Cost of Living Comparison Between Leicester and London Cost of Living Comparison Between Leicester and London

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,236 per month in Leicester vs $4,221 in London, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,128 per month in Leicester vs $5,971 in London, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,020 per month in Leicester vs $7,721 in London, rent included.

Leicester is about 47% cheaper than London, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Leicester and London sit above the global median – Leicester by 63%, London by 207%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$22.41 £16.63

$27.14 £20.13

-17.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.8 £51.1

$110 £81.5

-37.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.45 £7.01

$11.05 £8.19

-14.48%

Cappuccino

$4.94 £3.66

$5.84 £4.33

-15.41%

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

$2.25 £1.67

$3.02 £2.24

-25.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.35 £1.00

$2.24 £1.66

-39.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.82 £5.06

$9.33 £6.92

-26.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.52 £4.09

$8.92 £6.62

-38.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.69 £1.26

$1.88 £1.40

-10.11%

White Bread (500g)

$1.58 £1.18

$2.05 £1.52

-22.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.20 £1.63

$2.46 £1.82

-10.57%

Eggs

$4.12 £3.06

$5.21 £3.86

-20.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.08 £7.48

$12.72 £9.44

-20.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.79 £6.52

$10.97 £8.14

-19.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.58 £10.81

$18.29 £13.57

-20.28%

Apples (1kg)

$2.97 £2.20

$3.17 £2.35

-6.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.52 £1.12

$1.50 £1.11

1.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.64 £1.96

$2.80 £2.08

-5.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.57 £2.65

$3.50 £2.59

2.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.56 £1.15

$1.65 £1.23

-5.45%

Onion (1kg)

$1.56 £1.16

$1.85 £1.37

-15.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 £0.88

$1.53 £1.14

-22.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.53 £1.14

$1.83 £1.36

-16.39%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$21.29 £15.79

$24.20 £17.95

-12.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.07 £8.21

$13.40 £9.94

-17.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.66 £1.97

$3.27 £2.42

-18.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.38 £2.51

$4.67 £3.47

-27.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.15 £3.08

$4.18 £3.10

-0.72%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$100 £74.3

$272 £202

-63.15%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.25 £3.89

$5.75 £4.27

-8.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.32 £2.47

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$58.0 £43.00

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.11 £1.56

$2.06 £1.53

2.43%

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

$39.0K £28.9K

$39.5K £29.3K

-1.25%

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

$42.0K £31.1K

$42.6K £31.6K

-1.58%

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

$318 £236

$373 £277

-14.76%

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

$16.74 £12.41

$18.28 £13.56

-8.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$44.22 £32.80

$42.44 £31.47

4.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.57 £23.42

$63.7 £47.24

-50.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.35 £19.55

$22.74 £16.87

15.88%

Cinema Ticket

$12.32 £9.13

$18.46 £13.69

-33.26%

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

$1,261 £935

$2,922 £2,167

-56.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$27.3K £20.3K

$37.1K £27.5K

-26.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$83.1 £61.6

$115 £85.1

-27.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.71 £31.68

$54.6 £40.50

-21.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$107 £79.6

$129 £95.4

-16.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 £79.8

$153 £113

-29.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,016 £754

$3,001 £2,226

-66.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$878 £651

$2,363 £1,752

-62.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,820 £1,350

$5,471 £4,058

-66.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,247 £925

$3,809 £2,825

-67.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,184 £3,845

$18.4K £13.7K

-71.87%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,505 £2,600

$7,891 £5,853

-55.59%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,848 £2,113

$4,580 £3,397

-37.81%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

4.61

15.62%

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

Last update for Leicester: August 30, 2026

Last update for London: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,016 in Leicester versus $3,001 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 61% 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 $69.0 in Leicester versus $110 in London. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $302 vs $361 – making Leicester the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Leicester vs London: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

London costs about 89% more than Leicester, with the gap driven mainly by Getting Around. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,354 per month in Leicester and $6,332 in London. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 20% more in London, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $69.0 in Leicester and $110 in London. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Leicester, where all-in costs run around $2,236, than in London at $4,221. In Leicester it covers expenses comfortably, while in London it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Leicester costs $2,236 versus $4,221 in London. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

If budget matters most, go with Leicester. 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.