Cost of Living Comparison Between Aiken, SC and London Cost of Living Comparison Between Aiken, SC and London

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,248 in Aiken, SC versus $2,458 in London.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,271 in Aiken, SC versus $3,491 in London.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,294 in Aiken, SC versus $4,525 in London.

Living in Aiken, SC costs roughly 9% less than in London, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Aiken, SC 68% above, London 83% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.75 $13.75

$18.12 CA$25.09

-24.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.4 $52.4

$74.1 CA$103

-29.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.18 $10.18

$10.24 CA$14.18

-0.59%

Cappuccino

$3.82 $3.82

$3.50 CA$4.84

9.14%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 $1.74

$1.94 CA$2.69

-10.31%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.88 $1.88

$1.94 CA$2.69

-3.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.96 $4.96

$5.73 CA$7.94

-13.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.71 $7.71

$6.49 CA$8.98

18.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.04 $1.04

$1.68 CA$2.33

-38.10%

White Bread (500g)

$3.22 $3.22

$2.30 CA$3.18

40.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.40 $4.40

$3.37 CA$4.67

30.56%

Eggs

$3.59 $3.59

$3.26 CA$4.51

10.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.89 $16.89

$9.54 CA$13.21

77.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.94 $16.94

$12.09 CA$16.74

40.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.03 $17.03

$9.23 CA$12.79

84.51%

Apples (1kg)

$5.75 $5.75

$4.47 CA$6.19

28.64%

Banana (1kg)

$0.68 $0.68

$1.41 CA$1.95

-51.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.60 $6.60

$3.56 CA$4.92

85.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.94 $3.94

$3.86 CA$5.34

2.07%

Potato (1kg)

$3.82 $3.82

$1.63 CA$2.26

134.36%

Onion (1kg)

$2.81 $2.81

$2.03 CA$2.81

38.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.78 $1.78

$2.18 CA$3.02

-18.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.92 $1.92

$1.51 CA$2.09

27.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.53 $7.53

$12.72 CA$17.62

-40.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.87 $13.87

$13.15 CA$18.20

5.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.98 $1.98

$2.13 CA$2.95

-7.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.31 $3.31

$2.59 CA$3.58

27.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.04 $2.04

$2.42 CA$3.35

-15.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$82.3 CA$114

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.93 $2.93

$4.08 CA$5.65

-28.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.53 $1.53

$1.70 CA$2.35

-10.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.55 $29.55

$31.21 CA$43.21

-5.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.88 $0.88

$1.16 CA$1.61

-24.14%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$34.5K $34.5K

$24.5K CA$34.0K

40.70%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$24.5K $24.5K

$20.1K CA$27.9K

21.73%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$142 $142

$144 CA$199

-1.08%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$55.4 $55.4

$47.21 CA$65.4

17.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$72.6 $72.6

$56.7 CA$78.6

27.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.90 $42.90

$41.05 CA$56.8

4.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.35 CA$10.17

Cinema Ticket

$14.24 $14.24

$10.84 CA$15.01

31.37%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$566 $566

$563 CA$779

0.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.6K $24.6K

$14.3K CA$19.7K

72.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.57 $48.57

$55.0 CA$76.2

-11.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.85 $35.85

$46.55 CA$64.5

-22.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 $103

$84.0 CA$116

22.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$64.6 $64.6

$81.2 CA$112

-20.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,613 $1,613

$1,433 CA$1,984

12.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,128 $1,128

$1,294 CA$1,791

-12.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,819 $1,819

$2,644 CA$3,661

-31.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,897 $1,897

$1,977 CA$2,737

-4.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,700 $1,700

$3,473 CA$4,809

-51.07%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,357 $1,357

$3,698 CA$5,120

-63.31%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,890 $2,890

$2,993 CA$4,144

-3.41%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.51

6.21

4.83%

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

Last update for Aiken, SC: June 1, 2026

Last update for London: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,613 in Aiken, SC and $1,433 in London. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

London pays 4% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $52.0 in Aiken, SC vs $74.0 in London. Groceries flip the comparison at $431 vs $325, with London cheaper for home cooking.

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

Aiken, SC vs London: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Aiken, SC wins on cost – living expenses run 9% lower than in London. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Aiken, SC the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, London earns 4% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,613 in Aiken, SC versus $1,433 in London. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $566 in Aiken, SC versus $563 in London. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Aiken, SC – a meal for two runs $52.0 versus $74.0 in London. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $2,248 in Aiken, SC versus $2,458 in London, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Aiken, SC but tight or insufficient in London. The gap between the two cities makes Aiken, SC the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Aiken, SC delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $2,248 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Aiken, SC hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Aiken, SC and London are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Aiken, SC gentler on the wallet – expenses run 9% less than in London. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.