Cost of Living Comparison Between London and Buckingham Cost of Living Comparison Between London and Buckingham

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,892 in London versus $2,247 in Buckingham.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,638 in London versus $3,448 in Buckingham.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,385 in London versus $4,650 in Buckingham.

Living in London is roughly 73% more expensive than Buckingham, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: London 190% above, Buckingham 68% 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

$82.4 £61.4

33.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.83 £8.07

$11.02 £8.21

-1.72%

Cappuccino

$5.10 £3.80

$4.75 £3.54

7.37%

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

$2.77 £2.06

$1.91 £1.42

45.03%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.78 £1.33

$1.39 £1.03

28.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.93 £6.65

$5.45 £4.06

63.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.03 £5.98

$5.32 £3.96

50.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.77 £1.32

$1.15 £0.86

53.91%

White Bread (500g)

$2.08 £1.55

$1.54 £1.15

35.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.57 £1.92

$2.11 £1.57

21.80%

Eggs

$4.75 £3.54

$4.28 £3.19

10.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.16 £8.31

$10.11 £7.53

10.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.00 £6.71

$7.29 £5.43

23.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.83 £11.05

$15.33 £11.42

-3.26%

Apples (1kg)

$3.33 £2.48

$3.26 £2.43

2.15%

Banana (1kg)

$1.96 £1.46

$1.72 £1.28

13.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.25 £2.42

$2.91 £2.17

11.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.60 £2.68

$2.51 £1.87

43.43%

Potato (1kg)

$1.68 £1.25

$0.91 £0.68

84.62%

Onion (1kg)

$1.87 £1.40

$1.67 £1.25

11.98%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.32 £0.99

$1.08 £0.80

22.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.95 £1.45

$1.59 £1.19

22.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$22.81 £17.00

$16.04 £11.95

42.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.71 £10.21

$10.74 £8.00

27.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.31 £2.47

$2.63 £1.96

25.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.93 £2.93

$2.00 £1.49

96.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.95 £2.95

$2.76 £2.05

43.12%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$240 £179

$88.4 £65.9

171.99%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.04 £4.50

$4.00 £2.98

51.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.31 £2.46

$1.35 £1.01

145.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$40.84 £30.43

$25.97 £19.35

57.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.88 £1.40

$1.97 £1.46

-4.57%

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

$38.9K £29.0K

$39.1K £29.1K

-0.56%

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

$40.0K £29.8K

$41.9K £31.2K

-4.47%

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

$326 £243

$263 £196

24.02%

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

$20.23 £15.07

$17.15 £12.77

17.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.59 £31.73

$35.65 £26.56

19.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$64.4 £47.97

$13.67 £10.18

371.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.34 £16.64

Cinema Ticket

$20.19 £15.04

$12.19 £9.09

65.63%

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

$2,525 £1,881

$1,410 £1,050

79.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$28.0K £20.9K

$13.8K £10.3K

103.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$119 £88.8

$74.2 £55.3

60.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.83 £37.12

$36.12 £26.91

37.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$127 £94.6

$70.5 £52.5

80.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$159 £119

$92.1 £68.6

72.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,019 £2,249

$1,470 £1,095

105.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,274 £1,694

$1,051 £783

116.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,543 £4,130

$3,406 £2,538

62.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,737 £2,784

$2,043 £1,522

82.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$19.4K £14.4K

$4,938 £3,679

292.73%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$9,516 £7,089

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,820 £3,591

$4,608 £3,433

4.60%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.05

5.79

-12.78%

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

Last update for London: May 31, 2026

Last update for Buckingham: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $3,019 in London and $1,470 in Buckingham. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

London pays 5% 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 $82.0 in Buckingham for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $340 vs $284 per month, with Buckingham 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 Buckingham: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

London and Buckingham differ by about 73% in total monthly costs ($3,892 vs $2,247 including rent). Buckingham is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

London pays 5% 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 $1,470 in Buckingham. 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 $2,247 in Buckingham – a 73% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Buckingham runs roughly 172% less than in London. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $2,247 in Buckingham versus $3,892 in London, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Buckingham but tight or insufficient in London. The gap between the two cities makes Buckingham the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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.

Expats usually find Buckingham gentler on the wallet – expenses run 73% less than in London. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.