Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Bournemouth and London

For one person, living is cheaper in Bournemouth: $2,509 a month against $3,986 in London, rent and utilities included – about $17,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Bournemouth
🇬🇧 United Kingdom
$2,509
/mo nomad
London
🇬🇧 United Kingdom
$3,986
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Bournemouth 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 Bournemouth and in London actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,509 per month in Bournemouth vs $3,986 in London, rent included.

  • Bournemouth $2,509
  • London $3,986

A couple spends around $3,689 per month in Bournemouth vs $5,791 in London, rent included.

  • Bournemouth $3,689
  • London $5,791

A family of three spends $4,870 per month in Bournemouth vs $7,595 in London, rent included.

  • Bournemouth $4,870
  • London $7,595

Bournemouth is about 37% cheaper than London, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Bournemouth and London sit above the global median – Bournemouth by 86%, London by 195%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Bournemouth
London
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$20.33 £15.25
$25.93 £19.45
-21.60%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$101 £75.6
$107 £79.9
-5.35%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.68 £8.76
$10.71 £8.03
9.06%
Cappuccino
$4.76 £3.57
$5.47 £4.11
-12.98%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.21 £2.41
$2.97 £2.23
8.08%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.03 £1.53
$2.20 £1.65
-7.73%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$6.78 £5.09
$9.13 £6.85
-25.74%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$7.19 £5.39
$7.94 £5.96
-9.45%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Bournemouth
London
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.61 £1.21
$1.86 £1.40
-13.44%
White Bread (500g)
$1.54 £1.16
$2.07 £1.55
-25.60%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.80 £1.35
$2.42 £1.81
-25.62%
Eggs
$4.32 £3.24
$5.09 £3.82
-15.13%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$6.23 £4.68
$12.87 £9.66
-51.59%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.28 £6.96
$10.43 £7.82
-11.03%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.68 £9.51
$16.87 £12.66
-24.84%
Apples (1kg)
$2.22 £1.67
$3.11 £2.33
-28.62%
Banana (1kg)
$1.75 £1.32
$1.40 £1.05
25.00%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.94 £1.46
$3.08 £2.31
-37.01%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.11 £1.58
$3.27 £2.45
-35.47%
Potato (1kg)
$2.03 £1.52
$1.58 £1.19
28.48%
Onion (1kg)
$1.26 £0.95
$1.74 £1.31
-27.59%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.89 £1.42
$1.40 £1.05
35.00%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.69 £1.27
$1.80 £1.35
-6.11%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$23.60 £17.71
$23.28 £17.46
1.37%
Wine (Bottle)
$9.36 £7.02
$13.03 £9.77
-28.17%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.80 £2.10
$3.17 £2.38
-11.67%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.49 £1.87
$4.42 £3.32
-43.67%
🚌 Getting Around
Bournemouth
London
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$3.64 £2.73
$4.07 £3.05
-10.57%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$90.8 £68.1
$247 £185
-63.21%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.23 £2.42
$5.58 £4.18
-42.11%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.29 £1.72
$3.36 £2.52
-31.85%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$32.25 £24.20
$56.8 £42.58
-43.17%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.99 £1.49
$2.13 £1.60
-6.57%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$38.2K £28.6K
$38.2K £28.6K
-0.05%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$40.0K £30.0K
$40.9K £30.7K
-2.31%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Bournemouth
London
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$353 £265
$372 £279
-5.16%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$16.19 £12.14
$17.82 £13.37
-9.15%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$42.90 £32.18
$40.37 £30.29
6.27%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Bournemouth
London
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$37.33 £28.00
$60.0 £44.99
-37.75%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$11.71 £8.78
$21.29 £15.97
-45.00%
Cinema Ticket
$17.19 £12.90
$17.74 £13.31
-3.10%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Bournemouth
London
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$2,218 £1,664
$2,864 £2,149
-22.58%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$33.8K £25.4K
$35.3K £26.5K
-4.24%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Bournemouth
London
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$88.8 £66.6
$114 £85.5
-22.14%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$43.86 £32.90
$54.3 £40.71
-19.18%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$82.6 £62.0
$124 £93.2
-33.53%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$143 £107
$163 £122
-12.23%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Bournemouth
London
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,258 £944
$2,869 £2,152
-56.14%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,146 £860
$2,233 £1,675
-48.67%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,670 £2,003
$5,266 £3,951
-49.30%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,898 £1,424
$3,778 £2,835
-49.76%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$6,662 £4,998
$18.3K £13.8K
-63.66%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$5,474 £4,107
$8,024 £6,020
-31.78%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Bournemouth
London
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$2,920 £2,191
$5,037 £3,779
-42.03%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.96
4.74
4.64%

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

Last update for Bournemouth: October 11, 2026

Last update for London: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Bournemouth
$1.1K
London
$2.2K 94.8% $1.1K
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Bournemouth
$412
London
$430 4.4% $18
Eating Out
Bournemouth
$324
London
$388 19.6% $63
Groceries & Markets
Bournemouth
$273
London
$349 27.9% $76
Clothing & Footwear
Bournemouth
$161
London
$205 27.1% $44
Getting Around
Bournemouth
$120
London
$285 138% $165
Sport & Entertainment
Bournemouth
$72
London
$95 33.1% $24

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,258 in Bournemouth versus $2,869 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 72% 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 Bournemouth versus $107 in London. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $273 vs $349 – making Bournemouth the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇬🇧 Bournemouth
🇬🇧 London
🕒 Local time
03:03 3:03 AM
03:03 3:03 AM
Same time as Bournemouth
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
183,491
8,908,083 Capital
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to GBP – British Pound Converter

British Pound exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 0.75 GBP (1 GBP = 1.33 USD). 1 EUR = 0.843 GBP (1 GBP = 1.19 EUR).

On the map
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  • Bournemouth London 150 km
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  • Bournemouth
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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
Bournemouth vs London: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Bournemouth or London?
London costs about 59% more than Bournemouth, 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 Bournemouth and in London?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,763 per month in Bournemouth and $5,979 in London. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Bournemouth or London?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Bournemouth, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Are groceries more expensive in Bournemouth or in London?
Groceries cost about 28% more in London, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
How do dining costs compare in Bournemouth and in London?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $101 in Bournemouth and $107 in London. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Can you live on $2,000/month in Bournemouth or in London?
A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Bournemouth, where all-in costs run around $2,509, than in London at $3,986. In Bournemouth it covers expenses comfortably, while in London it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Bournemouth or London?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Bournemouth costs $2,509 versus $3,986 in London. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.
Should I move to Bournemouth or to London?
If budget matters most, go with Bournemouth. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, 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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