Port Bannatyne on the Isle of Bute is the least expensive seaside town in this the UK, with an average price of £71,550, according to Halifax.

The lender found that Newbiggin by the Sea in Northumberland was the second cheapest seaside town, and the least expensive in England, with an average house price of £75,779.
 
And it said that eight of the 10 least expensive towns are in Western Scotland, including Campbeltown (£80,737), Girvan (£85,082) and Millport (£86,392).
 
The annual survey of prices in coastal towns found that 12 seaside towns in UK still have an average price below £100,000.

Making waves

At the other end of the scale, Sandbanks retains its spot as Britain’s most expensive seaside town, where the average price of a home is an eye-watering £664,051.

It’s followed by Salcombe in South Devon (£617,743) and Aldeburgh in East Anglia (£526,689).
 
Outside southern England, the most expensive seaside areas are the Scottish towns of North Berwick (£314,435) and St Andrews (£300,319), together with The Mumbles in South Wales (£284,804).

Rising prices         

Average house prices in British seaside towns increased by 25% in the past decade to reach an average £226,916 – equating to £382 a month.
 
However, there is a marked north-south divide in property values in seaside towns, with nine out of 10 of the most expensive seaside towns on the southern coast of England.
 
Martin Ellis, Halifax housing economist, said: “Seaside towns are extremely popular places to live, offering sought-after views and desirable weather. Being by the sea side does come at a price – with the marked increase in house prices reflecting the demand for rooms with a ‘sea’ view.
 
“Over the past decade, house prices in the South East, especially coastal towns within commutable distance to London, have shown strong growth and have become Britain’s most expensive seaside towns.”