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: $3,892 in London versus $2,800 in Bath.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,638 in London versus $4,152 in Bath.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,385 in London versus $5,504 in Bath.

Living in London is roughly 39% more expensive than Bath, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: London 190% above, Bath 109% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$26.92 £20.01

$20.35 £15.13

32.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$110 £81.5

$103 £76.2

6.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.83 £8.05

$11.02 £8.19

-1.72%

Cappuccino

$5.10 £3.79

$4.91 £3.65

3.87%

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

$2.77 £2.06

$2.65 £1.97

4.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.78 £1.33

$1.75 £1.30

1.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.93 £6.64

$7.67 £5.70

16.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.03 £5.97

$6.97 £5.18

15.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.77 £1.32

$1.91 £1.42

-7.33%

White Bread (500g)

$2.08 £1.55

$1.63 £1.21

27.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.57 £1.91

$2.80 £2.08

-8.21%

Eggs

$4.75 £3.53

$5.28 £3.92

-10.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.16 £8.30

$12.39 £9.21

-9.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.00 £6.69

$10.76 £8.00

-16.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.83 £11.02

$14.13 £10.50

4.95%

Apples (1kg)

$3.33 £2.47

$3.93 £2.92

-15.27%

Banana (1kg)

$1.96 £1.46

$1.63 £1.21

20.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.25 £2.42

Tomato (1kg)

$3.60 £2.67

$4.67 £3.47

-22.91%

Potato (1kg)

$1.68 £1.25

$1.65 £1.22

1.82%

Onion (1kg)

$1.87 £1.39

$1.83 £1.36

2.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.32 £0.98

$1.25 £0.93

5.60%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.95 £1.45

$1.79 £1.33

8.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$22.81 £16.96

$19.59 £14.56

16.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.71 £10.19

$10.73 £7.98

27.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.31 £2.46

$3.22 £2.39

2.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.93 £2.92

$3.10 £2.30

26.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.95 £2.94

$2.78 £2.07

42.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$240 £179

$120 £89.0

100.81%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.04 £4.49

$5.33 £3.96

13.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.31 £2.46

$1.70 £1.26

94.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$40.84 £30.36

$27.09 £20.13

50.76%

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 £28.9K

$38.2K £28.4K

1.83%

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

$40.0K £29.8K

$44.7K £33.2K

-10.36%

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

$326 £243

$352 £262

-7.23%

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

$20.23 £15.04

$18.63 £13.84

8.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.59 £31.66

$46.28 £34.40

-7.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$64.4 £47.86

$48.40 £35.98

33.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.34 £16.61

$11.52 £8.56

93.92%

Cinema Ticket

$20.19 £15.00

$13.64 £10.14

48.02%

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

$2,525 £1,876

$1,754 £1,304

43.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$28.0K £20.8K

$16.5K £12.3K

69.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$119 £88.6

$84.7 £62.9

40.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.83 £37.04

$49.32 £36.66

1.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$127 £94.4

$92.3 £68.6

37.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$159 £118

$86.6 £64.4

83.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,019 £2,244

$1,650 £1,226

83.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,274 £1,690

$1,415 £1,052

60.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,543 £4,120

$3,463 £2,574

60.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,737 £2,778

$2,401 £1,785

55.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$19.4K £14.4K

$10.3K £7,667

88.01%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$9,516 £7,073

$6,854 £5,095

38.83%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,820 £3,583

$3,668 £2,727

31.39%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.05

5.74

-12.02%

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

Last update for London: May 31, 2026

Last update for Bath: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $3,019 in London and $1,650 in Bath. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

London pays 31% 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 $103 in Bath. Groceries flip the comparison at $340 vs $346, with London cheaper for home cooking.

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, Getting Around, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment. The 39% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

London pays 31% more on average, 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: $3,019 in London versus $1,650 in Bath. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $3,892 per month in London versus $2,800 in Bath – a 39% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Bath runs roughly 101% 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 39% less than in London. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.