Peckham vs Lewisham

Peckham and Lewisham are about two miles apart in south-east London and come up together for people looking for a cheaper base with a reasonable commute. Lewisham is the cheaper of the two, saving roughly £100 monthly on one bedroom and £150 on two, and it is far better connected; Peckham has much more going on.

Lewisham is a transport hub. The DLR runs from there to Canary Wharf and Bank, and frequent Southeastern services head into London Bridge and on to the City and Charing Cross, giving it one of the higher connectivity scores in south London. Its town centre is built around a large shopping centre and the station interchange, with new towers and a daily market, and Hilly Fields and Blackheath are nearby.

Peckham has the nightlife, food and creative scene: rooftop bars, warehouse venues and the shops and restaurants of Rye Lane. It scores much higher for nightlife and food and for how lively it feels. Peckham Rye station has the Overground and trains to Victoria and London Bridge, but there is no tube or DLR, so its connectivity score is lower. It also scores slightly lower for safety.

Canary Wharf workers and anyone who puts the commute first will usually find Lewisham the better deal. People who want their weekends to happen within walking distance, and who are comfortable with a rail and Overground commute, will usually prefer Peckham, even at a slightly higher rent.