Let's be up front right from the start - buying a home in Beaconsfield is not cheap.

In fact, it's ludicrously expensive.

According to Right Move, the current average house price in the Buckinghamshire town is just north of £1.1 million.

That's right, it even makes parts of London seem cheap. Well, almost.

It's been named Britain's most expensive market town.

But it is perhaps a case of the old adage of you get what you paid for.

Because Beaconsfield is also regularly named one of Britain's prettiest market towns, and one of the best places to live in the country.

The Old Town is full of gorgeous period buildings, cosy pubs and welcoming restaurants.

The New Town, meanwhile, has a range of big name shops. As you would expect of such an affluent town, these obviously include a Waitrose and a Marks & Spencer.

Its easy access to London, is one of the reasons the town always scores highly in the desirability stakes.

Trains to Marylebone can take as little as 23 minutes.

There's some good schools, while it is also right next to the M40 and a few miles from the M25 making it really well positioned for getting almost anywhere.

For somewhere so close to London, the Old Town in particular has a very slow pace of life and it is a lovely place to go for a quiet midweek brunch or lunch.

The town is on the edge of the beautiful Chilterns, which are a paradise for walkers and cyclists.

And one of its main attractions is somewhat unusual - the Bekonscot Model Village, which allows you pretend to be a giant for the day.

So even if you can't afford to live here, it's well worth visiting for the day,

5 other highly-rated towns and cities for London commuters

Reigate, Surrey

This pretty market town has one of the best parks you'll find in the South East.

It is also in the heart of the beautiful Surrey Hills and has good train connections to London.

St Albans, Herftordshire

This beautiful but compact city has been named London's best commuter "town".

It was praised for its schools, quick connections to London and array of shops and restaurants.

Sevenoaks, Kent

Another town that isn't cheap, but again it is close to some lovely countryside.

On the edge of the town is beautiful Knole Park where you can see wild deer roaming.

Leigh-on-Sea, Essex

This small coastal town has been named the happiest place to live in Britain.

This was according to its own residents who were asked about factors such as community spirit, feeling safe, earning enough money to live comfortably, proximity to green spaces and amenities.