Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Aberdeen and London

For one person, living is cheaper in Aberdeen: $2,290 a month against $4,086 in London, rent and utilities included – about $21,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Aberdeen, United Kingdom
London, United Kingdom
Aberdeen
🇬🇧 United Kingdom
$2,290
/mo nomad
London
🇬🇧 United Kingdom
$4,086
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Aberdeen and in London

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Aberdeen and in London actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,290 per month in Aberdeen vs $4,086 in London, rent included.

  • Aberdeen $2,290
  • London $4,086

A couple spends around $3,565 per month in Aberdeen vs $5,891 in London, rent included.

  • Aberdeen $3,565
  • London $5,891

A family of three spends $4,841 per month in Aberdeen vs $7,696 in London, rent included.

  • Aberdeen $4,841
  • London $7,696

Aberdeen is about 44% cheaper than London, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Aberdeen and London sit above the global median – Aberdeen by 68%, London by 200%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Aberdeen
London
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$20.06 £14.99
$26.55 £19.83
-24.44%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$101 £75.7
$107 £79.9
-5.27%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.75 £8.03
$10.78 £8.06
-0.28%
Cappuccino
$4.87 £3.64
$5.71 £4.27
-14.71%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.79 £2.09
$3.01 £2.25
-7.31%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.22 £1.66
$2.29 £1.71
-3.06%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$7.27 £5.43
$9.08 £6.78
-19.93%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$7.77 £5.80
$8.07 £6.03
-3.72%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Aberdeen
London
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.55 £1.16
$1.90 £1.42
-18.42%
White Bread (500g)
$1.72 £1.28
$2.03 £1.52
-15.27%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.02 £1.51
$2.45 £1.83
-17.55%
Eggs
$4.56 £3.41
$5.07 £3.79
-10.06%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$8.55 £6.38
$12.71 £9.49
-32.73%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$12.18 £9.10
$10.61 £7.93
14.80%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$16.72 £12.49
$17.68 £13.21
-5.43%
Apples (1kg)
$2.94 £2.20
$3.17 £2.37
-7.26%
Banana (1kg)
$1.35 £1.01
$1.45 £1.08
-6.90%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.85 £2.13
$3.13 £2.34
-8.95%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.73 £2.79
$3.41 £2.55
9.38%
Potato (1kg)
$1.77 £1.32
$1.67 £1.25
5.99%
Onion (1kg)
$1.44 £1.07
$1.77 £1.32
-18.64%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.25 £0.93
$1.43 £1.07
-12.59%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.69 £1.27
$1.87 £1.40
-9.63%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$22.52 £16.83
$23.91 £17.86
-5.81%
Wine (Bottle)
$11.04 £8.25
$13.48 £10.07
-18.10%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.77 £2.07
$3.08 £2.30
-10.06%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.95 £2.21
$4.39 £3.28
-32.80%
🚌 Getting Around
Aberdeen
London
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$4.06 £3.03
$4.08 £3.04
-0.49%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$121 £90.4
$252 £188
-52.03%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.08 £3.05
$5.74 £4.29
-28.92%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.45 £1.83
$3.35 £2.50
-26.87%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$23.88 £17.84
$57.2 £42.76
-58.27%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.11 £1.58
$2.08 £1.56
1.44%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$39.1K £29.2K
$38.0K £28.4K
2.90%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$40.3K £30.1K
$40.4K £30.2K
-0.36%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Aberdeen
London
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$404 £302
$387 £289
4.44%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$27.63 £20.64
$18.57 £13.88
48.79%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$42.68 £31.89
$40.69 £30.40
4.89%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Aberdeen
London
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$48.67 £36.36
$57.6 £43.01
-15.46%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$22.00 £16.43
$19.75 £14.76
11.39%
Cinema Ticket
$11.49 £8.58
$18.33 £13.69
-37.32%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Aberdeen
London
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,848 £1,380
$2,957 £2,209
-37.51%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$22.9K £17.1K
$35.9K £26.8K
-36.11%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Aberdeen
London
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$96.5 £72.1
$119 £88.7
-18.77%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$48.08 £35.92
$56.3 £42.03
-14.55%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$106 £79.4
$131 £97.8
-18.83%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$113 £84.5
$165 £123
-31.32%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Aberdeen
London
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$867 £648
$2,811 £2,100
-69.16%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$779 £582
$2,291 £1,712
-65.99%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,653 £1,235
$5,185 £3,874
-68.12%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,588 £1,186
$3,805 £2,843
-58.28%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,665 £1,991
$17.7K £13.2K
-84.92%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,140 £2,346
$8,405 £6,279
-62.64%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Aberdeen
London
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,654 £2,730
$5,070 £3,788
-27.93%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.11
4.79
6.68%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Aberdeen: October 24, 2026

Last update for London: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Aberdeen
$779
London
$2.3K 194% $1.5K
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Aberdeen
$474
London
$446 6% $28
Groceries & Markets
Aberdeen
$324
London
$356 9.7% $32
Eating Out
Aberdeen
$323
London
$396 22.5% $73
Clothing & Footwear
Aberdeen
$164
London
$212 29.3% $48
Getting Around
Aberdeen
$154
London
$291 89.5% $137
Sport & Entertainment
Aberdeen
$72
London
$94 31.5% $23

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $867 in Aberdeen versus $2,811 in London. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 39% higher in London, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $101 in Aberdeen versus $107 in London. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $324 vs $356 – making Aberdeen the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇬🇧 Aberdeen
🇬🇧 London
🕒 Local time
08:02 8:02 AM
08:02 8:02 AM
Same time as Aberdeen
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
229,060
8,908,083 Capital
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to GBP – British Pound Converter

British Pound exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 0.747 GBP (1 GBP = 1.34 USD). 1 EUR = 0.834 GBP (1 GBP = 1.2 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Aberdeen London 640 km ≈ 1 h 15 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Aberdeen
  • London

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.
Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index
Aberdeen vs London: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Aberdeen or London?
London costs about 78% more than Aberdeen, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from transport. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Aberdeen and in London?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,435 per month in Aberdeen and $6,129 in London. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Aberdeen or London?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Aberdeen, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $867 there versus $2,811 in London.
How much does it cost to live in Aberdeen compared to London?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,290 in Aberdeen and $4,086 in London. That makes Aberdeen about 44% cheaper.
How expensive is transport in Aberdeen compared to London?
Public transport costs about 52% less in Aberdeen. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Can you live on $2,000/month in Aberdeen or in London?
$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,290 in Aberdeen and $4,086 in London. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Aberdeen or London?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Aberdeen costs $2,290 versus $4,086 in London. Both appeal to remote workers, and the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.
Should I move to Aberdeen or to London?
If budget matters most, go with Aberdeen. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, London makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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