Cost of Living Comparison Between London and Aberdeen Cost of Living Comparison Between London and Aberdeen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $4,005 per month in London vs $2,209 in Aberdeen, rent included.

A couple spends around $5,688 per month in London vs $3,452 in Aberdeen, rent included.

A family of three spends $7,371 per month in London vs $4,695 in Aberdeen, rent included.

London costs about 81% more than Aberdeen, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both London and Aberdeen sit above the global median – London by 199%, Aberdeen by 65%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$27.10 £20.08

$21.45 £15.89

26.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$109 £80.6

$82.2 £60.9

32.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.05 £8.19

$10.03 £7.43

10.17%

Cappuccino

$5.16 £3.83

$4.50 £3.34

14.67%

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

$2.73 £2.02

$2.04 £1.51

33.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.86 £1.38

$1.51 £1.12

23.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.88 £6.58

$6.16 £4.56

44.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.15 £6.04

$6.93 £5.13

17.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.75 £1.30

$1.71 £1.27

2.34%

White Bread (500g)

$2.19 £1.62

$1.66 £1.23

31.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.58 £1.91

$1.85 £1.37

39.46%

Eggs

$4.84 £3.59

$4.16 £3.08

16.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.16 £8.27

$8.76 £6.49

27.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.03 £6.69

$11.73 £8.69

-23.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.73 £10.92

$13.48 £9.99

9.27%

Apples (1kg)

$3.43 £2.54

$3.04 £2.25

12.83%

Banana (1kg)

$1.94 £1.44

$1.67 £1.23

16.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.10 £2.29

$2.82 £2.09

9.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.45 £2.56

$4.17 £3.09

-17.27%

Potato (1kg)

$1.74 £1.29

$1.19 £0.88

46.22%

Onion (1kg)

$1.85 £1.37

$1.39 £1.03

33.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.39 £1.03

$1.20 £0.89

15.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.98 £1.47

$1.41 £1.04

40.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$23.08 £17.10

$19.13 £14.17

20.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.32 £9.87

$11.35 £8.41

17.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.30 £2.45

$2.27 £1.68

45.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.02 £2.98

$2.36 £1.75

70.34%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.84 £2.85

$5.45 £4.04

-29.54%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$246 £182

$109 £80.8

125.69%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.85 £4.33

$4.74 £3.51

23.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.34 £2.47

$1.70 £1.26

96.47%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$40.12 £29.73

$34.90 £25.86

14.96%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.90 £1.41

$1.95 £1.44

-2.56%

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

$38.9K £28.9K

$38.6K £28.6K

0.82%

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

$38.6K £28.6K

$40.8K £30.2K

-5.23%

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

$318 £236

$407 £302

-21.78%

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

$19.99 £14.81

$24.46 £18.12

-18.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$43.42 £32.17

$44.90 £33.27

-3.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$64.6 £47.85

$63.8 £47.29

1.19%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.02 £17.06

$10.58 £7.84

117.58%

Cinema Ticket

$20.17 £14.94

$9.02 £6.69

123.61%

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

$2,552 £1,891

$1,882 £1,394

35.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$27.9K £20.7K

$15.6K £11.6K

78.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$119 £88.3

$82.5 £61.2

44.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.4 £37.33

$41.01 £30.39

22.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$127 £94.0

$95.2 £70.5

33.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$159 £118

$120 £89.0

32.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,034 £2,249

$883 £654

243.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,294 £1,700

$780 £578

194.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,634 £4,175

$1,662 £1,231

239.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,693 £2,737

$1,594 £1,181

131.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$19.2K £14.2K

$2,338 £1,733

720.04%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$10.5K £7,791

$3,517 £2,606

198.99%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,023 £3,722

$3,680 £2,727

36.50%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.05

6.2

-18.55%

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

Last update for London: April 27, 2026

Last update for Aberdeen: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $3,034 in London versus $883 in Aberdeen. 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 37% 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 $109 in London versus $82.0 in Aberdeen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $340 vs $307 – making Aberdeen 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

London vs Aberdeen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

London costs about 81% more than Aberdeen, 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 $6,007 per month in London and $3,313 in Aberdeen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $4,005 in London and $2,209 in Aberdeen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 126% less in Aberdeen. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Aberdeen, where all-in costs run around $2,209, than in London at $4,005. In Aberdeen it covers expenses comfortably, while in London it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Aberdeen costs $2,209 versus $4,005 in London. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Aberdeen. 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.