LONDON, Oct. 31 (Xinhua) -- Homes in the remotest part of England, the Scilly Isles, cost the same as in London, almost 500 kilometers away, a report revealed Wednesday.
The Office for National Statistics (ONS) has carried out a survey of household spending in two remote areas of Britain, the Scilly isles and the Orkney isles off the coast of Scotland.
The study looked at how much families living in both island communities spent on housing, transport, food, clothes, health and leisure.
The Isles of Scilly are an archipelago nearly 50 kilometers away from Land's End in Cornwall, the most westerly tip of England. Around 2,259 live in the five inhabited islands.
Scilly's tourism industry is the main provider of jobs and income, accounting for 80 percent of employment and 85 percent of the island's economy.
Residents told ONS researchers that housing is much more expensive on the Isles of Scilly, with one resident saying the cost is comparable with London prices, but on Cornwall wages. Additionally, house prices are high "for what you get", with figures given by residents including a three-bedroom house at over 500,000 U.S. dollars to buy.
ONS said the average price on the Isles of Scilly for a detached house was 582,000 U.S. dollars based on figures from the official Land Registry.
Renting a home can cost families up to 1,000 U.S. dollars a month, some families reported, with one person saying they paid around 250 U.S. dollars a month to live in a shed on a farm. With property on the islands scarce, one family waited for 10 years before a home became available.
With no main gas piped into Scilly, residents reported the cost of other fuels being high, with electricity bills the highest in England.
For car owners, a European Union scheme helps the cost of petrol, but it is still dearer than in Britain's mainland. But unlike in other parts of Britain, many residents have to travel to shops by boat to get their household groceries and food.
Some islanders felt they live more cheaply, with one family citing having gone from having two cars to none, though others said living on Scilly was a more expensive way of life.
Orkney is also an archipelago off north Scotland with 20 of its 70 islands inhabited by around 22,000 people. Official statistics show buying a home in Orkney is cheaper than in Scotland mainland, costing an average 223,000 U.S. dollars. The remoteness of the Orkneys also meant higher fuel costs, though some homes used wind turbines. Residents also complained about the high cost of travelling to mainland by boat or air.
"Residents highlighted that there are some areas where island communities spend more money, but also areas where money may not be spent, for example on commuting or recreation," said ONS.
