Cost of Living Comparison Between Eritrea and United Kingdom Cost of Living Comparison Between Eritrea and United Kingdom

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $688 per month in Eritrea vs $2,401 in United Kingdom, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,076 per month in Eritrea vs $3,517 in United Kingdom, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,464 per month in Eritrea vs $4,632 in United Kingdom, rent included.

The cost of living in Eritrea is roughly 71% lower than in United Kingdom on average – the gap runs across housing, groceries, transport, and services.

Eritrea sits 50% below the global median, while United Kingdom is 76% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Eritrea
United Kingdom
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$21.40 ERN 321
$21.78 £16.28
-1.74%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$33.88 ERN 509
$86.7 £64.8
-60.90%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.42 ERN 81.3
$11.00 £8.22
-50.73%
Cappuccino
$0.69 ERN 10.33
$4.79 £3.58
-85.59%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.01 ERN 15.24
$2.60 £1.94
-61.15%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.98 ERN 14.72
$1.83 £1.37
-46.45%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$0.95 ERN 14.22
$6.60 £4.93
-85.61%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$6.83 £5.10
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Eritrea
United Kingdom
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.62 ERN 24.36
$1.73 £1.30
-6.36%
White Bread (500g)
-
$1.73 £1.29
-
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.37 ERN 35.57
$2.26 £1.69
4.87%
Eggs
$4.42 ERN 66.4
$4.12 £3.08
7.28%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$2.93 ERN 44.06
$9.52 £7.11
-69.22%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$27.22 ERN 409
$9.42 £7.04
188.96%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$9.90 ERN 149
$14.83 £11.08
-33.24%
Apples (1kg)
$12.00 ERN 180
$3.10 £2.32
287.10%
Banana (1kg)
$1.24 ERN 18.67
$1.69 £1.26
-26.63%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.96 ERN 29.50
$2.88 £2.15
-31.94%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.14 ERN 17.17
$3.36 £2.51
-66.07%
Potato (1kg)
$1.82 ERN 27.26
$1.85 £1.38
-1.62%
Onion (1kg)
$0.96 ERN 14.37
$1.57 £1.17
-38.85%
Lettuce (1 head)
-
$1.26 £0.94
-
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.20 ERN 33.02
$1.70 £1.27
29.41%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
-
$23.75 £17.75
-
Wine (Bottle)
$12.19 ERN 183
$10.95 £8.18
11.32%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$0.97 ERN 14.61
$2.95 £2.21
-67.12%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.03 ERN 15.46
$3.46 £2.58
-70.23%
🚌 Getting Around
Eritrea
United Kingdom
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.15 ERN 2.20
$3.34 £2.50
-95.51%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$8.14 ERN 122
$106 £78.9
-92.29%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
-
$5.44 £4.06
-
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.58 ERN 8.64
$2.29 £1.71
-74.67%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$9.90 ERN 149
$26.80 £20.03
-63.06%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.55 ERN 38.37
$1.96 £1.47
30.10%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$65.7K ERN 987.2K
$39.2K £29.3K
67.77%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$69.2K ERN 1.0M
$40.9K £30.6K
69.23%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Eritrea
United Kingdom
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$24.77 ERN 372
$328 £245
-92.45%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$67.7 ERN 1,017
$18.19 £13.60
272.13%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$199 ERN 2,990
$43.01 £32.14
362.87%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Eritrea
United Kingdom
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$26.96 ERN 405
$46.44 £34.70
-41.95%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$5.13 ERN 77.1
$18.15 £13.56
-71.74%
Cinema Ticket
$1.21 ERN 18.19
$13.61 £10.17
-91.11%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Eritrea
United Kingdom
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$25.05 ERN 376
$1,773 £1,325
-98.59%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$2,571 ERN 38.6K
$23.4K £17.5K
-89.02%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Eritrea
United Kingdom
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$137 ERN 2,059
$92.7 £69.3
47.94%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$121 ERN 1,819
$46.67 £34.88
159.55%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$203 ERN 3,042
$103 £76.9
96.94%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$151 ERN 2,268
$101 £75.7
49.17%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Eritrea
United Kingdom
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$250 ERN 3,755
$1,372 £1,025
-81.78%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$197 ERN 2,955
$1,111 £830
-82.29%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$458 ERN 6,884
$2,206 £1,648
-79.22%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$424 ERN 6,375
$1,808 £1,351
-76.52%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,285 ERN 19.3K
$5,687 £4,250
-77.40%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,248 ERN 33.8K
$4,425 £3,307
-49.21%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Eritrea
United Kingdom
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$505 ERN 7,584
$3,419 £2,555
-85.23%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
18.5
5.33
247.09%

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

Last update for Eritrea: September 12, 2026

Last update for United Kingdom: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $123 in Eritrea vs $1,274 in United Kingdom. For reference, capital cities sit at $246 in Asmara and $2,976 in London.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 936% higher in United Kingdom.

Dining out costs 394% more in United Kingdom.

Public transport is 2050% more expensive in United Kingdom.

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
Eritrea vs United Kingdom: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which country is cheaper: Eritrea or United Kingdom?
Eritrea is the cheaper option – living costs run roughly 280% lower on average. The gap is consistent across housing, groceries, transport, and entertainment.
Is rent more expensive in Eritrea or in United Kingdom?
Housing costs more in United Kingdom, and the gap is biggest in capital cities. Regional towns show less difference, but United Kingdom consistently has higher rents.
How do daily expenses compare in Eritrea vs United Kingdom?
Groceries, transport, and utilities all cost less in Eritrea, contributing to the overall 280% price gap. The savings show up everywhere – from supermarket receipts to monthly bills.
Can you live in both Eritrea and United Kingdom on $1,000 per month?
$1,000 buys a comfortable lifestyle in Eritrea, but in United Kingdom it only works with careful planning outside the capital. Same money, very different lives.
Which country is better for expats: Eritrea or United Kingdom?
Eritrea is the budget-friendly choice for expats – lower housing and daily costs. But cost isn't everything: visa policies, language, healthcare quality, and job markets all weigh in too.

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