. Some estate agents are reporting a 25% increase in homes values over the last 5 years.

The average house price in Shoreditch according to Rightmove in 2021 came in at £722,000. Moving to Shoreditch isn’t going to be cheap but you will have moved into an area where something is always going on.

If you want the buzz of city life while being safe, Shoreditch is a great choice. You can expect to find trendy cafes, popup food markets and great schools in Shoreditch which often attracts families to the area. With many schools getting an outstanding Ofsted rating it makes the area popular with young families.

Shoreditch is also very popular with the start-up business scene so it may be an area worth considering if you want to move to London and start a business.

Spitalfields

https://www.instagram.com/p/CS5GVYVDdgP/

Spitalfields is another area of East London where something is always going on. It’s a vibrant area of London covered in Street art and filled with amazing markets.

Spitalfields is also home to the one Michelin star Galvin La Chapelle restaurant which produces great food so if fine dining is for you Spitalfields could be a good place to move to.

House prices on average cost close to £922,000 in Spitalfields so once again a very expensive area of East London. Once again Spitalfields is a popular place to move to for young families as there are lots of things to do in the immediate vicinity. There are ballet schools, piano schools, gymnastics and water baby classes all within a 10-minute walk.

The regeneration of Spitalfields saw many modern office blocks being built, so it is also a popular choice with professionals.

Bethnal Green

https://www.instagram.com/p/CHSQLhxjTCD/

Bethnal Green is an area in East London that has something for everyone. The younger population will love the trendy restaurants and bars while others will enjoy the gardens and fields that can be perfect for a picnic or just somewhere to relax and forget about the busyness of city life for a few hours.

Bethnal Green also has excellent transport links both above and underground which can take you to some of the main areas in London within a few minutes. Liverpool station for example is only 6 minutes away, whereas Oxford circus is only 15.

Bethnal Green is a great alternative to Shoreditch as house prices here are a lot cheaper and rental prices at the time of writing are 7% under the average price to rent in London. Bethnal Green is within walking distance to Shoreditch so it could be a great choice for someone who wants to live there but doesn’t have the budget to do so.

Bethnal Green also has a great nightlife scene so if you are working a stressful job in the City and want to blow off some steam after work, living here could be a great choice.

Whitechapel

https://www.instagram.com/p/CR6gACXLME0/

Whitechapel is an area in East London known for its diverse art and culture. In Whitechapel, you can find the Royal London Hospital Museum as well as the East London Mosque.

Whitechapel is associated mostly with Jack the Ripper and it used to be one of the worst areas of London to live in. Over time Whitechapel has evolved and is now seen as one of the coolest places to live in London.

There are also plenty of art galleries and markets to visit in Whitechapel so there is always something to do when you have a day off.

According to Rightmove, the average price of a house sold in Whitechapel in 2021 is £591,779 which is down 16% in price from last year, meaning you could get a bargain if you find the right property.

Wapping

https://www.instagram.com/p/CShlEc-IuAr/

Wapping is close to Whitechapel and it’s another area of East London in which you may want to consider moving too. Just like Whitechapel, it has a lot of culture and trendy bars and cafes.

Wapping is an area of East London that is developed around the river Thames and when you look at the map of London you can see that Wapping follows the river very closely.

There are many developments in Wapping that you may want to look at if you are considering moving to the area. Wapping is a very popular area and there are some beautiful properties that you could land if you act quick enough. Notably, the warehouses that have been converted into residential living spaces offer high-end luxury.

Wapping has good transport links and the main financial districts of London are only a few minutes commute away.

To live in Wapping you can expect to pay anywhere from £660,000 to £1,000,000.  

Canary Wharf

https://www.instagram.com/p/CSBnHG-oYXg/

Canary Wharf is known as the financial centre of London and when most people think of living in a thriving city they are probably thinking of something similar to Canary Wharf.

Canary Wharf has it all with Skyscrapers, luxury apartments, swanky bars, nightclubs, restaurants, and everything else you want from city life.  

Property prices in Canary Wharf are up 15% compared to last year.

One of the main draws of living in Canary Wharf is being within the financial district. Many Londoners may want to keep clear of Canary Wharf as it seems like it’s all business here. However, there is beautiful street art and monuments located here. There are also pitches of street food vans and some cool restaurants such as the “Big Easy” which is a BBQ and Crabshack restaurant with stunning views across Canary Wharf.

If you like the hustle and bustle of city life but you don’t work in the financial district Canary Wharf can still be a great option to you as transport links are very good as Canary Wharf is located on the Jubilee line.

Hackney

https://www.instagram.com/p/B2mRXuPn0Fy/

If you like the outdoors Hackney could be a place that you may want to live in East London. Hackney has many parks that you can go walking, running and walking your dogs within.  

Hackney is also very popular with artists and it has many cool hangout areas to reflect this.  

Hackney doesn’t have a stop on the underground which may be a disadvantage to some but it is part of the overground network and getting into central London is easy as there are many departures to the Liverpool Street station.

Hackney is popular with both buyers and renters and house prices are currently rising in Hackney, but some bargains can be found.  If you are considering moving to Hackney you may want to check out our self storage in Hackney for your move.

Stratford

https://www.instagram.com/p/CSJWeqNINIz/

When most people think of London they think of the busyness of the city. However, a busy life can soon take its toll on a person. If you work in a chaotic environment you may want something that’s far more relaxing than areas such as Shoreditch or Canary Wharf.

If you want to live in an area in East London which is far more relaxing than the areas mentioned above Stratford is a good choice. It’s one of the largest residential areas of London but it’s far more relaxed than many of the choices on this list.

With that said Stratford still has many areas of interest such as the Olympic Stadium, The Westfield shopping centre and The Olympic Park.

Professionals and families alike choose to live in Stratford as it’s a more affordable area of London, has good transport links and has plenty of things going on while not being overwhelming.

Best places to live in East London

Above are some of the best places to live in East London. The area you ultimately choose will depend on what you want from your time living in London. We hope our guide has narrowed down your choice and if you do choose to move to London we have self storage locations in London that can help make your move easier.