Birmingham is one of the UK’s largest cities and many people choose to move there every year. With its vibrant culture, thriving economy and affordable property, it’s no wonder it’s such an attractive place to live.
If you’re thinking of moving to Birmingham in the near future, then we’ve put together a list of some of the best areas in the city to live. In addition to this, we’ll also be covering the best things to do in Birmingham as well as things you should consider before moving there.

Birmingham City Centre
Digbeth
Digbeth is a perfect area to live for young professionals thanks to its thriving digital businesses and modern apartments. It’s also in a good location, being just a 20 min drive to the city centre.
The property prices in Digbeth are surprisingly low too, being significantly lower than the average for Birmingham as a whole. There are many excellent houses and flats available throughout the area.
City centre
The city centre of Birmingham is another great choice of place to live. With a bustling business district and a huge number of nearby shops, restaurants, pubs and clubs, it’s an ideal location for young professionals.
As you might expect, the property prices in Birmingham city centre are quite high, with the majority of available properties being flats rather than houses. This being the case, it wouldn’t necessarily be a great choice if you have a family.
Erdington
Just five miles outside the city centre, Erdington is an area that has a lot to offer residents. As well as being in a good location, it’s very well connected with many bus routes, a train station and easy motorway access.
The property prices in Erdington are fairly high although there are a number of terraced houses and flats available, which are considerably cheaper than detached and semi-detached houses.
Harborne
Harborne is another excellent area in Birmingham. It’s very close to the city centre, so ideal if you need to travel there for work and the range of excellent local restaurants adds to its appeal a lot.
Harborne is a very affluent area and the property prices reflect this.
Eastside
As well as being home to two excellent universities, Eastside also has the beautiful Eastside City Park as well as the Thinktank Birmingham Science Museum nearby. As you’d expect, there is a large student population in Eastside but it’s welcoming to everyone.
The property prices in Eastside are fairly high although still more affordable than areas such as Harborne. Because of the large student population, there are many flats and apartment complexes as well as a number of detached and semi-detached houses.
Mailbox
Mailbox is one of the poshest places to live in Birmingham that’s home to many high-end retail stores, such as Harvey Nichols and Calvin Klein. Because it’s located in the city centre, it has a huge number of nearby shops as well as restaurants, bars and cafes. This makes it ideal for young professionals.
The property prices in Mailbox are about what you’d expect for a city centre area, with the majority of them being flats and apartment complexes.
Things to do in Birmingham

Cadbury World
Birmingham has much to offer in the way of culture. There are many great Michelin-starred restaurants to be found in the city as well as excellent museums, parks and theatres.
- Botanical Gardens – The Botanical Gardens in Birmingham are home to fifteen acres of glasshouses and gardens that contain a huge variety of plants as well as exotic birds. It’s a perfect place to visit during the summer and one of the highlights of the city for sure.
- The Jewellery Quarter – The Jewellery Quarter is an area in Birmingham that has a huge number of historical, listed buildings as well as a museum and multiple exhibitions, nightclubs, shops, pubs and restaurants. You could easily spend an entire day there.
- Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery – Home to a huge collection of beautiful paintings, Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery is a perfect place to spend an afternoon. It also has the Round Room, which often puts on free musical performances.
- Peaky Blinders Tour – If you’re a fan of the hugely popular BBC show, Peaky Blinders, then the Peaky Blinders Tour is a must-visit. It gives you the chance to walk the same streets as the characters in the show as well as learn more about the related history.
- Symphony Hall – The Symphony Hall is a relatively new building, being opened in 1991. It’s stunning to look at and hosts a range of gigs and concerts throughout the year.
- National Motorcycle Museum – If you’re a fan of motorcycles, the National Motorcycle Museum will be right up your alley. It has more than 1,000 different motorcycles, with a mixture of vintage models and modern superbikes to explore.
- Cadbury World – The Cadbury World tour will give you a chance to learn the history of cocoa while exploring the incredible grounds where it’s set. There’s also a 4D cinema and demonstration area.
- Thinktank Birmingham Science Museum – Located in the heart of Birmingham City Centre, the Thinktank Birmingham Science Museum is a great place to visit with kids thanks to its many interactive exhibitions. It also has a planetarium, child-sized mini city and an interactive science garden.
Things to consider before moving to Birmingham
When you’re moving to a new place, it’s very important to consider its pros and cons. Birmingham has a lot going in its favour but a few downsides too. Below are some of the main things to think about.
- Location – In terms of location, Birmingham is in the centre of England, with major cities like Manchester, Liverpool and London all being a couple of hours away by train or car. Although this isn’t ideal if you need to commute to any of these cities, it does mean they’re close enough so you can visit when you want.
- Property prices – Property prices are another thing to think about when moving to Birmingham. The cost of property in Birmingham is quite affordable compared to some other large cities in the UK, particularly London. Being such a large city, there are many different types of properties available, both to rent and buy.
- Schools – If you have kids, or plan to, it’s also important to know what the schools are like. Birmingham has a large number of primary and secondary schools as well as colleges and universities.
- Safety – Birmingham is a relatively safe place considering it’s such a large city. Of course there is crime but the crime numbers aren’t noticeably higher than other large cities in the UK.
- Weather – The weather in Birmingham is fairly typical of the UK as a whole. It can be very nice during the summer months but the winters can be very cold.
- Culture – Birmingham has plenty of great culture to offer residents. In addition to the many excellent shops, restaurants and bars, there’s also a lot to see and do, including the Botanical Gardens, Peaky Blinds Tour and Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery.
Conclusion
You should now have a much clearer idea if Birmingham is the right city for you. With a great mix of culture and things to see and do, it’s an excellent place to live and the reasonable property prices and excellent schools make it perfect for families and young professionals alike.
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I’m Paul Smith, Founder and Director of HouseMoveHelper. I have a great love of business, marketing, the wilderness and love to travel. You can learn more about me here.