House prices in seaside towns have risen by around £500 a month over the last decade, but coastal living is still significantly cheaper than property prices across Britain generally, a report has found.

On average, property prices in seaside towns have grown by 42% in the last 10 years to reach £196,826, according to Halifax.

But the typical price tag on a seaside home is still over £42,000 cheaper than the average house price across Britain, at £239,518.

People looking to snap up a coastal bargain might want to head to Newbiggin-by-the Sea in Northumberland, which was found to be the least expensive seaside town out of the 196 looked at across Britain. The average house price there is £83,760.

Someone could buy seven houses in Newbiggin for the price of one in Salcombe in Devon, which was found to be the most expensive coastal town, with average house prices at £615,344. Sandbanks in Dorset was the second most expensive town, with average property values at £574,089.

Five seaside towns in Scotland have recorded at least a doubling in house prices since 2004, with all five towns on the Aberdeenshire coast.

Fraserburgh has experienced the biggest rise with a 141% increase from an average price of £53,641 10 years ago to £129,325 in 2014. Cove Bay, Peterhead, Inverbervie and Stonehaven have seen the next biggest gains.

South of the border, Aldeburgh on the Suffolk coast has seen the best house performance among seaside towns, with average property values almost doubling in the decade to £446,576 in 2014.

Other English seaside towns in the top 10 for average price increases are Wadebridge in north Cornwall and Workington in Cumbria, which have both seen a 91% increase in property prices over the last 10 years.

Craig McKinlay, mortgage director at Halifax, said: "Seaside towns provide a unique lifestyle opportunity and remain popular places for people to live, while also attracting those looking for second homes or holiday properties which can place additional upward pressure on house prices.

"For once, oil and water have mixed - with Aberdeenshire at the heart of Scotland's vigorous energy industry, it's little wonder that seaside houses have increased so substantially."

The study used figures from the Land Registry and the Registrar of Scotland.

Here are the 10 most expensive seaside towns according to Halifax, with the average house price:

1. Salcombe, South West, £615,344.

2. Sandbanks, South West, £574,089.

3. Aldeburgh, East Anglia, £446,576.

4. Padstow, South West, £381,812.

5. Dartmouth, South West, £373,173.

6. Wadebridge, South West, £371,670.

7. Lymington, South East, £359,802.

8. Budleigh Salterton, South West, £356,172.

9. Mawes, South West, £329,998.

10. Lyme Regis, South West, £326,813.

Here are the 10 seaside towns which have seen the biggest house price increases over the last 10 years, with the average house price now and the percentage change:

1. Fraserburgh Scotland, £129,325, 141%.

2. Cove Bay, Scotland, £180,499, 119%.

3. Peterhead, Scotland, £130,234, 118%.

4. Inverbervie, Scotland, £215,593, 114%.

5. Stonehaven, Scotland, £228,037, 101%.

6. Aldeburgh, East Anglia, £446,576, 95%.

7. Montrose, Scotland, £118,441, 94%.

8. Prestonpans, Scotland, £168,772, 93%.

9. Wadebridge, South West, £371,670, 91%.

10. Workington, North, £131,557, 91%.

Here are the 10 least expensive seaside towns, with the average house price:

1. Newbiggin-by-the-Sea, North, £83,760.

2. Port Bannatyne, Scotland, £85,605.

3. Girvan, Scotland, £85,868.

4. Wick, Scotland, £89,582.

5. Ardrossan, Scotland, £89,974.

6. Irvine, Scotland, £90,428.

7. Stranraer, Scotland, £90,552.

8. Campbeltown, Scotland, £91,276.

9. Saltcoats, Scotland, £92,205.

10. Withernsea, Yorkshire and the Humber, £92,251

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