Cost of Living Comparison Between London and Bath Cost of Living Comparison Between London and Bath

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $4,221 in London versus $2,808 in Bath.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,971 in London versus $4,048 in Bath.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,721 in London versus $5,287 in Bath.

Living in London is roughly 50% more expensive than in Bath, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: London 207% above, Bath 104% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$27.14 £20.08

$24.13 £17.85

12.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$110 £81.3

$100 £74.2

9.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.05 £8.17

$10.89 £8.05

1.47%

Cappuccino

$5.84 £4.32

$5.08 £3.76

14.96%

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

$3.02 £2.24

$3.12 £2.31

-3.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.24 £1.66

$2.10 £1.56

6.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.33 £6.90

$7.79 £5.76

19.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.92 £6.60

$6.88 £5.09

29.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.88 £1.39

$1.83 £1.35

2.73%

White Bread (500g)

$2.05 £1.51

$1.75 £1.30

17.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.46 £1.82

$2.19 £1.62

12.33%

Eggs

$5.21 £3.85

$4.33 £3.21

20.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.72 £9.41

$9.74 £7.20

30.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.97 £8.12

$9.71 £7.19

12.98%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.29 £13.53

$14.67 £10.85

24.68%

Apples (1kg)

$3.17 £2.35

$3.22 £2.38

-1.55%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 £1.11

$1.84 £1.36

-18.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.80 £2.07

$3.17 £2.34

-11.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.50 £2.59

$4.23 £3.13

-17.26%

Potato (1kg)

$1.65 £1.22

$2.08 £1.54

-20.67%

Onion (1kg)

$1.85 £1.37

$1.59 £1.17

16.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.53 £1.14

$1.27 £0.94

20.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 £1.35

$1.97 £1.46

-7.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$24.20 £17.90

$24.15 £17.87

0.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.40 £9.91

$11.14 £8.24

20.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.27 £2.42

$3.07 £2.27

6.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.67 £3.46

$3.41 £2.52

36.95%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.18 £3.09

$3.50 £2.59

19.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$272 £201

$133 £98.1

105.24%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.75 £4.26

$4.69 £3.47

22.60%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.32 £2.46

$1.64 £1.22

102.44%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$58.0 £42.89

$27.53 £20.37

110.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.06 £1.52

$2.05 £1.52

0.49%

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

$39.5K £29.2K

$39.9K £29.5K

-1.00%

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

$42.6K £31.5K

$41.9K £31.0K

1.68%

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

$373 £276

$316 £233

18.17%

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

$18.28 £13.53

$17.46 £12.92

4.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.44 £31.39

$44.22 £32.71

-4.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$63.7 £47.12

$46.61 £34.48

36.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.74 £16.82

$20.31 £15.03

11.96%

Cinema Ticket

$18.46 £13.66

$14.19 £10.50

30.09%

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

$2,922 £2,161

$2,016 £1,492

44.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$37.1K £27.4K

$25.7K £19.0K

44.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$115 £84.8

$98.2 £72.6

16.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.6 £40.40

$49.08 £36.31

11.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$129 £95.2

$110 £81.3

17.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$153 £113

$101 £74.4

52.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,001 £2,220

$1,841 £1,362

62.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,363 £1,748

$1,405 £1,040

68.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,471 £4,047

$3,674 £2,718

48.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,809 £2,818

$2,159 £1,597

76.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$18.4K £13.6K

$10.0K £7,429

83.51%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,891 £5,838

$6,938 £5,133

13.73%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,580 £3,388

$3,761 £2,782

21.78%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.61

5.11

-9.78%

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

Last update for London: August 30, 2026

Last update for Bath: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $3,001 in London and $1,841 in Bath. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

London pays 22% 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 $100 in Bath for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $361 vs $327 per month, with Bath 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 Bath: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bath is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Groceries & Markets, Getting Around, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment. The 50% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 22% higher in London, 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: $3,001 in London versus $1,841 in Bath. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $4,221 per month in London versus $2,808 in Bath – a 50% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Bath runs roughly 105% less than in London. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,500. Bath is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

For families, Bath 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.

Expats usually find Bath gentler on the wallet – expenses run 50% less than in London. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.