The cost of rent for office space in London is the highest in Europe. In the fourth quarter of 2023, the West End had average rents per square foot of 150 British pounds. The average annual rent in London for prime office space was substantially higher than in any other European market. Prime yields For commercial real estate investors, prime yields in London averaged four percent in 2023. As compared to the rest of the United Kingdom, yields for prime office space in London were notably lower. Commercial investments Office real estate, which comes under the broader term of commercial real estate, traditionally accounts for the lion's share of commercial real estate investments. In recent years, however, this share has been gradually declining. Despite this trend, the UK is one of the leading office real estate investment markets in Europe.

In the third quarter of 2024, London (West End) was the market with the most expensive prime office space worldwide.The net effective cost for a prime office in London cost close to 287 U.S. dollars annually. In second and third market in the ranking, Hong Kong and Midtown New York, prices also exceeded 200 U.S. dollars per square foot. The global office real estate sector was severely affected by the coronavirus pandemic and the political and economic uncertainty that followed. With many companies placing expansion plans on hold and transitioning to hybrid working models, vacancies across many markets spiked and leasing activity slowed down.

In the UK, renting an office space was the most expensive in London West End in 2024. In the third quarter of the year, the square foot cost of a prime office space cost 142.5 British pounds. In Leeds, renting an office was much more affordable, at 40 British pounds per square foot.

Prime rental rates for flexible office space in London in the first quarter of 2023 started from 85 British pounds and went as high as 350 British pounds per square foot depending on the area. Prime rates reflect the highest rates in each market. Mayfair and St James's had the highest rental rate, followed by the City Core and South Bank. Flexible office space, also referred to as coworking space or shared office space, refers to commercial office space that allows short-term leases to individuals, freelancers, small and medium enterprises, and other professionals. In contrast to traditional offices, flexible offices provide equipped and serviced office premises without long-term rent commitment. Multiple factors influence the increasing demand for flexible office space, such as economic growth, job creation, innovation and property market fundamentals.

The cost of rent in London is notoriously more expensive as compared to the rest of the United Kingdom (UK), with office rents being no different. In 2019, the cost of prime Grade A rent per square foot ranges from 120 British pounds in the West End to 23 British pounds in the Heathrow area.

Grade B property also fluctuated in costs, with a discrepancy 65.5 British pounds between the most expensive and cheapest areas for office space in London.

In London, the average size of floor space in offices in 2018 varied from under eight thousand square feet to approximately 35 thousand square feet. In 2018, Central London saw office vacancy rates fell by over one percent. In terms of areas, Southbank had the lowest vacancy rates in London.

Prime rents

London is notoriously an expensive city to rent commercial and residential space. In some areas of the city, prime rents can be more than one hundred British pounds per square foot, with the London West End seeing the highest rents for office space in Europe.

Commercial investments

Between the 1st and 3rd quarter of 2018, the United Kingdom (UK) saw commercial investments reach 37 billion euros. Even though the United Kingdom saw the highest commercial investments in Europe, in terms of investment prospects, London does not even make the list.

San Francisco's office rental market showcases significant variation across its submarkets, with Mission Bay commanding the highest rates at 138 U.S. dollars per square foot in the third quarter of 2024. This premium location demanded nearly double the city's average rate, highlighting the stark differences in desirability and demand within the city's commercial real estate landscape. Economic powerhouse The San Francisco Bay Area's economic prowess is evident in its impressive economic growth over the past 20 years. The city's strength is fueled by the presence of major technology companies and a thriving startup ecosystem. The region's economic significance extends beyond local boundaries, contributing substantially to California's position as the state with the highest GDP in the country. This economic vitality helps explain the sustained demand for office space across various San Francisco submarkets. Offices: global context and market trends In a global context, San Francisco's office rental rates are relatively high but not the most expensive worldwide. In 2024, London, Hong Kong, and New York emerged as the top three most expensive office rental markets globally. Over the past five years, San Francisco has experienced a decline in office rents. This trend aligns with broader shifts in the office real estate sector, influenced by the COVID-19 pandemic and the rise of hybrid work. Despite these challenges, certain San Francisco submarkets like Mission Bay and The Presidio continue to command premium rates, reflecting their enduring appeal to commercial tenants.

London West End - Bond Street is the most expensive location for prime high street rents in the UK, with prices reaching 2,250 British pounds per square foot. The West End was ranked ahead of the London City, which came in third. In Manchester, the annual costs of rental per square foot of prime retail real estate amounted to 225 British pounds. Retail warehouses Retail warehouses typically range from fifty thousand to hundreds of thousands of square feet. They are used for keeping and distributing inventory. Retail warehouses include loading docks, truck doors and large parking lots; also, they may contain a limited amount of office space. Prime retail warehouse properties belong to the wider category of industrial property, along with other real estate types, such as distribution buildings, showroom facilities, manufacturing buildings, cold storage facilities, telecom or data hosting centers, "flex" buildings denoting more than one industrial or commercial facility housed in the same building, and finally R&D buildings. Prime yields of high street retail across Europe Retail real estate prime yields in Europe were the lowest in Zurich, Switzerland, and the highest in Istanbul, Turkey in 2022. As could be expected, larger cities in Europe tended to produce lower yields, due to the lower risk associated with these markets. Locations with lower yields tend to have steady occupancy rates and rental growth.

