Cost of Living Comparison Between Exeter and London Cost of Living Comparison Between Exeter and London

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,357 in Exeter versus $3,916 in London.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,869 in Exeter versus $5,631 in London.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,381 in Exeter versus $7,345 in London.

Living in Exeter costs roughly 40% less than in London, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Exeter 76% above, London 193% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.33 £15.12

$27.47 £20.43

-25.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.2 £66.4

$111 £82.4

-19.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.11 £7.52

$10.67 £7.94

-5.25%

Cappuccino

$4.58 £3.41

$5.30 £3.94

-13.58%

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

$3.13 £2.33

$2.74 £2.04

14.23%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.75 £1.30

$1.79 £1.33

-2.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.30 £5.43

$9.00 £6.69

-18.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.18 £4.60

$8.12 £6.04

-23.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 £1.26

$1.72 £1.28

-1.16%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 £1.37

$2.11 £1.57

-12.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.67 £1.25

$2.47 £1.84

-32.39%

Eggs

$4.80 £3.57

$4.98 £3.71

-3.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.37 £6.22

$11.11 £8.26

-24.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.12 £5.30

$9.13 £6.79

-22.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.09 £14.20

$14.41 £10.72

32.48%

Apples (1kg)

$2.40 £1.78

$3.36 £2.50

-28.57%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 £0.91

$2.03 £1.51

-39.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 £1.67

$3.27 £2.44

-31.19%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.20 £2.38

$3.63 £2.70

-11.85%

Potato (1kg)

$1.10 £0.82

$1.68 £1.25

-34.52%

Onion (1kg)

$1.31 £0.97

$1.77 £1.32

-25.99%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 £0.78

$1.33 £0.99

-21.80%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 £1.04

$1.91 £1.42

-26.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$22.05 £16.40

$22.79 £16.95

-3.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.47 £7.04

$13.62 £10.13

-30.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.58 £1.92

$3.20 £2.38

-19.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.60 £1.94

$4.07 £3.03

-36.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.78 £2.07

$3.82 £2.84

-27.23%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$104 £77.0

$249 £185

-58.37%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.64 £4.94

$5.89 £4.38

12.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.68 £1.25

$3.32 £2.47

-49.40%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$21.94 £16.32

$40.47 £30.10

-45.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.96 £1.46

$1.90 £1.41

3.16%

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

$39.0K £29.0K

$38.9K £29.0K

0.26%

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

$39.0K £29.0K

$39.4K £29.3K

-1.18%

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

$338 £251

$328 £244

2.82%

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

$16.45 £12.24

$19.61 £14.58

-16.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$46.64 £34.69

$42.68 £31.75

9.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.02 £29.02

$63.2 £47.04

-38.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.21 £10.57

$22.39 £16.65

-36.53%

Cinema Ticket

$12.05 £8.96

$20.69 £15.39

-41.76%

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

$1,462 £1,088

$2,474 £1,841

-40.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.2K £15.8K

$27.9K £20.8K

-23.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$76.6 £57.0

$119 £88.8

-35.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.32 £25.53

$50.1 £37.26

-31.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 £75.2

$131 £97.3

-22.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 £80.9

$158 £118

-31.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,312 £976

$2,937 £2,184

-55.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$978 £727

$2,229 £1,658

-56.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,571 £1,912

$5,569 £4,142

-53.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,476 £1,842

$3,707 £2,757

-33.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,448 £4,052

$20.1K £15.0K

-72.91%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,535 £4,861

$8,485 £6,311

-22.98%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,142 £2,337

$4,247 £3,159

-26.01%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.72

5.05

13.27%

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

Last update for Exeter: July 13, 2026

Last update for London: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,312 in Exeter and $2,937 in London. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

London pays 35% 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: $89.0 in Exeter vs $111 in London for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $288 vs $339 per month, with Exeter cheaper across the board.

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

Exeter vs London: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Exeter and London differ by about 66% in total monthly costs ($2,357 vs $3,916 including rent). Exeter is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 35% lower in London. 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: $1,312 in Exeter versus $2,937 in London. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Exeter – a meal for two runs $89.0 versus $111 in London. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,357 per month in Exeter versus $3,916 in London – a 66% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,357 in Exeter versus $3,916 in London, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Exeter but tight or insufficient in London. The gap between the two cities makes Exeter 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, Exeter 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 Exeter gentler on the wallet – expenses run 66% less than in London. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.