WINCHESTER has been labelled one of the least affordable places to live, according to a new study.

The residents in the city can expect to spend 32.9 per cent of their income on rent following the research by jobs website Azunda.

The website compared average advertised salaries with average rental figures in towns and cities across the UK to compile lists of the most and least affordable places for renters to live.

London was found to be the most expensive place, with resident paying out 40.8 per cent of their salary, while Swindon was the most affordable at 11.5 per cent.

That compares to the national average of 22.1 per cent, with data sourced from Azunda.co.uk.

The study assumes that the cost of monthly rent is equally split between two people sharing a home.

Andrew Hunter, co-founder of Adzuna, said: "Even though workers may be paid a higher monthly salary, their left-over cash is often smaller after paying steep living costs and local property premiums."

Other places featuring in the top 10 least affordable include Oxford, Brighton and Chichester.