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: $2,655 in Harlow versus $3,892 in London.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,928 in Harlow versus $5,638 in London.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,202 in Harlow versus $7,385 in London.

Living in Harlow costs roughly 32% less than in London, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Harlow 98% above, London 190% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$27.58 £20.50

$26.92 £20.01

2.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$95.6 £71.1

$110 £81.5

-12.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.27 £7.63

$10.83 £8.05

-5.17%

Cappuccino

$3.84 £2.85

$5.10 £3.79

-24.71%

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

$3.49 £2.59

$2.77 £2.06

25.99%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.01 £1.49

$1.78 £1.33

12.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.88 £3.63

$8.93 £6.64

-45.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.53 £3.37

$8.03 £5.97

-43.59%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.36 £1.01

$1.77 £1.32

-23.16%

White Bread (500g)

$1.32 £0.98

$2.08 £1.55

-36.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.65 £1.97

$2.57 £1.91

3.11%

Eggs

$3.54 £2.63

$4.75 £3.53

-25.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.18 £7.57

$11.16 £8.30

-8.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.91 £5.88

$9.00 £6.69

-12.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.26 £9.85

$14.83 £11.02

-10.59%

Apples (1kg)

$3.07 £2.28

$3.33 £2.47

-7.81%

Banana (1kg)

$0.97 £0.72

$1.96 £1.46

-50.51%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.92 £2.17

$3.25 £2.42

-10.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.28 £2.44

$3.60 £2.67

-8.89%

Potato (1kg)

$0.63 £0.47

$1.68 £1.25

-62.50%

Onion (1kg)

$1.14 £0.85

$1.87 £1.39

-39.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.56 £0.42

$1.32 £0.98

-57.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.69 £0.51

$1.95 £1.45

-64.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$16.78 £12.47

$22.81 £16.96

-26.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.34 £6.94

$13.71 £10.19

-31.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.33 £1.74

$3.31 £2.46

-29.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 £2.49

$3.93 £2.92

-15.01%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.75 £2.05

$3.95 £2.94

-30.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$84.4 £62.8

$240 £179

-64.88%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.49 £4.08

$6.04 £4.49

-9.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.66 £1.23

$3.31 £2.46

-49.85%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.23 £11.32

$40.84 £30.36

-62.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.93 £1.44

$1.88 £1.40

2.66%

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

$32.7K £24.3K

$38.9K £28.9K

-15.99%

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

$40.4K £30.0K

$40.0K £29.8K

0.84%

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

$221 £164

$326 £243

-32.30%

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

$13.38 £9.94

$20.23 £15.04

-33.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.11 £27.59

$42.59 £31.66

-12.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$27.41 £20.37

$64.4 £47.86

-57.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.34 £16.61

Cinema Ticket

$12.37 £9.20

$20.19 £15.00

-38.73%

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

$1,917 £1,425

$2,525 £1,876

-24.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$26.1K £19.4K

$28.0K £20.8K

-6.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$84.5 £62.8

$119 £88.6

-29.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.37 £35.96

$49.83 £37.04

-2.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$110 £81.9

$127 £94.4

-13.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$99.4 £73.9

$159 £118

-37.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,649 £1,226

$3,019 £2,244

-45.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,481 £1,101

$2,274 £1,690

-34.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,568 £1,909

$5,543 £4,120

-53.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,407 £1,789

$3,737 £2,778

-35.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$19.4K £14.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$9,516 £7,073

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,032 £2,254

$4,820 £3,583

-37.09%

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for London: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,649 in Harlow and $3,019 in London. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

London pays 59% 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: $96.0 in Harlow vs $110 in London for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $262 vs $340 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 47% in total monthly costs ($2,655 vs $3,892 including rent). Harlow is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, London earns 59% 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: $1,649 in Harlow versus $3,019 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 $96.0 versus $110 in London. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,655 per month in Harlow versus $3,892 in London – a 47% 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 47% less than in London. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.