Rail fares erode city commuters" mortgage edge The rising cost of commuting to and from London by train is eating into the mortgage savings made by living in commuter towns, amid a sharp upturn in the property market in popular areas outside the capital. The benefits of living outside London are being eroded according to estate agents haart, with on average about half of the savings realised by living in places such as Cambridge and Leamington Spa lost on train tickets. The estate agency said that the average mortgage saving by commuters was £10,799, compared with the £5,160 price of a season ticket. "With the price of an annual season ticket spiralling upward and property prices showing no slow-down, young families who are prudent with their money will need to factor in the decreased mortgage payments alongside the increasing cost of commuting," said haart chief executive Paul Smith. For a couple who both work regionally, the annual cost of travelling into London could mount up to £10,000, which may ultimately discourage people from moving out. Those in Southampton and Southend saw the greatest benefit of living outside London, the study found. Boosted by the Government's Funding for Lending and Help to Buy schemes, as well as the recovery in the economy, the housing market staged a recovery last year.