Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between London and Bath

For one person, living is cheaper in Bath: $2,794 a month against $4,049 in London, rent and utilities included – about $15,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

London
🇬🇧 United Kingdom
$4,049
/mo nomad
Bath
🇬🇧 United Kingdom
$2,794
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in London and in Bath

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in London and in Bath actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $4,049 in London versus $2,794 in Bath.

  • London $4,049
  • Bath $2,794

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,827 in London versus $4,002 in Bath.

  • London $5,827
  • Bath $4,002

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,605 in London versus $5,210 in Bath.

  • London $7,605
  • Bath $5,210

Living in London is roughly 45% more expensive than in Bath, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: London 199% above, Bath 106% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
London
Bath
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$27.09 £20.33
$23.73 £17.80
14.16%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$104 £78.3
$101 £75.8
3.20%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.86 £8.15
$10.78 £8.09
0.74%
Cappuccino
$5.60 £4.20
$5.14 £3.86
8.95%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.05 £2.29
$2.59 £1.95
17.76%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.28 £1.71
$1.85 £1.39
23.24%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$9.23 £6.92
$7.81 £5.86
18.18%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$7.95 £5.96
$6.46 £4.85
23.07%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
London
Bath
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.83 £1.37
$1.57 £1.18
16.56%
White Bread (500g)
$2.05 £1.54
$1.70 £1.28
20.59%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.47 £1.86
$2.02 £1.52
22.28%
Eggs
$5.12 £3.84
$4.24 £3.18
20.75%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.89 £9.67
$8.48 £6.36
52.00%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.84 £8.14
$9.69 £7.27
11.87%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$17.03 £12.78
$13.05 £9.79
30.50%
Apples (1kg)
$3.07 £2.30
$4.22 £3.16
-27.25%
Banana (1kg)
$1.38 £1.03
$1.81 £1.36
-23.76%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.99 £2.24
$2.71 £2.03
10.33%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.39 £2.54
$4.00 £3.00
-15.25%
Potato (1kg)
$1.60 £1.20
$2.08 £1.56
-23.08%
Onion (1kg)
$1.80 £1.35
$1.71 £1.28
5.26%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.41 £1.06
$1.22 £0.91
15.57%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.81 £1.36
$1.96 £1.47
-7.65%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$23.92 £17.94
$23.05 £17.29
3.77%
Wine (Bottle)
$13.54 £10.16
$10.68 £8.01
26.78%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$3.23 £2.42
$2.85 £2.14
13.33%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.39 £3.29
$3.20 £2.40
37.19%
🚌 Getting Around
London
Bath
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$3.92 £2.94
$3.56 £2.67
10.11%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$243 £182
$127 £95.6
90.43%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$5.58 £4.18
$3.36 £2.52
66.07%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$3.27 £2.46
$1.71 £1.28
91.23%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$58.4 £43.81
$26.26 £19.70
122.39%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.08 £1.56
$2.08 £1.56
-
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$38.8K £29.1K
$37.8K £28.4K
2.67%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$40.6K £30.5K
$40.3K £30.3K
0.65%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
London
Bath
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$380 £285
$300 £225
26.55%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$18.62 £13.97
$19.61 £14.71
-5.05%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$40.45 £30.35
$38.83 £29.13
4.17%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
London
Bath
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$61.3 £45.95
$45.16 £33.88
35.63%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$21.41 £16.07
$19.59 £14.70
9.29%
Cinema Ticket
$18.09 £13.57
$15.03 £11.28
20.36%
🧸 Childcare & Education
London
Bath
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$2,905 £2,180
$1,631 £1,224
78.14%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$35.5K £26.6K
$25.1K £18.9K
41.27%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
London
Bath
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$116 £87.3
$83.6 £62.7
39.29%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$54.5 £40.89
$30.68 £23.02
77.67%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$128 £95.8
$99.0 £74.3
28.93%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$167 £125
$82.9 £62.2
101.30%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
London
Bath
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,852 £2,140
$1,804 £1,353
58.13%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,269 £1,702
$1,406 £1,055
61.43%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$5,250 £3,939
$3,506 £2,630
49.73%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$3,752 £2,815
$2,105 £1,579
78.25%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$18.5K £13.9K
$9,965 £7,476
85.84%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$8,100 £6,077
$6,723 £5,043
20.49%
💵 Salaries & Financials
London
Bath
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$5,109 £3,833
$3,687 £2,766
38.58%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.74
5.11
-7.24%

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

Last update for London: October 19, 2026

Last update for Bath: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
London
$2.3K
Bath
$1.4K 38.1% $863
Monthly Utilities & Internet
London
$439
Bath
$359 18.3% $80
Eating Out
London
$400
Bath
$354 11.6% $46
Groceries & Markets
London
$353
Bath
$314 11.3% $40
Getting Around
London
$280
Bath
$154 45.2% $127
Clothing & Footwear
London
$209
Bath
$133 36.4% $76
Sport & Entertainment
London
$97
Bath
$75 22.8% $22

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,852 in London and $1,804 in Bath. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

London pays 39% 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: $104 in London vs $101 in Bath for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $353 vs $314 per month, with Bath cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇬🇧 London
🇬🇧 Bath
🕒 Local time
15:53 3:53 PM
15:53 3:53 PM
Same time as London
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
8,908,083 Capital
88,859
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to GBP – British Pound Converter

British Pound exchange rates as of October 22, 2026: 1 USD = 0.75 GBP (1 GBP = 1.33 USD). 1 EUR = 0.843 GBP (1 GBP = 1.19 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • London Bath 160 km
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Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Is Bath cheaper than London?
Bath is cheaper overall, especially in eating out, groceries, and transport. The 45% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: London or Bath?
Average pay runs 39% higher in London, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
What is the rent difference between London and Bath?
Rent for a central apartment: $2,852 in London versus $1,804 in Bath. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What are total monthly expenses in London and in Bath?
All in, you'll spend $4,049 per month in London versus $2,794 in Bath – a 45% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
A monthly transit pass in Bath runs roughly 90% less than in London. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
Is $2,500 enough to cover costs in London or in Bath?
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.
Is London or Bath more family-friendly?
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.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Bath gentler on the wallet – expenses run 45% less than in London. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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