Cost of Living Comparison Between Cambridge and London Cost of Living Comparison Between Cambridge and London

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,101 per month in Cambridge vs $4,005 in London, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,435 per month in Cambridge vs $5,688 in London, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,770 per month in Cambridge vs $7,371 in London, rent included.

Cambridge is about 23% cheaper than London, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Cambridge and London sit above the global median – Cambridge by 132%, London by 199%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$26.75 £19.82

$27.10 £20.08

-1.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$96.7 £71.7

$109 £80.6

-11.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.01 £8.16

$11.05 £8.19

-0.36%

Cappuccino

$4.84 £3.59

$5.16 £3.83

-6.20%

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

$2.84 £2.10

$2.73 £2.02

4.03%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.00 £1.48

$1.86 £1.38

7.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.06 £5.98

$8.88 £6.58

-9.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.90 £5.85

$8.15 £6.04

-3.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.93 £1.43

$1.75 £1.30

10.29%

White Bread (500g)

$2.27 £1.68

$2.19 £1.62

3.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.80 £2.08

$2.58 £1.91

8.53%

Eggs

$4.68 £3.47

$4.84 £3.59

-3.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.54 £9.29

$11.16 £8.27

12.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.00 £7.41

$9.03 £6.69

10.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.86 £13.24

$14.73 £10.92

21.25%

Apples (1kg)

$3.19 £2.36

$3.43 £2.54

-7.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.90 £1.41

$1.94 £1.44

-2.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.65 £2.70

$3.10 £2.29

17.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.51 £2.60

$3.45 £2.56

1.74%

Potato (1kg)

$1.89 £1.40

$1.74 £1.29

8.62%

Onion (1kg)

$2.03 £1.50

$1.85 £1.37

9.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.39 £1.03

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.53 £1.14

$1.98 £1.47

-22.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$20.56 £15.24

$23.08 £17.10

-10.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.39 £8.44

$13.32 £9.87

-14.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.53 £2.61

$3.30 £2.45

6.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.11 £3.05

$4.02 £2.98

2.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.74 £2.03

$3.84 £2.85

-28.65%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.3 £59.5

$246 £182

-67.35%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.84 £5.07

$5.85 £4.33

16.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.48 £1.83

$3.34 £2.47

-25.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$55.1 £40.82

$40.12 £29.73

37.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.95 £1.45

$1.90 £1.41

2.63%

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

$38.9K £28.8K

$38.9K £28.9K

-0.10%

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

$43.5K £32.2K

$38.6K £28.6K

12.64%

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

$342 £254

$318 £236

7.48%

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

$15.86 £11.76

$19.99 £14.81

-20.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.10 £28.97

$43.42 £32.17

-9.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$73.3 £54.3

$64.6 £47.85

13.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.40 £10.67

$23.02 £17.06

-37.45%

Cinema Ticket

$16.03 £11.88

$20.17 £14.94

-20.53%

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

$2,284 £1,692

$2,552 £1,891

-10.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.3K £17.3K

$27.9K £20.7K

-16.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$85.5 £63.3

$119 £88.3

-28.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.8 £42.07

$50.4 £37.33

12.71%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.0 £64.5

$127 £94.0

-31.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 £91.9

$159 £118

-22.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,939 £1,437

$3,034 £2,249

-36.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,621 £1,201

$2,294 £1,700

-29.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,641 £2,698

$5,634 £4,175

-35.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,553 £1,891

$3,693 £2,737

-30.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,310 £6,899

$19.2K £14.2K

-51.45%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,309 £4,675

$10.5K £7,791

-39.99%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,098 £3,037

$5,023 £3,722

-18.41%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.54

5.05

9.70%

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

Last update for Cambridge: April 27, 2026

Last update for London: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,939 in Cambridge versus $3,034 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 23% 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 $97.0 in Cambridge versus $109 in London. Groceries tell a different story – $355 in Cambridge vs $340 in London – so London wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Cambridge vs London: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – London is pricier by about 29%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,651 per month in Cambridge and $6,007 in London. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Cambridge, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $97.0 in Cambridge and $109 in London. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $3,101 in Cambridge and $4,005 in London. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,101 in Cambridge and $4,005 in London. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Cambridge – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Cambridge. 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.