Cost of Living Comparison Between London and Ashford Cost of Living Comparison Between London and Ashford

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,892 in London versus $2,268 in Ashford.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,638 in London versus $3,164 in Ashford.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,385 in London versus $4,060 in Ashford.

Living in London is roughly 72% more expensive than Ashford, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: London 190% above, Ashford 69% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$26.92 £20.05

$19.98 £14.88

34.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$110 £81.7

$95.0 £70.8

15.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.83 £8.07

$10.91 £8.13

-0.73%

Cappuccino

$5.10 £3.80

$4.01 £2.99

27.18%

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

$2.77 £2.06

$2.86 £2.13

-3.15%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.78 £1.33

$1.97 £1.47

-9.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.93 £6.65

$6.21 £4.62

43.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.03 £5.98

$6.27 £4.67

28.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.77 £1.32

$1.88 £1.40

-5.85%

White Bread (500g)

$2.08 £1.55

$1.46 £1.09

42.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.57 £1.92

$2.82 £2.10

-8.87%

Eggs

$4.75 £3.54

$3.75 £2.79

26.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.16 £8.31

$6.03 £4.50

85.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.00 £6.71

$6.83 £5.09

31.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.83 £11.05

$13.04 £9.72

13.73%

Apples (1kg)

$3.33 £2.48

$3.31 £2.47

0.60%

Banana (1kg)

$1.96 £1.46

$1.97 £1.47

-0.51%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.25 £2.42

$3.72 £2.77

-12.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.60 £2.68

$3.54 £2.64

1.69%

Potato (1kg)

$1.68 £1.25

$1.97 £1.46

-14.72%

Onion (1kg)

$1.87 £1.40

$2.10 £1.57

-10.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.32 £0.99

$1.21 £0.90

9.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.95 £1.45

$1.46 £1.09

33.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$22.81 £17.00

$19.80 £14.75

15.20%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.71 £10.21

$9.53 £7.10

43.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.31 £2.47

$3.51 £2.62

-5.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.93 £2.93

$4.25 £3.16

-7.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.95 £2.95

$3.34 £2.49

18.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$240 £179

$89.7 £66.9

167.93%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.04 £4.50

$6.91 £5.15

-12.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.31 £2.46

$1.56 £1.16

112.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$40.84 £30.43

$53.3 £39.69

-23.35%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.88 £1.40

$1.95 £1.45

-3.59%

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

$38.9K £29.0K

$24.9K £18.6K

56.06%

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

$40.0K £29.8K

$26.3K £19.6K

52.06%

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

$326 £243

$252 £188

29.64%

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

$20.23 £15.07

$15.62 £11.64

29.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.59 £31.73

$33.76 £25.15

26.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$64.4 £47.97

$59.4 £44.25

8.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.34 £16.64

Cinema Ticket

$20.19 £15.04

$16.51 £12.30

22.29%

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

$2,525 £1,881

$2,296 £1,711

9.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$28.0K £20.9K

$22.8K £17.0K

23.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$119 £88.8

$88.3 £65.8

34.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.83 £37.12

$29.50 £21.98

68.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$127 £94.6

$85.7 £63.9

48.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$159 £119

$91.6 £68.2

73.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,019 £2,249

$1,293 £963

133.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,274 £1,694

$995 £741

128.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,543 £4,130

$1,866 £1,390

197.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,737 £2,784

$1,283 £956

191.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$19.4K £14.4K

$6,583 £4,905

194.58%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$9,516 £7,089

$4,754 £3,542

100.16%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,820 £3,591

$2,481 £1,849

94.26%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.05

5.54

-8.84%

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

Last update for London: May 31, 2026

Last update for Ashford: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $3,019 in London and $1,293 in Ashford. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

London pays 94% 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: $110 in London vs $95.0 in Ashford for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $340 vs $290 per month, with Ashford 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

London vs Ashford: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ashford is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Groceries & Markets, Getting Around, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment. The 72% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

London pays 94% 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: $3,019 in London versus $1,293 in Ashford. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Ashford – a meal for two runs $95.0 versus $110 in London. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $3,892 per month in London versus $2,268 in Ashford – a 72% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,268 in Ashford versus $3,892 in London, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Ashford but tight or insufficient in London. The gap between the two cities makes Ashford the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Ashford 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, London and Ashford 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 Ashford gentler on the wallet – expenses run 72% less than in London. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.