Cost of Living Comparison Between London and Barnet Cost of Living Comparison Between London and Barnet

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,892 per month in London vs $2,388 in Barnet, rent included.

A couple spends around $5,638 per month in London vs $4,111 in Barnet, rent included.

A family of three spends $7,385 per month in London vs $5,835 in Barnet, rent included.

London costs about 63% more than Barnet, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both London and Barnet sit above the global median – London by 190%, Barnet by 78%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$26.92 £20.05

$27.53 £20.51

-2.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$110 £81.7

$94.4 £70.3

16.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.83 £8.07

$10.00 £7.45

8.30%

Cappuccino

$5.10 £3.80

$5.06 £3.77

0.79%

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

$2.77 £2.06

$3.34 £2.49

-17.07%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.78 £1.33

$1.87 £1.39

-4.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.93 £6.65

$8.05 £6.00

10.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.03 £5.98

$6.83 £5.08

17.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.77 £1.32

$1.44 £1.07

22.92%

White Bread (500g)

$2.08 £1.55

$1.65 £1.23

26.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.57 £1.92

$2.78 £2.07

-7.55%

Eggs

$4.75 £3.54

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.16 £8.31

$11.06 £8.24

0.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.00 £6.71

$8.85 £6.60

1.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.83 £11.05

$14.77 £11.00

0.41%

Apples (1kg)

$3.33 £2.48

$3.00 £2.24

11.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.96 £1.46

$2.03 £1.51

-3.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.25 £2.42

$2.87 £2.14

13.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.60 £2.68

$3.47 £2.59

3.75%

Potato (1kg)

$1.68 £1.25

$1.77 £1.32

-5.08%

Onion (1kg)

$1.87 £1.40

$1.83 £1.37

2.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.32 £0.99

$1.06 £0.79

24.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.95 £1.45

$1.53 £1.14

27.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$22.81 £17.00

$23.39 £17.43

-2.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.71 £10.21

$13.27 £9.89

3.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.31 £2.47

$3.25 £2.42

1.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.93 £2.93

$3.96 £2.95

-0.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.95 £2.95

$2.34 £1.74

68.80%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$240 £179

$88.6 £66.0

171.37%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.04 £4.50

$5.32 £3.96

13.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.31 £2.46

$2.15 £1.60

53.95%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$40.84 £30.43

$14.81 £11.03

175.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.88 £1.40

$1.90 £1.41

-1.05%

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

$38.9K £29.0K

$39.1K £29.1K

-0.58%

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

$40.0K £29.8K

$39.7K £29.6K

0.82%

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

$326 £243

$225 £168

44.94%

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

$20.23 £15.07

$20.11 £14.98

0.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.59 £31.73

$43.87 £32.69

-2.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$64.4 £47.97

$53.4 £39.78

20.58%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.34 £16.64

Cinema Ticket

$20.19 £15.04

$13.34 £9.94

51.35%

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

$2,525 £1,881

$1,910 £1,423

32.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$28.0K £20.9K

$25.8K £19.2K

8.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$119 £88.8

$84.1 £62.6

41.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.83 £37.12

$49.33 £36.75

1.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$127 £94.6

$109 £81.3

16.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$159 £119

$96.9 £72.2

64.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,019 £2,249

$1,230 £916

145.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,274 £1,694

$1,005 £749

126.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,543 £4,130

$3,435 £2,559

61.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,737 £2,784

$2,707 £2,016

38.07%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$19.4K £14.4K

$14.2K £10.6K

36.12%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$9,516 £7,089

$14.3K £10.6K

-33.40%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,820 £3,591

$2,668 £1,987

80.69%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.05

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

Last update for London: May 31, 2026

Last update for Barnet: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $3,019 in London versus $1,230 in Barnet. 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 81% 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 $110 in London versus $94.0 in Barnet. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $340 vs $321 – making Barnet 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 Barnet: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – London is pricier by about 63%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,838 per month in London and $3,582 in Barnet. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Barnet, 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 $3,892 in London and $2,388 in Barnet. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 171% less in Barnet. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Barnet, where all-in costs run around $2,388, than in London at $3,892. In Barnet it covers expenses comfortably, while in London it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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

If budget matters most, go with Barnet. 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.