Cost of Living Comparison Between Buckingham and London Cost of Living Comparison Between Buckingham and London

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,281 in Buckingham versus $4,221 in London.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,357 in Buckingham versus $5,971 in London.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,433 in Buckingham versus $7,721 in London.

Living in Buckingham costs roughly 46% less than in London, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Buckingham 66% above, London 207% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.83 £15.40

$27.14 £20.07

-23.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$82.7 £61.1

$110 £81.3

-24.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.00 £8.13

$11.05 £8.17

-0.45%

Cappuccino

$4.77 £3.53

$5.84 £4.31

-18.32%

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

$2.12 £1.57

$3.02 £2.23

-29.80%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 £1.17

$2.24 £1.66

-29.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.80 £4.29

$9.33 £6.90

-37.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.78 £3.53

$8.92 £6.60

-46.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.51 £1.11

$1.88 £1.39

-19.68%

White Bread (500g)

$1.87 £1.39

$2.05 £1.51

-8.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.78 £2.05

$2.46 £1.82

13.01%

Eggs

$4.16 £3.07

$5.21 £3.85

-20.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.71 £7.18

$12.72 £9.40

-23.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.58 £5.60

$10.97 £8.11

-30.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.80 £12.42

$18.29 £13.52

-8.15%

Apples (1kg)

$3.34 £2.47

$3.17 £2.34

5.36%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 £1.23

$1.50 £1.11

10.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.92 £2.16

$2.80 £2.07

4.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.29 £2.43

$3.50 £2.58

-6.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.21 £0.89

$1.65 £1.22

-26.67%

Onion (1kg)

$1.80 £1.33

$1.85 £1.37

-2.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 £0.84

$1.53 £1.13

-26.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 £1.03

$1.83 £1.35

-24.04%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$24.06 £17.78

$24.20 £17.89

-0.58%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.11 £7.48

$13.40 £9.91

-24.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.28 £2.43

$3.27 £2.42

0.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.14 £1.58

$4.67 £3.45

-54.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.50 £2.59

$4.18 £3.09

-16.27%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$96.7 £71.5

$272 £201

-64.45%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.22 £3.12

$5.75 £4.25

-26.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.74 £2.03

$3.32 £2.46

-17.47%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.90 £18.41

$58.0 £42.85

-57.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.94 £1.44

$2.06 £1.52

-5.83%

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

$38.5K £28.5K

$39.5K £29.2K

-2.46%

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

$41.1K £30.4K

$42.6K £31.5K

-3.56%

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

$212 £156

$373 £276

-43.24%

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

$17.57 £12.99

$18.28 £13.51

-3.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$44.58 £32.95

$42.44 £31.37

5.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.74 £35.29

$63.7 £47.08

-25.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.74 £16.81

Cinema Ticket

$13.44 £9.94

$18.46 £13.65

-27.19%

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

$1,571 £1,161

$2,922 £2,160

-46.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K £11.7K

$37.1K £27.4K

-57.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.3 £66.0

$115 £84.8

-22.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.09 £28.16

$54.6 £40.37

-30.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.2 £56.3

$129 £95.1

-40.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$96.8 £71.6

$153 £113

-36.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,508 £1,115

$3,001 £2,218

-49.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,044 £772

$2,363 £1,746

-55.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,101 £1,553

$5,471 £4,044

-61.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,693 £1,252

$3,809 £2,816

-55.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,364 £3,965

$18.4K £13.6K

-70.89%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,174 £3,085

$7,891 £5,833

-47.11%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,710 £3,481

$4,580 £3,386

2.83%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.06

4.61

9.76%

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

Last update for Buckingham: September 1, 2026

Last update for London: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,508 in Buckingham and $3,001 in London. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Buckingham pays 3% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $83.0 in Buckingham vs $110 in London for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $303 vs $361 per month, with Buckingham cheaper across the board.

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

Buckingham vs London: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Buckingham and London differ by about 85% in total monthly costs ($2,281 vs $4,221 including rent). Buckingham is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 3% higher in Buckingham, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,508 in Buckingham versus $3,001 in London. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,281 per month in Buckingham versus $4,221 in London – a 85% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Buckingham runs roughly 181% less than in London. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Both cities are expensive relative to $3,000. Buckingham is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Buckingham gentler on the wallet – expenses run 85% less than in London. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.