🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,103 in Cook Islands versus $2,363 in United Kingdom.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,682 in Cook Islands versus $3,473 in United Kingdom.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,260 in Cook Islands versus $4,583 in United Kingdom.
🙂Living in Cook Islands costs about 53% less than in United Kingdom on average.
📊Cook Islands (18% below) and United Kingdom (76% above) straddle the global median.
📏Internal cost variation is higher in United Kingdom: monthly costs span $1,682 to $4,026, compared to $850–$1,355 in Cook Islands. City choice carries more weight in United Kingdom.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Cook Islands
United Kingdom
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$12.08NZ$20.66
$20.74£15.39
-41.76%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$60.8NZ$104
$87.2£64.7
-30.21%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$9.07NZ$15.51
$10.05£7.46
-9.75%
Cappuccino
$4.17NZ$7.13
$4.67£3.46
-10.71%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.49NZ$4.26
$2.39£1.77
4.18%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.37NZ$4.05
$1.71£1.27
38.60%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$6.69NZ$11.44
$6.66£4.94
0.45%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$5.29NZ$9.05
$6.37£4.73
-16.95%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Cook Islands
United Kingdom
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.17NZ$3.70
$1.71£1.27
26.90%
White Bread(500g)
$3.12NZ$5.34
$1.63£1.21
91.41%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.67NZ$2.86
$2.18£1.62
-23.39%
Eggs
$5.67NZ$9.70
$4.09£3.04
38.63%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$9.78NZ$16.72
$9.99£7.42
-2.10%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$7.68NZ$13.13
$8.70£6.46
-11.72%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$8.89NZ$15.21
$13.97£10.36
-36.36%
Apples(1kg)
$2.94NZ$5.03
$2.97£2.21
-1.01%
Banana(1kg)
$2.42NZ$4.14
$1.69£1.25
43.20%
Oranges(1kg)
$3.62NZ$6.18
$2.91£2.16
24.40%
Tomato(1kg)
$6.40NZ$10.95
$3.55£2.63
80.28%
Potato(1kg)
$2.38NZ$4.08
$1.64£1.22
45.12%
Onion(1kg)
$1.92NZ$3.29
$1.60£1.18
20.00%
Lettuce(1 head)
$2.17NZ$3.71
$1.13£0.84
92.04%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$3.26NZ$5.58
$1.52£1.13
114.47%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$15.29NZ$26.14
$20.51£15.22
-25.45%
Wine(Bottle)
$13.21NZ$22.58
$10.88£8.07
21.42%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$3.53NZ$6.04
$2.78£2.06
26.98%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.92NZ$8.42
$3.37£2.50
45.99%
🚌 Getting Around
Cook Islands
United Kingdom
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$3.09NZ$5.28
$3.33£2.47
-7.21%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
-
$96.7£71.7
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$21.22NZ$36.29
$5.34£3.96
297.38%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
-
$1.53£1.14
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$36.64NZ$62.7
$26.88£19.95
36.31%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.76NZ$3.00
$1.99£1.48
-11.56%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$12.0KNZ$20.5K
$38.7K£28.7K
-68.96%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
-
$41.0K£30.4K
-
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cook Islands
United Kingdom
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$105NZ$179
$327£243
-67.94%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$29.92NZ$51.2
$17.71£13.14
68.94%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$106NZ$181
$43.17£32.03
144.96%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Cook Islands
United Kingdom
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$24.82NZ$42.44
$46.96£34.84
-47.15%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$23.94NZ$40.94
$15.91£11.80
50.47%
Cinema Ticket
$6.99NZ$11.96
$13.79£10.23
-49.31%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Cook Islands
United Kingdom
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
-
$1,751£1,300
-
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$1,443NZ$2,467
$21.0K£15.6K
-93.14%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Cook Islands
United Kingdom
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$66.8NZ$114
$92.6£68.7
-27.91%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
-
$45.06£33.44
-
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
-
$101£74.6
-
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$75.4NZ$129
$104£77.3
-27.60%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Cook Islands
United Kingdom
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$314NZ$537
$1,374£1,019
-77.13%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$321NZ$549
$1,151£854
-72.11%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$354NZ$605
$2,335£1,733
-84.85%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$475NZ$812
$1,854£1,376
-74.40%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$5,153NZ$8,812
$5,933£4,403
-13.15%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$751NZ$1,284
$4,638£3,442
-83.81%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Cook Islands
United Kingdom
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$4,164NZ$7,120
$3,384£2,511
23.04%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
8
5.75
39.13%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Cook Islands: April 21, 2026
Last update for United Kingdom: April 20, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠National rent averages: $323 in Cook Islands, $1,266 in United Kingdom. Capital cities: $156 in Avarua vs $3,031 in London.
💰National salary averages: $4,055 in Cook Islands, $3,202 in United Kingdom. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.
Cost Highlights
⭐Rent is 292% higher in United Kingdom.
⭐Dining out costs 42% more in United Kingdom.
⭐Salaries are 27% higher in Cook Islands, giving Cook Islands stronger purchasing power.
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
Cook Islands vs United Kingdom: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which country is more expensive to live in: Cook Islands or United Kingdom?
At $1,103 per month in Cook Islands and $2,854 in United Kingdom, there's a 159% gap. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.
Where are groceries and transport cheaper: Cook Islands or United Kingdom?
Cook Islands is simply cheaper day-to-day: lower food prices, cheaper commutes, smaller household bills. Over time, those daily savings make a real difference to your monthly budget and ability to put money away.
How do rents compare between Cook Islands and United Kingdom?
Rent in United Kingdom beats Cook Islands across the board, especially in major cities. Housing is usually the single biggest driver of the overall cost difference between the two countries.
How far does $2,000 go in Cook Islands vs United Kingdom?
In Cook Islands, $2,000 covers most cities easily. In United Kingdom, it works in regional areas but falls short in the capital – you'll need to make trade-offs on housing or lifestyle.
How do I choose between living in Cook Islands and United Kingdom?
It depends on what you're after. Cook Islands wins on affordability; United Kingdom may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.
Cook Islands vs other spots: cost of living compared