Cost of Living Comparison Between London and Barnsley Cost of Living Comparison Between London and Barnsley

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,916 per month in London vs $1,776 in Barnsley, rent included.

A couple spends around $5,631 per month in London vs $2,759 in Barnsley, rent included.

A family of three spends $7,345 per month in London vs $3,741 in Barnsley, rent included.

London costs about 120% more than Barnsley, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both London and Barnsley sit above the global median – London by 193%, Barnsley by 33%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$27.47 £20.45

$27.01 £20.11

1.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$111 £82.4

$89.6 £66.7

23.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.67 £7.95

$10.48 £7.80

1.81%

Cappuccino

$5.30 £3.94

$4.56 £3.40

16.23%

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

$2.74 £2.04

$2.45 £1.82

11.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.79 £1.33

$1.78 £1.32

0.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.00 £6.70

$5.64 £4.20

59.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.12 £6.04

$6.97 £5.19

16.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.72 £1.28

$1.59 £1.18

8.18%

White Bread (500g)

$2.11 £1.57

$1.62 £1.20

30.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.47 £1.84

$1.95 £1.45

26.67%

Eggs

$4.98 £3.71

$3.78 £2.81

31.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.11 £8.27

$9.69 £7.21

14.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.13 £6.80

$8.87 £6.60

2.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.41 £10.73

$11.88 £8.84

21.30%

Apples (1kg)

$3.36 £2.50

$2.86 £2.13

17.48%

Banana (1kg)

$2.03 £1.51

$1.48 £1.10

37.16%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.27 £2.44

$2.63 £1.96

24.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.63 £2.70

$2.97 £2.21

22.22%

Potato (1kg)

$1.68 £1.25

$1.83 £1.37

-8.20%

Onion (1kg)

$1.77 £1.32

$1.57 £1.17

12.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.33 £0.99

$1.12 £0.83

18.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.91 £1.42

$1.39 £1.03

37.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$22.79 £16.97

$19.28 £14.35

18.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.62 £10.14

$11.52 £8.58

18.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.20 £2.38

$2.81 £2.09

13.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.07 £3.03

$3.39 £2.53

20.06%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.82 £2.85

$2.70 £2.01

41.48%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$249 £185

$90.3 £67.2

175.55%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.89 £4.39

$5.54 £4.13

6.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.32 £2.47

$1.24 £0.92

167.74%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$40.47 £30.13

$19.72 £14.68

105.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.90 £1.42

$1.97 £1.47

-3.55%

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

$38.9K £29.0K

$38.9K £28.9K

0.18%

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

$39.4K £29.3K

$41.1K £30.6K

-4.07%

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

$328 £244

$202 £150

62.54%

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

$19.61 £14.60

$18.97 £14.12

3.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.68 £31.78

$43.13 £32.11

-1.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$63.2 £47.08

$46.42 £34.56

36.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.39 £16.67

Cinema Ticket

$20.69 £15.40

$12.12 £9.02

70.71%

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

$2,474 £1,842

$1,515 £1,128

63.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$27.9K £20.8K

$6,756 £5,030

313.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$119 £88.9

$58.6 £43.65

103.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.1 £37.29

$38.63 £28.76

29.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$131 £97.4

$84.9 £63.2

54.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$158 £118

$81.3 £60.6

94.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,937 £2,186

$742 £553

295.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,229 £1,660

$578 £431

285.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,569 £4,146

$1,175 £875

373.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,707 £2,760

$991 £737

274.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$20.1K £15.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$8,485 £6,317

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,247 £3,162

$2,948 £2,195

44.07%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.05

5.9

-14.41%

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

Last update for London: July 12, 2026

Last update for Barnsley: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,937 in London versus $742 in Barnsley. 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 44% 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 $90.0 in Barnsley. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $339 vs $286 – making Barnsley 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 Barnsley: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – London is pricier by about 120%, 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 $2,664 in Barnsley. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Barnsley, 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 $1,776 in Barnsley. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 176% less in Barnsley. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Barnsley, where all-in costs run around $1,776, than in London at $3,916. In Barnsley it covers expenses comfortably, while in London it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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

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 Barnsley. 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.