Compare My Move’s November data shows a 22% increase in people looking to move to Bristol, despite a gradual UK-wide decline in people searching for a house move. This spike is also a sharp contrast to last year, when interest in moving to Bristol steadily fell. 

Change in movers from October to November. 

Dave Sayce, founder and managing director of Compare My Move, comments on the data, why people may be looking toward Bristol at the end of 2025, and whether this trend will continue into 2026. 

“Other than Bristol itself, most people looking to move to the city have been coming from London. While Bristol has seen this increase in demand, London has experienced the opposite, with a steady decline similar to the UK average. 

London has much higher house prices, rental costs, and overall cost of living than Bristol, so this shift could be partly driven by financial pressures. The timing around the autumn budget is also important. Londoners and prime property owners were hit disproportionately by Reeves’ mansion tax, as many more London homes sit above the tax threshold. 

For Londoners who want to leave the capital but still live in a vibrant city, Bristol is an obvious choice, especially if they work hybrid in London or want easy access back via the M4. I expect this trend to continue, with many more Londoners moving to Bristol in 2026 in an “M4 exodus.” As demand rises, Bristol property prices are likely to increase too, so if you are thinking about moving to Bristol, I would recommend doing so sooner rather than later.”