If you want the good life... move to Perth. It�s the best in Scotland for a high quality of life at the right price according to the Royal Bank of Scotland�s �affordable affluence index�.

If you want the good life... move to Perth. It's the best in Scotland for a high quality of life at the right price.

The town was highest place north of the border in the Royal Bank of Scotland's "affordable affluence index" which identified the towns and cities which offer a high quality lifestyle at an affordable price.

Perth is due to celebrate its 800th anniversary in 2010, and top schools, diverse leisure facilities, upmarket restaurants, good shopping and high-end motor dealerships were some of the positive "lifestyle indicators" found by the bank.

Entertainment, hotel and spa chains, plus the type of clothing and shoe stores on offer were other indicators in the RBS survey, which were weighed against negative factors such as fast food chains, value supermarkets and betting shops to give each town an "affluence" score. Property affordability was then worked out to find the overall index position of each location.

The Fair City, with average property prices of about £158,000 and wages around £34,000, was fourth in the UK. It is known for an excellent range of leisure facilities including an ice rink famous for its curling tournaments and Perth racecourse, which has staged meetings since 1613.

Ian Miller, leader of Perth and Kinross Council, said: "I welcome the findings of this survey which once again confirms the prestige of Perth as one of the top places to live in Scotland. Our commitment is to build on these strong foundations to confirm Perth's historic status as a dynamic small city and enhance the quality of life for all of our residents."

Roseanna Cunningham, MSP for Perth, said: "I think most people would agree with the assessment of Perth. There have been some fantastic developments over the past few years. The new Perth concert hall has made an enormous difference. Housing developments are springing up along the riverside. There is a large number of nice bars and restaurants and the shops are interesting and quirky. McEwan's department store is one of the last independent stores in Scotland."

However, Ms Cunningham added: "The difficulty with this is that everyone assumes people in Perth are all well-off. That is not the case but I would absolutely agree with the report's findings that it offers a very high quality of life."

Surveys such as this add weight to the campaign to give Perth formal city status, which is actively supported by the SNP. "Most people living in Perth already consider themselves as living in a city,"

Ms Cunningham said Civic leaders launched the campaign for city status to be given to Perth in 2005, after Perth and Kinross Council found the "Golden Charter" of 1600 to back up its claim.

In a foreword to the Affordable Affluence Index, Harry Keogh, RBS head of private banking, said: "What the example of towns that make it into the index shows is that a moderately wealthy lifestyle is well within the reach of many more people than probably realise it."

Inverness, known as Tesco Town because of the predominance of superstores, was sixth. The commercial and business centre for the Highlands is known for its eclectic and wide-ranging bars and restaurants, its Gaelic culture and the abundant sport on offer, from canoeing to cricket and walking to water sports.

The top 10
1. Beverley, Yorkshire 2. Maidstone, Kent 3. Chester 4. Perth 5. Salford, Manchester 6. Inverness 7. Huddersfield 8. Solihull, Midlands 9. Wokingham, Berkshire 10. Sutton Coldfield, Midlands