Cost of Living Comparison Between Durham, NC and London Cost of Living Comparison Between Durham, NC and London

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,544 in Durham, NC versus $2,458 in London.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,720 in Durham, NC versus $3,491 in London.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,895 in Durham, NC versus $4,525 in London.

Living in Durham, NC is roughly 4% more expensive than London, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Durham, NC 90% above, London 83% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.88 $14.88

$18.12 CA$25.09

-17.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.0 $69.0

$74.1 CA$103

-6.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.88 $9.88

$10.24 CA$14.18

-3.52%

Cappuccino

$4.58 $4.58

$3.50 CA$4.84

30.86%

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

$2.13 $2.13

$1.94 CA$2.69

9.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.81 $1.81

$1.94 CA$2.69

-6.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.91 $4.91

$5.73 CA$7.94

-14.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.69 $6.69

$6.49 CA$8.98

3.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.87 $0.87

$1.68 CA$2.33

-48.21%

White Bread (500g)

$3.74 $3.74

$2.30 CA$3.18

62.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.60 $3.60

$3.37 CA$4.67

6.82%

Eggs

$4.66 $4.66

$3.26 CA$4.51

42.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.07 $9.07

$9.54 CA$13.21

-4.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.29 $12.29

$12.09 CA$16.74

1.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.92 $15.92

$9.23 CA$12.79

72.48%

Apples (1kg)

$5.58 $5.58

$4.47 CA$6.19

24.83%

Banana (1kg)

$1.23 $1.23

$1.41 CA$1.95

-12.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.78 $3.78

$3.56 CA$4.92

6.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.54 $3.54

$3.86 CA$5.34

-8.29%

Potato (1kg)

$2.51 $2.51

$1.63 CA$2.26

53.99%

Onion (1kg)

$2.70 $2.70

$2.03 CA$2.81

33.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.99 $1.99

$2.18 CA$3.02

-8.72%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.51 CA$2.09

31.13%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.86 $9.86

$12.72 CA$17.62

-22.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.75 $14.75

$13.15 CA$18.20

12.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 $1.78

$2.13 CA$2.95

-16.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.23 $4.23

$2.59 CA$3.58

63.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.98 $1.98

$2.42 CA$3.35

-18.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$24.75 $24.75

$82.3 CA$114

-69.94%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.01 $2.01

$4.08 CA$5.65

-50.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.59 $1.59

$1.70 CA$2.35

-6.47%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$22.39 $22.39

$31.21 CA$43.21

-28.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.87 $0.87

$1.16 CA$1.61

-25.00%

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

$27.9K $27.9K

$24.5K CA$34.0K

13.95%

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

$25.5K $25.5K

$20.1K CA$27.9K

26.64%

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

$157 $157

$144 CA$199

8.80%

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

$53.0 $53.0

$47.21 CA$65.4

12.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$74.7 $74.7

$56.7 CA$78.6

31.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.40 $39.40

$41.05 CA$56.8

-4.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.35 CA$10.17

Cinema Ticket

$12.11 $12.11

$10.84 CA$15.01

11.72%

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

$1,269 $1,269

$563 CA$779

125.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.1K $31.1K

$14.3K CA$19.7K

118.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.1 $52.1

$55.0 CA$76.2

-5.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.19 $35.19

$46.55 CA$64.5

-24.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.0 $77.0

$84.0 CA$116

-8.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 $119

$81.2 CA$112

47.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,841 $1,841

$1,433 CA$1,984

28.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,430 $1,430

$1,294 CA$1,791

10.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,534 $2,534

$2,644 CA$3,661

-4.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,279 $2,279

$1,977 CA$2,737

15.31%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,749 $2,749

$3,473 CA$4,809

-20.84%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,718 $2,718

$3,698 CA$5,120

-26.48%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,478 $4,478

$2,993 CA$4,144

49.63%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.54

6.21

5.31%

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

Last update for Durham, NC: June 1, 2026

Last update for London: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,841 in Durham, NC and $1,433 in London. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Durham, NC pays 50% 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: $69.0 in Durham, NC vs $74.0 in London. Groceries flip the comparison at $375 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

Durham, NC vs London: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

London wins on cost – living expenses run 4% lower than in Durham, NC. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making London the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Durham, NC pays 50% more on average, 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: $1,841 in Durham, NC versus $1,433 in London. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in London runs roughly 233% less than in Durham, NC. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $1,269 in Durham, NC versus $563 in London. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $2,458 in London versus $2,544 in Durham, NC, a $2,500 budget is realistic in London but tight or insufficient in Durham, NC. The gap between the two cities makes London the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but London delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $2,458 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes London hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Durham, NC 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 London gentler on the wallet – expenses run 4% less than in Durham, NC. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.