Cost of Living Comparison Between Kirkwall and London Cost of Living Comparison Between Kirkwall and London

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,318 in Kirkwall versus $4,000 in London.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,450 in Kirkwall versus $5,771 in London.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,582 in Kirkwall versus $7,542 in London.

Living in Kirkwall costs roughly 42% less than in London, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Kirkwall 72% above, London 197% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.28 £18.68

$27.00 £19.95

-6.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$81.2 £60.0

$108 £79.5

-24.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 £7.31

$10.76 £7.95

-8.09%

Cappuccino

$4.02 £2.97

$5.12 £3.78

-21.48%

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

$2.33 £1.72

$2.75 £2.03

-15.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.59 £1.17

$1.78 £1.31

-10.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.48 £4.05

$8.84 £6.53

-38.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.35 £4.70

$8.08 £5.97

-21.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.60 £1.18

$1.75 £1.30

-8.57%

White Bread (500g)

$1.65 £1.22

$2.18 £1.61

-24.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.22 £1.64

$2.53 £1.87

-12.25%

Eggs

$3.97 £2.93

$4.78 £3.53

-16.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.75 £7.20

$11.46 £8.47

-14.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.61 £6.36

$8.96 £6.62

-3.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.32 £10.58

$14.45 £10.68

-0.90%

Apples (1kg)

$3.15 £2.33

$3.45 £2.55

-8.70%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 £1.20

$2.04 £1.51

-20.10%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.87 £2.12

$3.19 £2.36

-10.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.54 £2.62

$3.59 £2.65

-1.39%

Potato (1kg)

$1.63 £1.21

$1.75 £1.29

-6.86%

Onion (1kg)

$1.55 £1.14

$1.78 £1.32

-12.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 £0.79

$1.32 £0.97

-18.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.46 £1.08

$1.89 £1.40

-22.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$19.36 £14.31

$22.64 £16.73

-14.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.71 £7.91

$13.27 £9.81

-19.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.79 £2.06

$3.23 £2.39

-13.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.08 £2.28

$3.90 £2.88

-21.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.27 £2.42

$4.00 £2.95

-18.25%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$90.2 £66.7

$244 £180

-62.98%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.59 £4.13

$6.03 £4.45

-7.30%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.60 £1.18

$3.24 £2.39

-50.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.01 £17.00

$40.25 £29.74

-42.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.96 £1.45

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

$39.0K £28.8K

$38.2K £28.3K

1.97%

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

$41.1K £30.4K

$39.2K £29.0K

4.77%

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

$291 £215

$328 £242

-11.26%

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

$17.00 £12.57

$20.14 £14.88

-15.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.62 £31.50

$42.96 £31.75

-0.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$26.29 £19.43

$65.4 £48.35

-59.82%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.39 £16.54

Cinema Ticket

$13.41 £9.91

$20.19 £14.92

-33.58%

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

$1,575 £1,164

$2,552 £1,886

-38.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.1K £13.4K

$27.9K £20.6K

-34.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$85.3 £63.0

$119 £88.2

-28.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.07 £32.57

$49.55 £36.62

-11.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.8 £69.3

$128 £94.4

-26.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$99.7 £73.7

$154 £114

-35.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,204 £890

$2,993 £2,212

-59.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$999 £739

$2,221 £1,642

-55.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,068 £1,528

$5,642 £4,169

-63.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,692 £1,251

$3,634 £2,686

-53.43%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$19.2K £14.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$10.2K £7,551

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,959 £1,448

$5,067 £3,745

-61.34%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.63

5.05

11.49%

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

Last update for Kirkwall: April 12, 2026

Last update for London: April 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,204 in Kirkwall and $2,993 in London. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

London pays 159% 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: $81 in Kirkwall vs $108 in London for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $299 vs $339 per month, with Kirkwall 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

Kirkwall vs London: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kirkwall and London differ by about 73% in total monthly costs ($2,318 vs $4,000 including rent). Kirkwall is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, London earns 159% 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: $1,204 in Kirkwall versus $2,993 in London. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Kirkwall – a meal for two runs $81.0 versus $108 in London. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,318 per month in Kirkwall versus $4,000 in London – a 73% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,318 in Kirkwall versus $4,000 in London, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Kirkwall but tight or insufficient in London. The gap between the two cities makes Kirkwall 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, Kirkwall 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 Kirkwall gentler on the wallet – expenses run 73% less than in London. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.