I got bored enough to check out Rightmove. You can pay £500pcm for some ok looking properties (not sure about the quality of the local area) in Darlington/Gateshead/Middlesbrough/Newcastle but it's either £500 including bill but a houseshare. Or, not a houseshare but also not including bills. It's the wanting bills included and no houseshare which makes this an ambitious ask even in the north. (However I am now reminded why I wish my job allowed me to move back north. Except that you can get more for your money precisely because the jobs pay less. And the swanky parts of the big cities are still no so cheap)