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Local area guide

Living in Birmingham

With more parks than Paris and more miles of canal than Venice, Birmingham is the largest economic city outside of London.

A melting pot of culture, shopping, dining and business, Birmingham has a bustling entertainment scene, a fantastic range of galleries, museums and theatres and a thriving jobs market.

Let's dive in.

Your guide to moving to Birmingham

Why Birmingham is a good place to live

History and culture, fabulous restaurants, world class shopping, a buzzing nightlife scene, great educational facilities and a vibrant business culture, Birmingham has it all.

England's second biggest economic city outside of London offers world-class theatre, ballet, Michelin-starred restaurants and independent venues, plus loads of cafes and bars.

The canals are great for exploring and there are plenty of parks for a lazy afternoon stroll.

Friendly, welcoming and real mix of cultures and backgrounds, Birmingham has everything you could want from a city and is much cheaper than London.

Plus, house prices and rental costs are cheaper here than in the capital - and you can still get a pint for £3 in some parts of the city.

What's Birmingham famous for?

Cadbury World: in 1824, John Cadbury opened a grocer's shop in Bull Street, Birmingham. Among groceries, he sold cocoa and drinking chocolate - which he prepared himself using a mortar and pestle. It became a little bit popular.

Peaky Blinders: the show may be a fictional story of the Birmingham underworld but it's actually based on the very real existence of a gang by the same name based in the Midlands in the late nineteenth century.

Curry: if you love a Friday night curry as much as we do, Birmingham is the place to find the best.

Birmingham curry houses have existed since at least 1945, when Abdul Aziz, one of the first Bangladeshi immigrants to settle in the city, began serving curry and rice to policemen, lawyers and barristers from a café on Steelhouse Lane. Today, Brum’s most famous dish is the balti. Enjoy.

Finally, Birmingham also happens to be the home place of one or two famous people, including J R R Tolkien, Ozzy Osbourne, Julie Walters, Carl Lewis and Jamelia.

Things to do in Birmingham

What isn't there to do in Birmingham!

From exploring Brindleyplace and the canal quarter (home to some of the city's best bars and restaurants) to mooching around the Jewellery Quarter, or ‘JQ’, as it’s known locally, with its museums, independent shops, eateries and nightclubs, there's something for everyone to enjoy.

For shopping, the Bullring & Grand Central is the ultimate destination in Birmingham, where you'll find the iconic Selfridges, MAC, Arket and the biggest Primark in the whole of Europe.

And keep an eye out for the annual German Christmas markets that take over the city during December, as they are regarded as some of the best in the UK. 

Explore the canals, enjoy internationally renowned sporting venues and the city's cultural hotspots including The Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery, Aston Hall and the Blakesley Hall Museum.

Or, for a more relaxing afternoon, the Botanical Gardens are a must.

Cadbury World is of course worth a visit - as is the Custard Factory, filled with galleries, independent shops, cafés, restaurants and bars plus the Mockingbird Cinema.

Average asking prices in Birmingham today

We update our average asking prices every day using data from millions of properties for sale.

Terraced

Avg. asking price

£240,000

991 properties for sale

Detached

Avg. asking price

£465,000

543 properties for sale

Semi-detached

Avg. asking price

£295,000

1017 properties for sale

Flats

Avg. asking price

£170,000

2134 properties for sale

Properties currently for sale in Birmingham

Whether you're looking for a family home or a beautiful apartment, we've got you covered.

See all properties for sale in Birmingham

Birmingham and beyond

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Transport in Birmingham

Trains

Birmingham boasts an extensive railway network, with several key stations.

Birmingham New Street is the city's primary railway hub, offering frequent services to destinations across the UK, including London Euston (approx. 1.5 hours), Manchester (approx. 1.5 hours), and Edinburgh (approx. 4 hours).

Birmingham Moor Street and Birmingham Snow Hill provide additional connections to the wider region.

Trams

The West Midlands Metro tram system serves Birmingham and its suburbs. It connects Birmingham to Wolverhampton, with stops at key locations like Bull Street, Snow Hill, and Grand Central.

The trams offer a convenient way to navigate the city and are especially useful for reaching Birmingham's outer districts.

Buses

Birmingham's bus network is comprehensive, with many routes operated by National Express West Midlands.

Major bus hubs include Birmingham Coach Station, Digbeth Coach Station, and the central Birmingham New Street station.

Buses connect Birmingham to neighboring cities like Coventry, Wolverhampton, and Leicester.

Park and Ride

The Park and Ride service is available at several locations around Birmingham, including locations like Redditch, Sutton Coldfield, and Solihull.

These services offer a convenient way for commuters to park their cars and take public transport into the city center to alleviate congestion.

Car

Birmingham is well-connected by road, with major motorways like the M6, M5, and M42 intersecting the city.

It takes approximately 2 hours to drive from Birmingham to London, 1 hour to Manchester, and around 40 minutes to Coventry.

Airport

Birmingham Airport, located about 10 miles east of the city centre, is a major international gateway, offering flights to various domestic and international destinations, including Europe, North America and Asia.

The airport is well-connected to the city centre by the Air-Rail Link, which provides a quick and convenient transfer.

Transport connections

Birmingham Snow Hill
National Rail
0.4 miles / 0.6 km
Birmingham Moor Street
National Rail
0.5 miles / 0.8 km
Birmingham New Street
National Rail
0.7 miles / 1.1 km
Duddeston
National Rail
0.8 miles / 1.3 km
Jewellery Quarter
National Rail
1 miles / 1.6 km
Bordesley
National Rail
1.1 miles / 1.8 km

Schools in Birmingham

For primary schools, Birmingham has a large selection of schools rated Good or Outstanding by Ofsted.

St Matthews C of E Primary School, St Catherine of Siena Catholic Primary School, Mansfield Green E-ACT Academy, Percy Shurmer Academy, Christ Church C of E Controlled Primary School and Nursery and Nishkam Primary School Birmingham are all rated Outstanding by Ofsted.

For secondary education, Heartlands Academy, Aston Manor Academy, Nishkam High School and Joseph Chamberlain Sixth Form College are among the secondary schools rated Outstanding by Ofsted.

Birmingham is famous for its King Edward VI Foundation, which includes several grammar schools for boys and girls that consistently rank highly for academic excellence.

Other selective grammar schools in the city, such as Handsworth Grammar School and Sutton Coldfield Grammar School for Girls are also highly regarded.

Further education

The prestigious Birmingham University is a member of the Russell Group of universities and a world-leading University for life sciences in health research and education.

Schools in Birmingham

Birmingham Metropolitan College
Ages: 16 - 99 years old
Ofsted Rating: Good (2023)
Birmingham Ormiston Academy
Ages: 14 - 19 years old
Ofsted Rating: Good (2023)
Aston University Engineering Academy
Ages: 13 - 19 years old
Ofsted Rating: Good (2022)
The National College for Advanced Transport and Infrastructure
Ages: 19 - 99 years old
King Solomon International Business School
Ages: 4 - 19 years old
BOA Digital Technologies Academy
Ages: 11 - 18 years old