Cost of Living Comparison Between Guildford and London Cost of Living Comparison Between Guildford and London

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,222 per month in Guildford vs $4,005 in London, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,479 per month in Guildford vs $5,688 in London, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,735 per month in Guildford vs $7,371 in London, rent included.

Guildford is about 20% cheaper than London, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Guildford and London sit above the global median – Guildford by 141%, London by 199%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.57 £15.22

$27.10 £20.06

-24.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$88.3 £65.4

$109 £80.5

-18.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.34 £8.39

$11.05 £8.18

2.62%

Cappuccino

$4.72 £3.49

$5.16 £3.82

-8.53%

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

$2.63 £1.95

$2.73 £2.02

-3.66%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.86 £1.38

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.30 £6.14

$8.88 £6.57

-6.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.88 £5.09

$8.15 £6.03

-15.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.61 £1.19

$1.75 £1.30

-8.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.04 £0.77

$2.19 £1.62

-52.51%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.81 £1.34

$2.58 £1.91

-29.84%

Eggs

$4.52 £3.34

$4.84 £3.59

-6.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.84 £10.98

$11.16 £8.26

32.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.28 £7.60

$9.03 £6.68

13.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.13 £11.94

$14.73 £10.90

9.50%

Apples (1kg)

$3.66 £2.71

$3.43 £2.54

6.71%

Banana (1kg)

$2.19 £1.62

$1.94 £1.44

12.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.40 £3.25

$3.10 £2.29

41.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.94 £3.65

$3.45 £2.56

43.19%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 £1.33

$1.74 £1.29

2.87%

Onion (1kg)

$1.45 £1.07

$1.85 £1.37

-21.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 £0.80

$1.39 £1.03

-22.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.22 £0.90

$1.98 £1.47

-38.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$20.14 £14.90

$23.08 £17.08

-12.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.52 £10.00

$13.32 £9.86

1.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.44 £1.81

$3.30 £2.44

-26.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 £2.60

$4.02 £2.97

-12.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.92 £2.16

$3.84 £2.84

-23.96%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$94.5 £70.0

$246 £182

-61.57%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.74 £4.99

$5.85 £4.33

15.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.59 £1.18

$3.34 £2.47

-52.40%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.17 £17.15

$40.12 £29.69

-42.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.92 £1.42

$1.90 £1.41

1.05%

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

$37.7K £27.9K

$38.9K £28.8K

-3.21%

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

$40.9K £30.3K

$38.6K £28.6K

5.93%

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

$391 £289

$318 £236

22.70%

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

$17.08 £12.64

$19.99 £14.79

-14.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$41.49 £30.70

$43.42 £32.13

-4.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$71.6 £53.0

$64.6 £47.79

10.85%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.55 £12.24

$23.02 £17.04

-28.11%

Cinema Ticket

$16.69 £12.35

$20.17 £14.92

-17.25%

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

$2,111 £1,562

$2,552 £1,889

-17.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.7K £18.3K

$27.9K £20.7K

-11.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$83.9 £62.1

$119 £88.2

-29.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$67.1 £49.64

$50.4 £37.28

33.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.0 £70.3

$127 £93.8

-25.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 £92.1

$159 £118

-21.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,856 £1,373

$3,034 £2,246

-38.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,647 £1,218

$2,294 £1,697

-28.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,682 £1,985

$5,634 £4,169

-52.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,490 £1,843

$3,693 £2,733

-32.58%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,764 £5,745

$19.2K £14.2K

-59.51%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,138 £5,282

$10.5K £7,781

-32.11%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,665 £2,712

$5,023 £3,717

-27.04%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.24

5.05

23.56%

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

Last update for Guildford: April 27, 2026

Last update for London: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,856 in Guildford versus $3,034 in London. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 37% higher in London, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $88.0 in Guildford versus $109 in London. Groceries tell a different story – $343 in Guildford vs $340 in London – so London wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Guildford vs London: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – London is pricier by about 24%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,834 per month in Guildford and $6,007 in London. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Guildford, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 1% cheaper in London – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $88.0 in Guildford and $109 in London. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,222 in Guildford and $4,005 in London. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Guildford – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Guildford. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, London makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.