Why Leeds is one of the most expensive places in Europe to rent a room

It costs an average of 348 a month to rent a room in a shared property in the UK, 75% more than in Spain, where rents average just 199 a month, according to flatshare website Easyroommate.co.uk.

France was the second most expensive country in which to rent a room, but at an average of 285 a month rents were still considerably cheaper than in the UK, while in Italy they averaged 282 a month.

But despite the UK having the highest average rents, the most expensive city in which to rent a room was Milan in Italy, at a typical cost of 621 a month.

London was the second most expensive place at an average of 551 a month, followed by Rome at 441, Paris at 426 and Nice at 380.

Birmingham, Manchester and Leeds also made it into the list of the top 10 most expensive cities in which to rent a room.

The group blamed the high cost of renting a room in the UK on the lack of mortgage finance currently available, which it said was forcing potential first-time buyers to continue renting, driving up demand.

Jonathan Moore, director of Easyroommate.co.uk, said: "The rent is far higher for British flatsharers than it is for their European counterparts. The strength of the pound against the euro plays a part - but that's not the whole story.

"Brits are paying more for their accommodation because frustrated first-time buyers are pushing up demand for rental properties."

Valencia in Spain is the cheapest place to rent, at an average cost of 207 a month, with Seville and Zaragoza, also in Spain, both also featuring in the top five cheapest cities for renters.