Cost of Living Comparison Between London and Bournemouth Cost of Living Comparison Between London and Bournemouth

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $4,000 per month in London vs $2,491 in Bournemouth, rent included.

A couple spends around $5,771 per month in London vs $3,726 in Bournemouth, rent included.

A family of three spends $7,542 per month in London vs $4,960 in Bournemouth, rent included.

London costs about 61% more than Bournemouth, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both London and Bournemouth sit above the global median – London by 197%, Bournemouth by 85%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$27.00 £20.00

$20.24 £15.00

33.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$108 £79.7

$93.7 £69.4

14.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.76 £7.97

$9.38 £6.95

14.71%

Cappuccino

$5.12 £3.79

$4.31 £3.19

18.79%

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

$2.75 £2.04

$2.28 £1.69

20.61%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.78 £1.32

$1.77 £1.31

0.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.84 £6.55

$6.72 £4.98

31.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.08 £5.99

$5.54 £4.11

45.85%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.75 £1.30

$1.70 £1.26

2.94%

White Bread (500g)

$2.18 £1.61

$1.24 £0.92

75.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.53 £1.88

$2.55 £1.89

-0.78%

Eggs

$4.78 £3.54

$3.31 £2.45

44.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.46 £8.49

$9.58 £7.10

19.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.96 £6.64

$7.00 £5.19

28.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.45 £10.71

$13.57 £10.05

6.48%

Apples (1kg)

$3.45 £2.55

$2.72 £2.01

26.84%

Banana (1kg)

$2.04 £1.51

$1.43 £1.06

42.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.19 £2.37

$2.33 £1.73

36.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.59 £2.66

$2.22 £1.64

61.71%

Potato (1kg)

$1.75 £1.30

$1.78 £1.32

-1.69%

Onion (1kg)

$1.78 £1.32

$1.30 £0.96

36.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.32 £0.98

$0.95 £0.70

38.95%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.89 £1.40

$1.46 £1.08

29.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$22.64 £16.78

$21.90 £16.23

3.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.27 £9.83

$10.08 £7.47

31.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.23 £2.40

$2.69 £1.99

20.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.90 £2.89

$2.48 £1.84

57.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.00 £2.96

$2.65 £1.97

50.94%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$244 £181

$86.2 £63.9

182.65%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.03 £4.47

$3.99 £2.95

51.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.24 £2.40

$1.99 £1.47

62.81%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$40.25 £29.82

$26.19 £19.41

53.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.96 £1.45

$1.90 £1.41

3.16%

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

$38.2K £28.3K

-0.01%

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

$39.2K £29.1K

$39.3K £29.1K

-0.28%

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

$328 £243

$347 £257

-5.59%

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

$20.14 £14.92

$16.06 £11.90

25.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.96 £31.83

$45.11 £33.43

-4.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$65.4 £48.48

$40.00 £29.64

63.58%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.39 £16.59

$12.80 £9.48

74.92%

Cinema Ticket

$20.19 £14.96

$16.23 £12.03

24.40%

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

$2,552 £1,891

$2,270 £1,682

12.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$27.9K £20.6K

$35.3K £26.1K

-21.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$119 £88.4

$86.5 £64.1

38.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.55 £36.71

$48.04 £35.60

3.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$128 £94.7

$103 £76.3

24.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$154 £114

$91.0 £67.4

69.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,993 £2,218

$1,342 £994

123.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,221 £1,646

$1,171 £868

89.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,642 £4,181

$2,849 £2,111

98.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,634 £2,693

$2,196 £1,627

65.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$19.2K £14.2K

$6,829 £5,060

180.82%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$10.2K £7,572

$4,370 £3,238

133.85%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,067 £3,755

$3,258 £2,414

55.52%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.05

5.82

-13.23%

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

Last update for London: April 13, 2026

Last update for Bournemouth: April 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,993 in London versus $1,342 in Bournemouth. 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 56% 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 $108 in London versus $94 in Bournemouth. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $339 vs $268 – making Bournemouth 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 Bournemouth: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

London costs about 61% more than Bournemouth, with the gap driven mainly by Getting Around. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $6,000 per month in London and $3,737 in Bournemouth. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Bournemouth, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 26% more in London, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $108 in London and $94.0 in Bournemouth. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Bournemouth, where all-in costs run around $2,491, than in London at $4,000. In Bournemouth it covers expenses comfortably, while in London it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Bournemouth costs $2,491 versus $4,000 in London. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

If budget matters most, go with Bournemouth. 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.