Cost of Living Comparison Between Harlow and London Cost of Living Comparison Between Harlow and London

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,726 in Harlow versus $3,916 in London.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,018 in Harlow versus $5,631 in London.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,311 in Harlow versus $7,345 in London.

Living in Harlow costs roughly 30% less than in London, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Harlow 104% above, London 193% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$26.86 £19.97

$27.47 £20.42

-2.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$95.2 £70.8

$111 £82.3

-14.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.33 £7.68

$10.67 £7.93

-3.19%

Cappuccino

$3.65 £2.72

$5.30 £3.94

-31.13%

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

$3.31 £2.46

$2.74 £2.03

20.80%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.08 £1.55

$1.79 £1.33

16.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.64 £3.45

$9.00 £6.69

-48.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.53 £3.37

$8.12 £6.03

-44.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.41 £1.05

$1.72 £1.28

-18.02%

White Bread (500g)

$1.37 £1.02

$2.11 £1.57

-35.07%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.75 £2.05

$2.47 £1.84

11.34%

Eggs

$3.70 £2.75

$4.98 £3.70

-25.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.86 £7.33

$11.11 £8.26

-11.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.31 £6.18

$9.13 £6.79

-8.98%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 £9.52

$14.41 £10.71

-11.10%

Apples (1kg)

$2.97 £2.21

$3.36 £2.50

-11.61%

Banana (1kg)

$1.04 £0.77

$2.03 £1.51

-48.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.93 £2.18

$3.27 £2.43

-10.40%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.27 £2.43

$3.63 £2.70

-9.92%

Potato (1kg)

$0.65 £0.48

$1.68 £1.25

-61.31%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 £0.87

$1.77 £1.32

-33.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.57 £0.42

$1.33 £0.99

-57.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.67 £0.50

$1.91 £1.42

-64.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$16.85 £12.53

$22.79 £16.94

-26.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.27 £6.90

$13.62 £10.12

-31.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.27 £1.69

$3.20 £2.38

-29.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.37 £2.50

$4.07 £3.03

-17.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.74 £2.04

$3.82 £2.84

-28.27%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$85.8 £63.8

$249 £185

-65.50%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.55 £4.13

$5.89 £4.38

-5.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.73 £1.29

$3.32 £2.47

-47.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.84 £11.03

$40.47 £30.09

-63.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.92 £1.43

$1.90 £1.41

1.05%

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

$32.8K £24.3K

$38.9K £28.9K

-15.87%

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

$40.7K £30.3K

$39.4K £29.3K

3.36%

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

$228 £169

$328 £244

-30.56%

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

$13.63 £10.13

$19.61 £14.58

-30.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.95 £28.21

$42.68 £31.73

-11.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$27.39 £20.36

$63.2 £47.01

-56.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.39 £16.64

Cinema Ticket

$12.05 £8.96

$20.69 £15.38

-41.76%

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

$1,887 £1,403

$2,474 £1,840

-23.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$26.2K £19.5K

$27.9K £20.8K

-6.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$82.4 £61.2

$119 £88.7

-30.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.99 £37.16

$50.1 £37.24

-0.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$111 £82.8

$131 £97.3

-14.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$99.6 £74.1

$158 £118

-37.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,652 £1,228

$2,937 £2,183

-43.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,496 £1,112

$2,229 £1,657

-32.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,551 £1,896

$5,569 £4,140

-54.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,465 £1,832

$3,707 £2,756

-33.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,348 £3,976

$20.1K £14.9K

-73.40%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$8,485 £6,308

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,987 £2,220

$4,247 £3,157

-29.67%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.05

-0.99%

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

Last update for Harlow: July 13, 2026

Last update for London: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,652 in Harlow and $2,937 in London. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

London pays 42% 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: $95.0 in Harlow vs $111 in London for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $264 vs $339 per month, with Harlow 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

Harlow vs London: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Harlow and London differ by about 44% in total monthly costs ($2,726 vs $3,916 including rent). Harlow is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 42% 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: $1,652 in Harlow 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 Harlow – a meal for two runs $95.0 versus $111 in London. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,726 per month in Harlow versus $3,916 in London – a 44% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Both cities are expensive relative to $3,000. Harlow is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

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, Harlow 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 Harlow gentler on the wallet – expenses run 44% less than in London. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.