In 2024, London was still the most expensive UK city for office construction. This was true at least for the cities included in the list, and it applies to prestige and A-Grade offices. Both A-Grade and prestige offices in London were more expensive than any type of office construction in Birmingham, Manchester, Glasgow, or Leeds. After London, Cambridge and Oxford are also some of the other UK cities with the highest house prices in 2023. Office rents in London Not only did London prove to have high building costs, rents for prime offices were equally high, with the West End core as the most expensive districts in the city. The area to the North of Buckingham Palace is known for its exclusive townhouses largely owned by the foreign elite and upscale hotels and restaurants. Stratford and the rest of the Docklands were the cheapest districts in London. Office investments in the UK In the last quarter of 2023, the value of office investments in London increased slightly in comparison to previous quarters. Investments in the City and Southbank, however, dropped in value. The volume of investment in commercial real estate in the UK fluctuated a lot in the past months, with some years showing high volumes of investment in office real estate, and other months where those values fell rapidly.

The prime rent for large warehouses over 100,000 square feet in the UK was 11 British pounds per square foot in 2023. However, in London, the South East, and East, rents were twice higher. Conversely, the North East was the region with the most affordable warehouse rent, with the prime rent per square foot amounting to 7.75 British pounds. What is the rental price for warehouses in Europe? The UK has some of the most expensive warehouse rents in Europe. Other key markets that fetched high prices were Oslo, Helsinki, Dublin, and Munich, with rents ranging between 100 and 200 euros per square meter. In Eastern Europe, prices were notably lower, with markets such as Katowice, Warsaw, and Bucharest, reporting rents below 60 euros per square meter. How are warehouse rents expected to develop in the next years? The industrial and logistics real estate sector has grown dramatically since the COVID-19 pandemic. Although growth is forecast to slow, rents in the sector are expected to continue to increase until 2025. Industrial real estate is anticipated to outperform offices and retail not only by rental growth but also in terms of capital value increase.

In the South of England, prime rents for office space fluctuate depending on its location. This was especially present for areas surrounding London. In 2019, the cost of grade A office property was the most expensive in Windsor with 39.5 British pounds per square foot. The cheapest average office rents in the South of England could be found in Peterborough.

Compared to London, even the most expensive office rents for prime real estate were far less than the top of London. In 2019, the most expensive office rents were found in the West End of London.

As of June 2019, the cost per square foot for Grade B (secondary) office real estate in London varied from 18 British pounds in Heathrow to 83.5 British pounds (GBP) in the West End.

As of June 2019, the cost per square foot for prime office real estate in London varied from 23 British pounds in Heathrow to 120 British pounds (GBP) in the West End.

The United Kingdom (UK) is the most expensive European country for annual costs of prime industrial rent at about 300 euros per square meter of industrial space in London Heathrow per year in 2023. Switzerland, Norway, Ireland, Finland, and Luxembourg were the other European countries where the average annual cost of industrial prime rents in the capital city exceeded one hundred euros per square meter.

Vacancy rates are a measurement of unoccupied properties during a given period. Vacancy rates are a good indication of an area’s desirability and opportunity for development. High vacancy rates can indicate an economic downturn, a lack of demand, or possibly that standards do not meet speculative renters’ needs. Low vacancy rates are, in general, considered a good thing as it means there is a good level of demand from customers, although low vacancy rates may also indicate a need for more development which is not being met. Prime rents Prime rents for office space in London ranged between 30 British pounds and 150 British pounds per square foot in 2023. London also had the highest prime rents per square meter of any city in Europe. Prime yields Yields measure the amount of the expected income on investments made as a percentage. Yields consider the cost of buying a property, its running costs, and the income generated through renting the property. Yields grow or decrease based on occupancy rates of the area and industry, as well as demand and confidence. In 2023, prime yields for office property in London were the lowest in Mayfair and St. James'.

It can be seen that the largest prime rent for office properties in London West End was found in the districts of St James's and Mayfair at that time, both with a prime rent of 120 British pounds per square foot as of the third quarter of 2020. Prime rents in most West End districts did not change between 2019 and 2020, except in Victoria and King's Cross. In 2021, rents in most London districts remained unchanged.

In the South of England, rents for office space fluctuate depending on its location. This was especially present for areas surrounding London. For companies looking for more affordable rents, some choose to rent Grade B office properties. For specific areas of Southern England, Grade B rents are often more than ten British pounds per square foot cheaper than Grade A properties. In 2019, the cost of grade B office property was the most expensive in Bristol, in the South West of England at 30 British pounds per square foot. The cheapest average office rents in the South of England could be found in Norwich and Peterborough.

Compared to London, even the most expensive office rents for Grade A and B real estate were far less than the top of London. In 2019, the most expensive office rents were found in the West End of London.

As of June 2019, the cost per square foot for prime office real estate (excluding London) in the United Kingdom (UK) fluctuated from 13 British pounds in Middlesborough to 38 British pounds (GBP) in Reading. Reading's proximity and ease of access via rail lines to London are two reasons behind its high cost of rent.

As of June 2019, the cost per square foot for secondary office real estate (excluding London) in the United Kingdom (UK) fluctuated from 8.50 British pounds in Middlesborough to 30 British pounds (GBP) in Bristol.