Birmingham on a shoestring: balti, canals, and the cheapest train fares in England
Birmingham is geographically and economically central to the UK and consistently priced as if it weren't. The window in which it stays this cheap is closing — HS2 will eventually do to it what better trains did to Manchester — but for now, it's the best value city of its size in England.
Rent, briefly
A one-bed in central Birmingham (Jewellery Quarter, Digbeth) is £750–950/month. The same flat in central Manchester is £200 more; in central London, £1,500 more. Selly Oak and Stirchley are the best value for students and first jobs.
The food
- The Balti Triangle (Sparkbrook / Balsall Heath) is the original. Adil's and Shababs are the heritage spots; £10 buys a balti that feeds two.
- Digbeth Dining Club — Friday-night street food market, plates from £6.
- Bonehead for fried chicken. Original Patty Men for burgers. Both under £15pp.
Trains — the cheapest hub in England
Birmingham New Street is the most central station in the UK rail network, and Avanti / West Midlands Trains advance fares are absurdly cheap if booked early.
- Birmingham → Manchester: from £8 single
- Birmingham → London: from £15 single
- Birmingham → Cardiff / Bristol: from £12
Use Trainline's "Split Save" — Birmingham routes are routinely 30% cheaper split than as a single ticket.
Free things
- Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery — free, home to the Staffordshire Hoard.
- The Library of Birmingham — free, the best modern public library in the UK.
- Cannon Hill Park — 250 acres, free outdoor gym, free playgrounds.
- Custard Factory in Digbeth — free to wander, paid events optional.
Canals
Birmingham has more miles of canal than Venice — actually true, often repeated. The Brindleyplace → Cambrian Wharf → Gas Street Basin loop is two hours of free entertainment with cafés on the towpath.
A note on the "second city" status
Birmingham is the second-largest city in the UK by population and, oddly, gets less London-press coverage than Manchester does. The locals don't seem to mind. The food, the rents, and the trains all benefit from this.