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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $4,221 per month in London vs $2,926 in Barnet, rent included.

A couple spends around $5,971 per month in London vs $4,314 in Barnet, rent included.

A family of three spends $7,721 per month in London vs $5,701 in Barnet, rent included.

London costs about 44% more than Barnet, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both London and Barnet sit above the global median – London by 207%, Barnet by 113%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$27.14 £20.08

$23.33 £17.26

16.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$110 £81.3

$95.7 £70.8

14.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.05 £8.17

$11.04 £8.16

0.09%

Cappuccino

$5.84 £4.32

$5.62 £4.16

3.91%

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

$3.02 £2.24

$2.97 £2.20

1.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.24 £1.66

$1.93 £1.43

16.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.33 £6.90

$8.02 £5.93

16.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.92 £6.60

$7.33 £5.42

21.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.88 £1.39

$1.66 £1.22

13.25%

White Bread (500g)

$2.05 £1.51

$1.76 £1.30

16.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.46 £1.82

$2.69 £1.99

-8.55%

Eggs

$5.21 £3.85

$4.84 £3.58

7.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.72 £9.41

$11.80 £8.73

7.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.97 £8.12

$10.80 £7.99

1.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.29 £13.53

$18.45 £13.65

-0.87%

Apples (1kg)

$3.17 £2.35

$2.99 £2.21

6.02%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 £1.11

$1.76 £1.30

-14.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.80 £2.07

Tomato (1kg)

$3.50 £2.59

$3.45 £2.55

1.45%

Potato (1kg)

$1.65 £1.22

$1.88 £1.39

-12.23%

Onion (1kg)

$1.85 £1.37

$1.90 £1.40

-2.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.53 £1.14

$1.32 £0.97

15.91%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 £1.35

$1.81 £1.34

1.10%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$24.20 £17.90

$23.93 £17.70

1.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.40 £9.91

$12.28 £9.09

9.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.27 £2.42

$3.26 £2.41

0.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.67 £3.46

$4.57 £3.38

2.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.18 £3.09

$2.40 £1.78

74.17%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$272 £201

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.75 £4.26

$5.79 £4.28

-0.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.32 £2.46

$2.66 £1.97

24.81%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$58.0 £42.89

$51.9 £38.42

11.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.06 £1.52

$2.10 £1.56

-1.90%

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

$39.5K £29.2K

$39.3K £29.1K

0.50%

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

$42.6K £31.5K

$41.9K £31.0K

1.77%

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

$373 £276

$348 £257

7.22%

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

$18.28 £13.53

$18.91 £13.99

-3.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.44 £31.39

$41.36 £30.60

2.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$63.7 £47.12

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.74 £16.82

Cinema Ticket

$18.46 £13.66

$17.53 £12.97

5.31%

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

$2,922 £2,161

$2,659 £1,967

9.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$37.1K £27.4K

$29.5K £21.8K

25.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$115 £84.8

$90.4 £66.9

26.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.6 £40.40

$47.57 £35.19

14.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$129 £95.2

$93.1 £68.9

38.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$153 £113

$129 £95.5

18.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,001 £2,220

$2,070 £1,532

44.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,363 £1,748

$1,610 £1,191

46.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,471 £4,047

$3,336 £2,468

63.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,809 £2,818

$2,844 £2,104

33.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$18.4K £13.6K

$14.5K £10.7K

27.49%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,891 £5,838

$14.5K £10.7K

-45.60%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,580 £3,388

$2,686 £1,987

70.52%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.61

4.64

-0.65%

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

Last update for London: August 30, 2026

Last update for Barnet: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $3,001 in London versus $2,070 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 71% 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 $96.0 in Barnet. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $361 vs $349 – 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 44%, 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 $6,332 per month in London and $4,389 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $110 in London and $96.0 in Barnet. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 3% more in London, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $4,221 in London and $2,926 in Barnet. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

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.