Cost of living in United Kingdom
Summary of cost of living in United Kingdom
- Family of four estimated monthly costs: £3,825
- Single person estimated monthly costs: £2,223
- Cost of living in United Kingdom is more expensive than in 78% of countries in Western Europe (5 out of 18)
- Cost of living in United Kingdom is more expensive than in 88% of countries in the World (10 out of 75)
Change the currency:
| Food | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Basic lunchtime menu (including a drink) in the business district | £11 | ||
| Combo meal in fast food restaurant (big mac meal or similar) | £5.88 | ||
| 500 gr (1 lb.) of boneless chicken breast | £3.31 | ||
| 1 liter (1 qt.) of whole fat milk | £0.86 | ||
| 12 eggs, large | £2.47 | ||
| 1 kg (2 lb.) of tomatoes | £2.08 | ||
| 500 gr (16 oz.) of local cheese | £4.09 | ||
| 1 kg (2 lb.) of apples | £1.93 | ||
| 1 kg (2 lb.) of potatoes | £0.90 | ||
| 0.5 l (16 oz) domestic beer in the supermarket | £1.71 | ||
| 1 bottle of red table wine, good quality | £8 | ||
| 2 liters of coca-cola | £1.95 | ||
| Bread for 2 people for 1 day | £0.97 | ||
| Housing | |||
| Monthly rent for 85 m2 (900 sqft) furnished accommodation in expensive area | £1,992 | ||
| Monthly rent for 85 m2 (900 sqft) furnished accommodation in normal area | £1,273 | ||
| Utilities 1 month (heating, electricity, gas ...) for 2 people in 85m2 flat | £147 | ||
| Monthly rent for a 45 m2 (480 sqft) furnished studio in expensive area | £1,276 | ||
| Monthly rent for a 45 m2 (480 sqft) furnished studio in normal area | £1,086 | ||
| Utilities 1 month (heating, electricity, gas ...) for 1 person in 45 m2 (480 sqft) studio | £98 | ||
| Internet 8 mbps (1 month) | £22 | ||
| 40” flat screen tv | £322 | ||
| Microwave 800/900 watt (bosch, panasonic, lg, sharp, or equivalent brands) | £73 | ||
| Laundry detergent (3 l. ~ 100 oz.) | £6 | ||
| Hourly rate for cleaning help | £12 | ||
| Clothes | |||
| 1 pair of jeans (levis 501 or similar) | £70 | ||
| 1 summer dress in a high street store (zara, h&m or similar retailers) | £33 | ||
| 1 pair of sport shoes (nike, adidas, or equivalent brands) | £75 | ||
| 1 pair of men’s leather business shoes | £78 | ||
| Transportation | |||
| Volkswagen golf 1.4 tsi 150 cv (or equivalent), with no extras, new | £20,228 | ||
| 1 liter (1/4 gallon) of gas | £1.20 | ||
| Monthly ticket public transport | £98 | ||
| Personal Care | |||
| Cold medicine for 6 days (tylenol, frenadol, coldrex, or equivalent brands) | £3.19 | ||
| 1 box of antibiotics (12 doses) | £9 | ||
| Short visit to private doctor (15 minutes) | £81 | ||
| 1 box of 32 tampons (tampax, ob, ...) | £3.41 | ||
| Deodorant, roll-on (50ml ~ 1.5 oz.) | £1.58 | ||
| Hair shampoo 2-in-1 (400 ml ~ 12 oz.) | £3.36 | ||
| 4 rolls of toilet paper | £1.83 | ||
| Tube of toothpaste | £1.46 | ||
| Standard men's haircut in expat area of the city | £13 | ||
| Entertainment | |||
| Basic dinner out for two in neighborhood pub | £30 | ||
| 2 tickets to the movies | £20 | ||
| 2 tickets to the theater (best available seats) | £133 | ||
| Dinner for two at an italian restaurant in the expat area including appetisers, main course, wine and dessert | £58 | ||
| 1 cocktail drink in downtown club | £9 | ||
| Cappuccino in expat area of the city | £3.14 | ||
| 1 beer in neighbourhood pub (500ml or 1pt.) | £4.70 | ||
| Ipad wi-fi 128gb | £429 | ||
| 1 min. of prepaid mobile tariff (no discounts or plans) | £0.14 | ||
| 1 month of gym membership in business district | £37 | ||
| 1 package of marlboro cigarettes | £11 | ||
Map of Cost of Living in United Kingdom
This map shows only the top cities in United Kingdom. We also have on this page a list of all the cities available in Expatistan:
List of all the cities available in Expatistan
The color of each marker corresponds with the cost of living in the city red markers show more expensive cities green ones show cheaper cities
Moving the mouse on top of a city will show its name and the Cost of Living Index of that city.
