Cost of Living Comparison Between Durham and Poole Cost of Living Comparison Between Durham and Poole

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,033 in Durham versus $2,551 in Poole.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,006 in Durham versus $3,817 in Poole.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,980 in Durham versus $5,082 in Poole.

Living in Durham costs roughly 20% less than in Poole, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Durham 52% above, Poole 91% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.92 £14.02

$20.65 £15.30

-8.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$96.8 £71.7

$111 £82.0

-12.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.02 £7.42

$9.65 £7.15

3.83%

Cappuccino

$4.37 £3.24

$4.87 £3.61

-10.27%

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

$2.50 £1.85

$2.57 £1.90

-2.72%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.93 £1.43

$1.77 £1.31

9.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.09 £4.51

$7.61 £5.64

-19.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.37 £3.98

$6.95 £5.15

-22.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.79 £1.33

$1.69 £1.25

5.92%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 £1.21

$1.23 £0.91

32.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.51 £1.86

$2.55 £1.89

-1.57%

Eggs

$4.00 £2.96

$3.36 £2.49

19.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.25 £6.86

$10.12 £7.50

-8.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.21 £6.09

$7.19 £5.32

14.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.59 £7.10

$13.52 £10.02

-29.07%

Apples (1kg)

$3.66 £2.71

$2.69 £1.99

36.06%

Banana (1kg)

$2.28 £1.69

$1.21 £0.89

88.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.23 £2.39

$2.33 £1.73

38.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.42 £2.53

$2.17 £1.61

57.60%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 £0.85

$1.55 £1.15

-25.81%

Onion (1kg)

$1.57 £1.17

$1.51 £1.12

3.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 £0.77

$0.94 £0.69

10.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.82 £1.35

$1.39 £1.03

30.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$22.65 £16.78

$17.80 £13.19

27.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 £8.18

$10.08 £7.47

9.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.09 £2.29

$2.62 £1.95

17.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.98 £2.21

$2.49 £1.85

19.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.18 £2.35

$4.14 £3.07

-23.19%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$55.8 £41.34

$80.2 £59.5

-30.48%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.82 £3.57

$4.15 £3.07

16.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.57 £1.16

$1.65 £1.22

-4.85%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.48 £17.40

$22.07 £16.35

6.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.93 £1.43

$1.96 £1.45

-1.53%

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

$37.1K £27.5K

$38.7K £28.7K

-4.01%

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

$39.8K £29.5K

$39.1K £28.9K

2.01%

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

$276 £204

$340 £252

-18.98%

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

$15.57 £11.54

$16.61 £12.31

-6.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.37 £25.47

$45.75 £33.90

-24.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.3 £37.25

$30.21 £22.38

66.40%

Cinema Ticket

$12.92 £9.58

$22.13 £16.40

-41.62%

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

$1,615 £1,197

$2,354 £1,745

-31.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.2K £13.5K

$16.3K £12.1K

11.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$102 £75.7

$87.3 £64.7

17.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$60.1 £44.50

$41.09 £30.45

46.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$124 £91.5

$90.5 £67.1

36.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.2 £66.1

$85.3 £63.2

4.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,463 £1,084

$1,200 £889

21.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$828 £614

$1,217 £902

-31.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,610 £1,934

$2,345 £1,738

11.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,270 £941

$2,207 £1,635

-42.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,204 £3,856

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,964 £2,938

$2,150 £1,593

84.37%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,090 £1,549

$3,295 £2,441

-36.56%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.45

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

Last update for Durham: April 25, 2026

Last update for Poole: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,463 in Durham and $1,200 in Poole. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Poole pays 58% 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: $97.0 in Durham vs $111 in Poole. Groceries flip the comparison at $296 vs $267, with Poole 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 vs Poole: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Durham and Poole differ by about 25% in total monthly costs ($2,033 vs $2,551 including rent). Durham is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Poole earns 58% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,463 in Durham versus $1,200 in Poole. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,033 per month in Durham versus $2,551 in Poole – a 25% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Durham runs roughly 44% less than in Poole. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $2,033 in Durham versus $2,551 in Poole, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Durham but tight or insufficient in Poole. The gap between the two cities makes Durham the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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.

Safety-wise, Durham and Poole 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 Durham gentler on the wallet – expenses run 25% less than in Poole. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.