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: $3,892 in London versus $2,879 in Bristol.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,638 in London versus $4,130 in Bristol.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,385 in London versus $5,380 in Bristol.

Living in London is roughly 35% more expensive than Bristol, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: London 190% above, Bristol 115% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$26.92 £20.05

$20.34 £15.15

32.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$110 £81.7

$104 £77.3

5.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.83 £8.06

$10.75 £8.00

0.74%

Cappuccino

$5.10 £3.80

$5.14 £3.83

-0.78%

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

$2.77 £2.06

$2.70 £2.01

2.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.78 £1.33

$1.73 £1.29

2.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.93 £6.65

$7.94 £5.92

12.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.03 £5.98

$6.80 £5.07

18.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.77 £1.32

$1.56 £1.16

13.46%

White Bread (500g)

$2.08 £1.55

$2.35 £1.75

-11.49%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.57 £1.92

$1.87 £1.39

37.43%

Eggs

$4.75 £3.54

$4.18 £3.11

13.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.16 £8.31

$12.30 £9.16

-9.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.00 £6.70

$11.36 £8.46

-20.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.83 £11.05

$12.15 £9.05

22.06%

Apples (1kg)

$3.33 £2.48

$3.39 £2.52

-1.77%

Banana (1kg)

$1.96 £1.46

$1.64 £1.22

19.51%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.25 £2.42

$2.73 £2.03

19.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.60 £2.68

$3.98 £2.97

-9.55%

Potato (1kg)

$1.68 £1.25

$2.04 £1.52

-17.65%

Onion (1kg)

$1.87 £1.40

$1.78 £1.32

5.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.32 £0.99

$1.20 £0.89

10.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.95 £1.45

$1.86 £1.39

4.84%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$22.81 £16.99

$20.50 £15.27

11.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.71 £10.21

$10.83 £8.07

26.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.31 £2.47

$2.98 £2.22

11.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.93 £2.93

$2.70 £2.01

45.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.95 £2.95

$3.11 £2.32

27.01%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$240 £179

$115 £85.5

109.51%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.04 £4.50

$5.58 £4.15

8.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.31 £2.46

$1.69 £1.26

95.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$40.84 £30.42

$27.71 £20.64

47.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.88 £1.40

$1.90 £1.42

-1.05%

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

$38.9K £29.0K

$38.2K £28.5K

1.79%

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

$40.0K £29.8K

$35.3K £26.3K

13.34%

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

$326 £243

$301 £224

8.37%

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

$20.23 £15.07

$16.75 £12.48

20.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.59 £31.72

$45.52 £33.90

-6.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$64.4 £47.95

$49.81 £37.10

29.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.34 £16.64

$10.12 £7.54

120.75%

Cinema Ticket

$20.19 £15.03

$13.72 £10.22

47.16%

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

$2,525 £1,880

$2,193 £1,633

15.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$28.0K £20.9K

$24.2K £18.0K

15.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$119 £88.7

$95.6 £71.2

24.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.83 £37.11

$48.61 £36.20

2.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$127 £94.6

$112 £83.5

13.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$159 £119

$138 £103

15.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,019 £2,249

$1,852 £1,379

63.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,274 £1,694

$1,391 £1,036

63.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,543 £4,129

$3,094 £2,305

79.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,737 £2,783

$2,285 £1,702

63.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$19.4K £14.4K

$6,918 £5,153

180.32%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$9,516 £7,087

$5,209 £3,880

82.68%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,820 £3,590

$3,777 £2,813

27.63%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.05

5.6

-9.82%

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

Last update for London: May 31, 2026

Last update for Bristol: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $3,019 in London and $1,852 in Bristol. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

London pays 28% 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 $104 in Bristol for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $340 vs $330 per month, with Bristol 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 Bristol: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

London and Bristol differ by about 35% in total monthly costs ($3,892 vs $2,879 including rent). Bristol is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

London pays 28% 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 $1,852 in Bristol. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 3% 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 $104 versus $110 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 35% less than in London. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.