What a home costs in Dorset
A typical two-bed flat to rent in Dorset comes to £1,410 a month once the bills are added, or £705 each for two people. A one-bed for one person comes to £1,094, at council tax band D.
That's about the same as the average two-bed across the South West (£1,416), both at band D.
With band D council tax, bills add 46% to a two-bed's rent here: 165th of the 348 councils with a published rent, where 1st is where they add the most. Council tax is the biggest bill, at £230.42 a month at band D, £20 more than the average across the South West.
Estimate · figures checked 18 Oct 2026 · guidance, not advice · sources
Each month
| A month | One-bed, one person | Two-bed, two people |
|---|---|---|
| Rent | £732.00 | £967.00 |
| Council tax (band D) | £172.81 | £230.42 |
| Energy | £83.82 | £106.64 |
| Water and sewerage | £57.92 | £57.92 |
| Broadband | £28.00 | £28.00 |
| TV licence | £15.00 | £15.00 |
| Contents insurance | £4.92 | £4.92 |
| All in | £1,094.47 | £1,409.90 |
A gas-heated, purpose-built flat at the average rent. How these are worked out.
Council tax by band, 2026/27
| Band | A year | A month |
|---|---|---|
| A | £1,843.35 | £153.61 |
| B | £2,150.57 | £179.21 |
| C | £2,457.80 | £204.82 |
| D | £2,765.02 | £230.42 |
| E | £3,379.47 | £281.62 |
| F | £3,993.92 | £332.83 |
| G | £4,608.37 | £384.03 |
| H | £5,530.04 | £460.84 |
Before the 25% discount for someone living alone. Find your band on GOV.UK.
Energy and water
Dorset is in Ofgem's Southern price cap region. From 1 October to 31 December 2026, by Direct Debit: electricity 26.47p a kWh and 47.81p a day; gas 8.17p a kWh and 29.16p a day. Part of it is in the South West region, so check your postcode.
Wessex Water supplies water and takes waste water away. The average household bill for 2026/27 is £695 a year. Some postcodes are supplied by Bournemouth Water.
Rents and prices
The average private rent (ONS, August 2026) is £732 a month for a one-bed and £967 for a two-bed, £1,056 across all homes, up 4.9% on a year earlier. The average flat sold for £167,282 (UK House Price Index, July 2026).
Work out your own
It starts at Dorset. Change the bedrooms, rent or buy, the people and any figure.
Choose a council from the list to see the figures.
Every figure's source and date: sources.
Other places
Cost each place
Calm Money Home costs every place you look at, rent or buy, the same way and side by side. It works offline and needs no account.
Calm Money Home: UK Moving Costs · £10.79 on Etsy