Cost of Living Comparison Between London and Bolton Cost of Living Comparison Between London and Bolton

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,465 per month in London vs $2,389 in Bolton, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,548 per month in London vs $3,344 in Bolton, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,631 per month in London vs $4,299 in Bolton, rent included.

London costs about 3% more than Bolton, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both London and Bolton sit above the global median – London by 83%, Bolton by 77%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.73 CA$25.65

$20.53 £15.21

-8.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.8 CA$101

$80.7 £59.8

-8.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.21 CA$13.98

$10.38 £7.69

-1.64%

Cappuccino

$3.42 CA$4.69

$4.80 £3.56

-28.75%

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

$1.99 CA$2.72

$2.30 £1.71

-13.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.95 CA$2.68

$1.60 £1.19

21.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.87 CA$8.05

$6.98 £5.17

-15.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.45 CA$8.84

$5.52 £4.09

16.85%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 CA$2.33

$1.68 £1.25

1.19%

White Bread (500g)

$2.33 CA$3.19

$1.72 £1.27

35.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.38 CA$4.63

$2.25 £1.67

50.22%

Eggs

$3.30 CA$4.52

$4.07 £3.01

-18.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.00 CA$13.70

$10.40 £7.71

-3.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.48 CA$17.10

$8.34 £6.18

49.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.14 CA$12.52

$16.87 £12.50

-45.82%

Apples (1kg)

$4.40 CA$6.03

$3.21 £2.38

37.07%

Banana (1kg)

$1.37 CA$1.88

$1.83 £1.36

-25.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.69 CA$5.06

$3.11 £2.31

18.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.70 CA$5.07

$3.71 £2.75

-0.27%

Potato (1kg)

$1.60 CA$2.20

$1.82 £1.35

-12.09%

Onion (1kg)

$2.13 CA$2.91

$1.83 £1.36

16.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.17 CA$2.97

$1.33 £0.98

63.16%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.43 CA$1.96

$1.50 £1.11

-4.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.42 CA$17.02

$18.59 £13.78

-33.19%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.02 CA$17.84

$10.33 £7.66

26.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.08 CA$2.84

$2.52 £1.87

-17.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.59 CA$3.55

$2.40 £1.78

7.92%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.44 CA$3.34

$2.76 £2.05

-11.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$82.1 CA$112

$88.0 £65.2

-6.76%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.12 CA$5.64

$5.29 £3.92

-22.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.71 CA$2.34

$1.15 £0.85

48.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$31.74 CA$43.48

$16.14 £11.96

96.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 CA$1.57

$1.88 £1.39

-38.83%

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

$25.1K CA$34.4K

$39.0K £28.9K

-35.63%

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

$20.5K CA$28.1K

$42.2K £31.3K

-51.36%

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

$144 CA$197

$299 £222

-51.87%

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

$46.71 CA$64.0

$17.25 £12.78

170.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.7 CA$80.5

$43.30 £32.09

35.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.50 CA$58.2

$47.43 £35.15

-10.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.43 CA$10.18

$27.52 £20.39

-73.00%

Cinema Ticket

$10.81 CA$14.81

$13.53 £10.03

-20.10%

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

$561 CA$769

$1,546 £1,146

-63.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.5K CA$19.9K

$13.3K £9,877

8.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 CA$76.4

$81.5 £60.4

-31.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.17 CA$64.6

$42.71 £31.65

10.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.3 CA$118

$86.2 £63.9

0.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$81.1 CA$111

$81.7 £60.6

-0.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,460 CA$2,000

$1,199 £889

21.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,267 CA$1,736

$1,080 £801

17.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,636 CA$3,612

$1,719 £1,274

53.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,978 CA$2,710

$1,499 £1,110

31.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,575 CA$4,898

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,752 CA$5,140

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,022 CA$4,140

$4,335 £3,212

-30.28%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.21

5.8

7.07%

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

Last update for London: April 14, 2026

Last update for Bolton: April 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,460 in London versus $1,199 in Bolton. 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 43% higher in Bolton, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $74 in London versus $81 in Bolton. Groceries tell a different story – $327 in London vs $311 in Bolton – so Bolton wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Bolton: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – London is pricier by about 3%, and the gap shows up most in Monthly Utilities & Internet. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,698 per month in London and $3,583 in Bolton. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 7% less in Bolton. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $561 per month in London and $1,546 in Bolton. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Bolton, where all-in costs run around $2,389, than in London at $2,465. In Bolton it covers expenses comfortably, while in London it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Bolton – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Bolton. 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.