The Best Scottish Borders Towns for Renters

The Scottish Borders offers some of the most affordable and beautiful places to live in Scotland. With rolling hills, historic market towns, and a quality of life that city dwellers can only dream of, it's no wonder more people are looking to rent here. But which town is right for you? Here's our honest guide to the five most popular Borders towns for renters.

Kelso

Often called the most attractive town in Scotland, Kelso is built around one of the largest and most elegant market squares in the country. The ruined abbey, the meeting of the Tweed and Teviot rivers, and the nearby Floors Castle give it a sense of grandeur that belies its modest size.

Average rent: £475–£650 for a 1-bed flat; £650–£900 for a 2-bed house. Transport: No railway station — you'll need a car for commuting, though bus services run to the Scottish Borders via the A68. Lifestyle: Excellent independent shops, a thriving farmers' market, superb fishing on the Tweed, and a strong community feel. The town has good primary and secondary schools, making it popular with families.

Peebles

Peebles sits in a beautiful position on the River Tweed, just 23 miles south of the Scottish Borders. It has a prosperous, well-kept feel with an excellent High Street full of independent shops, cafes, and restaurants. It's the closest major Borders town to the Scottish Borders, making it a realistic commuter option.

Average rent: £525–£700 for a 1-bed flat; £750–£1,000 for a 2-bed house. Transport: Regular bus services to the Scottish Borders (about 70 minutes). No rail link, but there's long-term discussion about extending the Borders Railway. Lifestyle: Outstanding mountain biking at Glentress (part of the 7stanes network), excellent walking along the Tweed, a well-regarded high school, and a lively restaurant and pub scene for a small town.

Melrose

Melrose is a compact, picture-perfect town at the foot of the Eildon Hills. Its ruined Cistercian abbey is one of Scotland's finest, and the town has a refined, prosperous feel with excellent restaurants and independent shops. It's the starting point of the Southern Upland Way and St Cuthbert's Way.

Average rent: £500–£675 for a 1-bed flat; £700–£950 for a 2-bed house. Transport: Tweedbank station on the Borders Railway is just 2 miles away, offering direct trains to Edinburgh Waverley in around 55 minutes. Lifestyle: The Eildon Hills for walking, Melrose Sevens (the world's oldest rugby sevens tournament), excellent pubs and restaurants, and a strong sense of community. Slightly more expensive than some Borders towns, reflecting its desirability and rail connection.

Galashiels

Galashiels is the largest town in the Scottish Borders and its commercial hub. It has a grittier, more urban feel than Melrose or Kelso, but offers the best value for renters and the most practical amenities — supermarkets, a retail park, a college campus (Heriot-Watt), and the terminus of the Borders Railway.

Average rent: £375–£525 for a 1-bed flat; £550–£750 for a 2-bed house. Transport: Galashiels station on the Borders Railway provides direct trains to the Scottish Borders in about 60 minutes. Good bus connections to other Borders towns. Lifestyle: The Great Tapestry of Scotland visitor centre, good value eating and drinking, easy access to the countryside, and a lively student population from the Heriot-Watt campus. The town is undergoing regeneration around the railway station.

Hawick

Hawick is a proud former mill town with the most affordable rents in the Borders. It sits on the River Teviot and has a distinctive character shaped by its textile heritage. The town has strong community spirit and is surrounded by outstanding countryside.

Average rent: £325–£475 for a 1-bed flat; £475–£650 for a 2-bed house. Transport: No railway — Hawick is the largest town in the Borders without a rail link, though there are campaigns to extend the Borders Railway south. Bus services connect to Galashiels, Jedburgh, and Carlisle. Lifestyle: The most affordable Borders town for renters. Hawick has a heated outdoor swimming pool (the Teviotdale Leisure Centre), excellent Common Riding traditions, and access to remote hill country that walkers and mountain bikers will love.

Our advice

If you're commuting to the Scottish Borders, prioritise Galashiels or Melrose for the Borders Railway connection. If you're working remotely or locally, Kelso and Peebles offer the best quality of life. And if affordability is your top priority, Hawick is hard to beat — rents here can be less than a third of equivalent Scottish Borders properties.

Explore all our Scottish Borders neighbourhood guides, or search available rental properties to see what's on the market right now.