Cost of Living Comparison Between London and Aiken, SC Cost of Living Comparison Between London and Aiken, SC

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,458 in London versus $2,248 in Aiken, SC.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,491 in London versus $3,271 in Aiken, SC.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,525 in London versus $4,294 in Aiken, SC.

Living in London is roughly 9% more expensive than Aiken, SC, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: London 83% above, Aiken, SC 68% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.12 CA$25.18

$13.75 $13.75

31.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$74.1 CA$103

$52.4 $52.4

41.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.24 CA$14.23

$10.18 $10.18

0.59%

Cappuccino

$3.50 CA$4.86

$3.82 $3.82

-8.38%

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

$1.94 CA$2.70

$1.74 $1.74

11.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.94 CA$2.70

$1.88 $1.88

3.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.73 CA$7.96

$4.96 $4.96

15.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.49 CA$9.01

$7.71 $7.71

-15.82%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 CA$2.34

$1.04 $1.04

61.54%

White Bread (500g)

$2.30 CA$3.19

$3.22 $3.22

-28.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.37 CA$4.68

$4.40 $4.40

-23.41%

Eggs

$3.26 CA$4.53

$3.59 $3.59

-9.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.54 CA$13.25

$16.89 $16.89

-43.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.09 CA$16.80

$16.94 $16.94

-28.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.23 CA$12.83

$17.03 $17.03

-45.80%

Apples (1kg)

$4.47 CA$6.21

$5.75 $5.75

-22.26%

Banana (1kg)

$1.41 CA$1.96

$0.68 $0.68

107.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.56 CA$4.94

$6.60 $6.60

-46.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.86 CA$5.36

$3.94 $3.94

-2.03%

Potato (1kg)

$1.63 CA$2.27

$3.82 $3.82

-57.33%

Onion (1kg)

$2.03 CA$2.82

$2.81 $2.81

-27.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.18 CA$3.03

$1.78 $1.78

22.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.51 CA$2.09

$1.92 $1.92

-21.35%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.72 CA$17.68

$7.53 $7.53

68.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.15 CA$18.26

$13.87 $13.87

-5.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.13 CA$2.96

$1.98 $1.98

7.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.59 CA$3.59

$3.31 $3.31

-21.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.42 CA$3.36

$2.04 $2.04

18.63%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$82.3 CA$114

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.08 CA$5.67

$2.93 $2.93

39.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.70 CA$2.36

$1.53 $1.53

11.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$31.21 CA$43.36

$29.55 $29.55

5.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.16 CA$1.61

$0.88 $0.88

31.82%

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

$24.5K CA$34.1K

$34.5K $34.5K

-28.93%

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

$20.1K CA$28.0K

$24.5K $24.5K

-17.85%

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

$144 CA$200

$142 $142

1.09%

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

$47.21 CA$65.6

$55.4 $55.4

-14.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$56.7 CA$78.8

$72.6 $72.6

-21.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.05 CA$57.0

$42.90 $42.90

-4.31%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.35 CA$10.21

Cinema Ticket

$10.84 CA$15.06

$14.24 $14.24

-23.88%

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

$563 CA$782

$566 $566

-0.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.3K CA$19.8K

$24.6K $24.6K

-42.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.0 CA$76.4

$48.57 $48.57

13.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.55 CA$64.7

$35.85 $35.85

29.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.0 CA$117

$103 $103

-18.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$81.2 CA$113

$64.6 $64.6

25.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,433 CA$1,991

$1,613 $1,613

-11.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,294 CA$1,798

$1,128 $1,128

14.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,644 CA$3,673

$1,819 $1,819

45.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,977 CA$2,747

$1,897 $1,897

4.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,473 CA$4,826

$1,700 $1,700

104.35%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,698 CA$5,137

$1,357 $1,357

172.58%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,993 CA$4,158

$2,890 $2,890

3.54%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.21

6.51

-4.61%

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

Last update for London: June 1, 2026

Last update for Aiken, SC: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,433 in London and $1,613 in Aiken, SC. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

London pays 4% 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: $74.0 in London vs $52.0 in Aiken, SC. Groceries flip the comparison at $325 vs $431, with London cheaper for home cooking.

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

London vs Aiken, SC: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Aiken, SC wins on cost – living expenses run 9% lower than in London. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Aiken, SC the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

London pays 4% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,433 in London versus $1,613 in Aiken, SC. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $563 in London versus $566 in Aiken, SC. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Aiken, SC – a meal for two runs $52.0 versus $74.0 in London. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $2,248 in Aiken, SC versus $2,458 in London, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Aiken, SC but tight or insufficient in London. The gap between the two cities makes Aiken, SC the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Aiken, SC delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $2,248 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Aiken, SC hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, London and Aiken, SC 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 Aiken, SC gentler on the wallet – expenses run 9% less than in London. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.