Aboyne or Aberfeldy: Which Is Better Value?
Aboyne averages £285,000 against £280,000 in Aberfeldy, a gap of £5,000 or 2%. You would need £500 more deposit and about £26 a month more on a repayment mortgage at an assumed 5% over 25 years. Aberfeldy charges £12 less council tax at Band D.
Aboyne averages £285,000 against £280,000 in Aberfeldy, a gap of £5,000 or 2%. You would need £500 more deposit and about £26 a month more on a repayment mortgage at an assumed 5% over 25 years. Aberfeldy charges £12 less council tax at Band D.
Price and deposit
The headline gap is £5,000, or 2%. On a 10% deposit that is £500 more cash to find before you start. Detached homes average £310,000 against £300,000.
Aboyne against Aberfeldy
Town guides for each: Mortgage advice in Aboyne and Mortgage advice in Aberfeldy.
Schools and families
Scottish schools are inspected by Education Scotland without a single overall grade, so the choice turns on catchment and the latest inspection reports.
A strong catchment in the cheaper town can cost more than an average street in the dearer one. Compare catchments, not averages.
Running costs and getting to work
Band D council tax is £1,686 in Aboyne and £1,674 in Aberfeldy, a difference of £12 a year.
The honest verdict
Aberfeldy is cheaper to buy on these figures.
Neither is right in the abstract. If the deposit is your constraint, the £500 difference matters more than anything else here. If catchment is the constraint, price follows the school you need.
What each town is actually like
Price is one axis. These are the things people move for, and the things they find out afterwards.
Aboyne
In its favour- A desirable Royal Deeside village around its famous Green
- Good schools including Aboyne Academy in the village
- The Highland Games, the Loch of Aboyne and Glen Tanar on the doorstep
- A desirable, well-served village popular with commuters, families and retirees
- A Deeside-premium village market
- No railway, the commute is by the A93 road or bus (about 30 miles to Aberdeen)
- Nearest full 24-hour blue-light A&E is Aberdeen Royal Infirmary (~30 miles), not in the village
- Riverside and low-lying homes need a flood check (Deeside flooded in 2015 to 16)
Best for Commuters (to Aberdeen) ★★★☆☆
About 30 miles and 45 minutes to an hour east down the A93, plus buses, a manageable road commute for those happy to drive, but there is no railway (the Deeside line closed in 1966) and the A93 can be busy nearer the city.
Aberfeldy
In its favour- A scenic, characterful Highland Perthshire market town on the Tay
- Wade's Bridge, the Black Watch, Dewar's distillery and the Birks
- Superb scenery, Loch Tay, the Tay, Schiehallion and Glen Lyon
- A simple Scottish council-tax bill, no police, fire or community precept
- Genuinely remote, no railway station (the nearest is Pitlochry, ~15 miles) and limited public transport
- No full A&E in Highland Perthshire, the nearest is Perth Royal Infirmary (~32 miles)
- A firm, rural market with limited stock and meaningful LBTT on larger homes
- Many handsome villas and rural homes sit in higher council-tax bands (E to H)
Best for Retirees & downsizers ★★★★★
A walkable, characterful Highland town with good shops, the Birks, a community hospital and a strong community, long a favourite for a scenic retirement, though it is genuinely remote and the nearest full A&E is a drive away in Perth.
Aboyne and Aberfeldy, side by side
| Measure | Aboyne | Aberfeldy |
|---|---|---|
| Average property price | £285,000 | £280,000 |
| Average detached | £310,000 | £300,000 |
| 10% deposit | £28,500 | £28,000 |
| Illustrative monthly payment | £1,499 | £1,473 |
| Band D council tax | £1,686 | £1,674 |
Local averages used for illustration. Confirm your own figures before acting.
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Questions people ask
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