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: $2,389 in London versus $2,263 in Aiken, SC.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,461 in London versus $3,327 in Aiken, SC.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,533 in London versus $4,391 in Aiken, SC.

Living in London is roughly 6% more expensive than in Aiken, SC, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: London 79% above, Aiken, SC 69% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.12 CA$25.50

$13.26 $13.26

36.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.3 CA$103

$53.5 $53.5

37.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.11 CA$14.22

$10.16 $10.16

-0.49%

Cappuccino

$3.48 CA$4.89

$3.66 $3.66

-4.92%

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

$1.99 CA$2.80

$1.72 $1.72

15.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.95 CA$2.74

$1.87 $1.87

4.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.70 CA$8.02

$5.06 $5.06

12.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.52 CA$9.18

$7.72 $7.72

-15.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.63 CA$2.30

$1.04 $1.04

56.73%

White Bread (500g)

$2.42 CA$3.41

$3.33 $3.33

-27.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.30 CA$4.64

$4.21 $4.21

-21.62%

Eggs

$3.25 CA$4.57

$3.57 $3.57

-8.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.81 CA$13.80

$16.75 $16.75

-41.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.06 CA$16.96

$16.34 $16.34

-26.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.06 CA$12.75

$17.03 $17.03

-46.80%

Apples (1kg)

$4.62 CA$6.50

$5.65 $5.65

-18.23%

Banana (1kg)

$1.43 CA$2.01

$0.63 $0.63

126.98%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.60 CA$5.07

$6.44 $6.44

-44.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.79 CA$5.34

$3.96 $3.96

-4.29%

Potato (1kg)

$1.63 CA$2.29

$3.64 $3.64

-55.22%

Onion (1kg)

$2.13 CA$2.99

$2.75 $2.75

-22.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.19 CA$3.09

$1.73 $1.73

26.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.45 CA$2.04

$1.90 $1.90

-23.68%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.72 CA$17.91

$7.43 $7.43

71.20%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.42 CA$17.47

$14.27 $14.27

-12.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.13 CA$2.99

$2.01 $2.01

5.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.52 CA$3.55

$3.26 $3.26

-22.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.36 CA$3.32

$1.98 $1.98

19.19%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$83.1 CA$117

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.16 CA$5.85

$2.96 $2.96

40.54%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.77 CA$2.49

$1.53 $1.53

15.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.80 CA$43.34

$29.53 $29.53

4.30%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 CA$1.62

$0.87 $0.87

32.18%

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

$24.8K CA$34.9K

$35.0K $35.0K

-29.08%

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

$20.6K CA$29.0K

$25.0K $25.0K

-17.58%

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

$144 CA$203

$141 $141

2.39%

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

$47.42 CA$66.7

$54.9 $54.9

-13.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.7 CA$81.2

$73.4 $73.4

-21.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.55 CA$58.5

$42.55 $42.55

-2.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.50 CA$10.55

Cinema Ticket

$10.97 CA$15.44

$14.24 $14.24

-22.96%

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

$551 CA$775

$571 $571

-3.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.4K CA$20.2K

$24.4K $24.4K

-41.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.9 CA$75.9

$48.65 $48.65

10.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.75 CA$64.4

$35.70 $35.70

28.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.0 CA$121

$105 $105

-18.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$81.5 CA$115

$64.4 $64.4

26.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,462 CA$2,057

$1,610 $1,610

-9.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,306 CA$1,838

$1,166 $1,166

12.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,646 CA$3,723

$1,823 $1,823

45.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,986 CA$2,795

$1,841 $1,841

7.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,401 CA$4,785

$1,663 $1,663

104.50%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,635 CA$5,115

$1,372 $1,372

165.04%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,843 CA$4,000

$2,957 $2,957

-3.88%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Aiken, SC: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,462 in London and $1,610 in Aiken, SC. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Aiken, SC pays 4% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $73.0 in London vs $53.0 in Aiken, SC. Groceries flip the comparison at $324 vs $427, 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 6% 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.

On paper, salaries run 4% lower in Aiken, SC. 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: $1,462 in London versus $1,610 in Aiken, SC. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $551 in London versus $571 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 $53.0 versus $73.0 in London. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $2,263 in Aiken, SC versus $2,389 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 $2,263 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 6% less than in London. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.