Property in Scotland: most and cheapest coastal towns revealed

The average home in North Berwick in East Lothian has set back buyers £440,172 in 2022, figures from the Bank of Scotland show.

Overall, home seekers looking for a coastal location paid an average of 11% more last year than in 2021 as prices soared across the country.

The town of East Lothian was closely followed by St Andrews in Fife, where seafront houses cost an average of £421,528.

North Berwick and St Andrews were also the first and second most expensive Scottish coastal locations for property in 2021.

Third-placed Dunbar, however, sees seafront property prices falling significantly with an average price of £284,121 over the past year.

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But for those who want sea views without the price, Greenock in Inverclyde offers the lowest average price of around £97,608.

Seafront properties cost an average of £182,488 as prices have risen by a third (31%) in the last decade.

Between 2012 and 2022, an East Lothian town saw the largest gains with an 80% increase in average coastal prices.

While property in Cockenzie would have set buyers back £133,229, the average price in 2022 reached £239,345.

Graham Blair, Mortgage Director at Bank of Scotland said: “It is undeniable that much of Scotland’s coastline is truly stunning and it is easy to see why the pretty seaside town of North Berwick is still Scotland’s most expensive coastal town for house seekers, with property prices averaging over £440,000.

“St. Andrews – known for its world-renowned university and golf courses – is not far behind, with properties in the area fetching a similar price.

“However, many of Scotland’s coastal towns have average house prices that are much lower. Houses in Greenock, for example, cost less than £100,000 on average.

“While many things can affect the price of a home, perhaps socioeconomic factors play a bigger role in some coastal locations.

“While there are undoubtedly many property hotspots, a sea view does not necessarily support property prices in the Scottish cities that are most in need of investment.”

At the end of 2022, houses in Kinghorn were costing an average of £192,033, up 79% on 2012 – posting the second-highest decade-long gains.