What is the Cost of Living Index? To calculate each city's Price Index value, we start by assigning a value of 100 to a
central reference city (that happens to be Prague).
Once the reference point has been established, the Price Index value of every other city in the
database is calculated by comparing their cost of living to the cost of living in Prague.
Therefore, if a city has a Price Index of 134, that means that living there is 34% more expensive than living in Prague.
Cost of Living Ranking in United Kingdom
(top cities by data quality)
| Ranking | City | Price Index * |
|---|---|---|
| 1st | London | 228 |
| 2nd | Luton | 167 |
| 3rd | Oxford | 164 |
| 4th | Brighton and Hove | 163 |
| 5th | Bristol | 160 |
| 6th | Manchester | 158 |
| 7th | Reading, Berkshire | 157 |
| 8th | Edinburgh | 154 |
| 9th | York | 152 |
| 10th | Portsmouth | 150 |
| 11th | Norwich | 146 |
| 12th | Aberdeen | 146 |
| 13th | Kingston upon Hull | 146 |
| 14th | Stoke-on-Trent | 143 |
| 15th | Exeter | 141 |
| 16th | Ipswich | 141 |
| 17th | Plymouth | 139 |
| 18th | Belfast | 138 |
| 19th | Swansea | 135 |
| 20th | Peterborough | 132 |
| 21st | Preston | 132 |
| 22nd | Dundee | 128 |
Price Index:
To calculate each city's Price Index value, we start by assigning a value of 100 to a central reference city (that happens to be Prague). Once the reference point has been established, the Price Index value of every other city in the database is calculated by comparing their cost of living to the cost of living in Prague.Therefore, if a city has a Price Index of 134, that means that living there is 34% more expensive than living in Prague.
Are you moving to United Kingdom? Do you know how much money you will need there to maintain your current standard of living?
Find out what is the real equivalent in UK of your current salary and improve your chances of a happy relocation.
Get a salary calculation for:
List of all cities available in United Kingdom
Recent Comparisons
- Cost of living in London is about the same as in New York City
- Cost of living in Glasgow is 64% more expensive than in Budapest
- Cost of living in London is 61% more expensive than in Madrid
- Cost of living in London is 20% more expensive than in Paris
- Cost of living in London is 36% more expensive than in Pori
- Cost of living in Birmingham is 27% more expensive than in Ulsan
- Cost of living in London is 175% more expensive than in São Paulo
- Cost of living in Edinburgh is 32% cheaper than in London
- Cost of living in London is 23% more expensive than in Singapore
- Cost of living in London is 30% more expensive than in Luxembourg
- Cost of living in London is 33% more expensive than in Toronto
- Cost of living in London is 61% more expensive than in Barcelona
- Cost of living in London is 42% more expensive than in Vancouver
- Cost of living in London is 16% more expensive than in Boston, Massachusetts
- Cost of living in London is 8% more expensive than in Hong Kong
- Cost of living in Manchester is 31% cheaper than in London
Compare other countries
Prices recently added
- Standard men's haircut in expat area of the city in London costs £15 (about 8 hours ago)
- Internet 8 mbps, 1 month in London costs £25 (about 8 hours ago)
- Utilities (studio), monthly for 1 person in 480 sqft in London costs £50 (about 8 hours ago)
- Monthly rent - 480 sqft furnished studio in normal area in London costs £959 (about 8 hours ago)
- Monthly rent - 85 m2 furnished accommodation in expensive area in Cambridge costs £1,300 (about 18 hours ago)
- Weekly rent - 85m2 furnished accommodation in expensive area in Brighton and Hove costs £3,225 (1 day ago)
- Volkswagen golf 1.4 tsi 150 cv (or equivalent), with no extras, new in Manchester costs £18,000 (1 day ago)
- 1 month of gym membership in business district in Peterborough costs £55 (4 days ago)
- Monthly rent - 480 sqft furnished studio in expensive area in Manchester costs £858 (4 days ago)
- Internet connection 300 mbps, 1 month in London costs £56 (3 days ago)