Cost of Living Comparison Between Lerwick and London Cost of Living Comparison Between Lerwick and London

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,312 in Lerwick versus $3,892 in London.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,374 in Lerwick versus $5,638 in London.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,435 in Lerwick versus $7,385 in London.

Living in Lerwick costs roughly 41% less than in London, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lerwick 73% above, London 190% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.16 £15.12

$26.92 £20.18

-25.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$81.3 £61.0

$110 £82.2

-25.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.14 £7.60

$10.83 £8.12

-6.37%

Cappuccino

$4.61 £3.45

$5.10 £3.82

-9.61%

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

$2.29 £1.71

$2.77 £2.08

-17.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.60 £1.20

$1.78 £1.34

-10.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.24 £4.68

$8.93 £6.70

-30.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.01 £4.51

$8.03 £6.02

-25.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.58 £1.18

$1.77 £1.33

-10.73%

White Bread (500g)

$1.61 £1.20

$2.08 £1.56

-22.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.19 £1.65

$2.57 £1.93

-14.79%

Eggs

$3.88 £2.91

$4.75 £3.56

-18.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.06 £7.55

$11.16 £8.37

-9.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 £6.75

$9.00 £6.75

0.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.81 £10.36

$14.83 £11.12

-6.88%

Apples (1kg)

$3.12 £2.34

$3.33 £2.49

-6.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 £1.23

$1.96 £1.47

-16.84%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.86 £2.15

$3.25 £2.44

-12.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.60 £2.70

Potato (1kg)

$1.68 £1.26

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 £1.11

$1.87 £1.40

-20.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 £0.80

$1.32 £0.99

-19.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.48 £1.11

$1.95 £1.46

-24.10%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$19.37 £14.53

$22.81 £17.10

-15.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.18 £8.38

$13.71 £10.28

-18.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.82 £2.11

$3.31 £2.49

-14.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 £2.33

$3.93 £2.95

-21.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.27 £2.45

$3.95 £2.97

-17.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$89.3 £67.0

$240 £180

-62.86%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.55 £4.16

$6.04 £4.53

-8.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.53 £1.15

$3.31 £2.48

-53.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$22.72 £17.04

$40.84 £30.62

-44.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.94 £1.45

$1.88 £1.41

3.19%

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

$38.3K £28.7K

$38.9K £29.2K

-1.58%

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

$40.8K £30.6K

$40.0K £30.0K

1.87%

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

$296 £222

$326 £245

-9.48%

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

$17.23 £12.92

$20.23 £15.17

-14.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$43.36 £32.51

$42.59 £31.94

1.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.04 £33.77

$64.4 £48.28

-30.05%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.34 £16.75

Cinema Ticket

$13.71 £10.28

$20.19 £15.14

-32.10%

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

$1,576 £1,182

$2,525 £1,893

-37.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.5K £13.9K

$28.0K £21.0K

-34.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$82.8 £62.1

$119 £89.3

-30.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.14 £32.35

$49.83 £37.36

-13.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.8 £69.6

$127 £95.2

-26.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$97.0 £72.7

$159 £119

-39.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,224 £918

$3,019 £2,264

-59.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,011 £758

$2,274 £1,705

-55.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,074 £1,555

$5,543 £4,156

-62.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,713 £1,285

$3,737 £2,802

-54.15%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,753 £3,564

$19.4K £14.5K

-75.49%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$9,516 £7,135

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,820 £3,614

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 Lerwick: May 30, 2026

Last update for London: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,224 in Lerwick and $3,019 in London. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $81.0 in Lerwick vs $110 in London for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $300 vs $340 per month, with Lerwick 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

Lerwick vs London: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lerwick is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 68% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $3,468 in Lerwick and $5,838 in London to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,224 in Lerwick versus $3,019 in London. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,312 per month in Lerwick versus $3,892 in London – a 68% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Lerwick runs roughly 169% less than in London. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $2,312 in Lerwick versus $3,892 in London, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Lerwick but tight or insufficient in London. The gap between the two cities makes Lerwick the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Lerwick is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in London, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Lerwick 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 Lerwick gentler on the wallet – expenses run 68% less than in London. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.