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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,916 per month in London vs $2,365 in Barnet, rent included.

A couple spends around $5,631 per month in London vs $4,055 in Barnet, rent included.

A family of three spends $7,345 per month in London vs $5,746 in Barnet, rent included.

London costs about 66% more than Barnet, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both London and Barnet sit above the global median – London by 193%, Barnet by 77%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$27.47 £20.45

$27.09 £20.17

1.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$111 £82.4

$95.8 £71.3

15.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.67 £7.95

$10.35 £7.70

3.09%

Cappuccino

$5.30 £3.94

$5.23 £3.89

1.34%

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

$2.74 £2.04

$3.45 £2.57

-20.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.79 £1.33

$1.88 £1.40

-4.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.00 £6.70

$7.98 £5.94

12.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.12 £6.04

$6.97 £5.19

16.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.72 £1.28

$1.45 £1.08

18.62%

White Bread (500g)

$2.11 £1.57

$1.63 £1.21

29.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.47 £1.84

$2.67 £1.98

-7.49%

Eggs

$4.98 £3.71

$4.85 £3.61

2.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.11 £8.27

$11.27 £8.39

-1.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.13 £6.80

$8.65 £6.44

5.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.41 £10.73

$14.86 £11.06

-3.03%

Apples (1kg)

$3.36 £2.50

$3.03 £2.25

10.89%

Banana (1kg)

$2.03 £1.51

$2.04 £1.52

-0.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.27 £2.44

$2.91 £2.17

12.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.63 £2.70

$3.52 £2.62

3.12%

Potato (1kg)

$1.68 £1.25

$1.69 £1.25

-0.59%

Onion (1kg)

$1.77 £1.32

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.33 £0.99

$1.10 £0.82

20.91%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.91 £1.42

$1.58 £1.18

20.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$22.79 £16.97

$23.19 £17.26

-1.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.62 £10.14

$13.53 £10.07

0.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.20 £2.38

$3.24 £2.41

-1.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.07 £3.03

$4.03 £3.00

0.99%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.82 £2.85

$2.40 £1.79

59.17%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$249 £185

$89.1 £66.3

179.23%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.89 £4.39

$5.37 £4.00

9.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.32 £2.47

$2.15 £1.60

54.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$40.47 £30.13

$14.75 £10.98

174.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.90 £1.42

$1.87 £1.39

1.60%

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

$38.9K £29.0K

$38.2K £28.4K

1.92%

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

$39.4K £29.3K

$38.5K £28.7K

2.35%

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

$328 £244

$227 £169

44.83%

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

$19.61 £14.60

$20.18 £15.02

-2.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.68 £31.78

$43.54 £32.41

-1.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$63.2 £47.08

$53.8 £40.05

17.57%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.39 £16.67

Cinema Ticket

$20.69 £15.40

$13.40 £9.98

54.40%

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

$2,474 £1,842

$1,934 £1,440

27.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$27.9K £20.8K

$25.7K £19.1K

8.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$119 £88.9

$83.4 £62.1

43.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.1 £37.29

$48.45 £36.07

3.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$131 £97.4

$111 £82.3

18.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$158 £118

$97.9 £72.9

61.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,937 £2,186

$1,207 £898

143.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,229 £1,660

$1,013 £754

120.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,569 £4,146

$3,423 £2,548

62.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,707 £2,760

$2,744 £2,043

35.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$20.1K £15.0K

$14.2K £10.5K

41.93%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$8,485 £6,317

$14.1K £10.5K

-39.82%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,247 £3,162

$2,625 £1,954

61.80%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Barnet: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,937 in London versus $1,207 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 62% 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 $111 in London versus $96.0 in Barnet. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $339 vs $322 – 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 66%, 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 $5,874 per month in London and $3,547 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 $3,916 in London and $2,365 in Barnet. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 179% 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 $2,365, than in London at $3,916. 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.