Cost of Living Comparison Between London and Bristol Cost of Living Comparison Between London and Bristol

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $4,094 in London versus $2,943 in Bristol.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,874 in London versus $4,242 in Bristol.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,654 in London versus $5,541 in Bristol.

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

Both cities are pricier than the global median: London 199% above, Bristol 115% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$26.60 £19.88

$24.49 £18.30

8.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$108 £80.5

$113 £84.4

-4.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.94 £8.17

$10.96 £8.19

-0.18%

Cappuccino

$5.65 £4.22

$5.12 £3.83

10.35%

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

$2.94 £2.20

$2.66 £1.99

10.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.18 £1.63

$1.78 £1.33

22.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.22 £6.89

$8.04 £6.01

14.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.56 £6.40

$6.93 £5.18

23.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.83 £1.37

$1.52 £1.13

20.39%

White Bread (500g)

$1.98 £1.48

$1.72 £1.29

15.12%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.43 £1.81

$2.02 £1.51

20.30%

Eggs

$5.13 £3.83

$4.44 £3.32

15.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.80 £9.57

$8.48 £6.34

50.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.00 £8.22

$9.90 £7.39

11.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.37 £13.73

$13.08 £9.78

40.44%

Apples (1kg)

$3.12 £2.33

$3.22 £2.41

-3.11%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 £1.08

$1.77 £1.33

-18.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.88 £2.15

$2.66 £1.98

8.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.37 £2.52

$4.05 £3.02

-16.79%

Potato (1kg)

$1.64 £1.22

$2.16 £1.61

-24.07%

Onion (1kg)

$1.84 £1.38

$1.53 £1.14

20.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.48 £1.11

$1.28 £0.96

15.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 £1.39

$2.10 £1.57

-11.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$23.72 £17.73

$23.51 £17.57

0.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.23 £9.89

$10.95 £8.18

20.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.19 £2.39

$2.80 £2.09

13.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.50 £3.36

$3.52 £2.63

27.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.11 £3.07

$3.31 £2.47

24.17%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$255 £190

$122 £91.3

108.45%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.51 £4.12

$3.42 £2.55

61.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.37 £2.52

$1.70 £1.27

98.24%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$59.6 £44.52

$27.47 £20.53

116.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.06 £1.54

$2.13 £1.59

-3.29%

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

$39.1K £29.3K

$38.6K £28.9K

1.39%

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

$41.6K £31.1K

$41.1K £30.7K

1.21%

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

$367 £274

$329 £246

11.59%

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

$18.37 £13.73

$16.93 £12.66

8.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$41.97 £31.36

$39.55 £29.56

6.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$62.3 £46.52

$48.79 £36.46

27.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.46 £16.79

$11.89 £8.88

88.90%

Cinema Ticket

$18.35 £13.71

$14.42 £10.78

27.25%

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

$2,844 £2,125

$2,266 £1,693

25.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$36.3K £27.1K

$25.4K £19.0K

42.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$111 £83.2

$104 £77.7

6.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.0 £41.07

$50.1 £37.44

9.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$128 £95.7

$109 £81.1

17.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$156 £117

$101 £75.4

54.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,976 £2,224

$1,968 £1,470

51.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,312 £1,728

$1,497 £1,119

54.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,421 £4,051

$3,144 £2,349

72.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,837 £2,867

$2,299 £1,718

66.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$18.0K £13.4K

$7,065 £5,280

154.50%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,845 £5,863

$5,318 £3,974

47.53%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,744 £3,545

$3,872 £2,894

22.51%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.67

4.87

-4.11%

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

Last update for London: September 15, 2026

Last update for Bristol: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,976 in London and $1,968 in Bristol. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

London pays 23% 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: $108 in London vs $113 in Bristol. Groceries flip the comparison at $358 vs $313, with Bristol 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 Bristol: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

London and Bristol differ by about 39% in total monthly costs ($4,094 vs $2,943 including rent). Bristol is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 23% 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: $2,976 in London versus $1,968 in Bristol. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 14% higher in London. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Bristol – a meal for two runs $113 versus $108 in London. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Both cities are expensive relative to $3,000. Bristol is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, London and Bristol are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Bristol 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.