Cost of Living Comparison Between London and Burnley Cost of Living Comparison Between London and Burnley

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,916 in London versus $1,820 in Burnley.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,631 in London versus $2,878 in Burnley.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,345 in London versus $3,936 in Burnley.

Living in London is roughly 115% more expensive than in Burnley, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: London 193% above, Burnley 36% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$27.47 £20.45

$20.64 £15.37

33.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$111 £82.4

$80.3 £59.8

37.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.67 £7.95

$8.32 £6.19

28.25%

Cappuccino

$5.30 £3.94

$4.30 £3.20

23.26%

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

$2.74 £2.04

$2.39 £1.78

14.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.79 £1.33

$1.60 £1.19

11.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.00 £6.70

$3.47 £2.59

159.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.12 £6.04

$5.50 £4.10

47.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.72 £1.28

$1.63 £1.21

5.52%

White Bread (500g)

$2.11 £1.57

$1.64 £1.22

28.66%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.47 £1.84

$1.66 £1.23

48.80%

Eggs

$4.98 £3.71

$3.53 £2.63

41.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.11 £8.27

$8.25 £6.14

34.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.13 £6.80

$8.35 £6.22

9.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.41 £10.73

$13.48 £10.03

6.90%

Apples (1kg)

$3.36 £2.50

$2.43 £1.81

38.27%

Banana (1kg)

$2.03 £1.51

$1.39 £1.04

46.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.27 £2.44

$1.67 £1.25

95.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.63 £2.70

$2.75 £2.05

32.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.68 £1.25

$1.75 £1.31

-4.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.77 £1.32

$1.60 £1.19

10.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.33 £0.99

$1.32 £0.98

0.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.91 £1.42

$1.19 £0.89

60.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$22.79 £16.97

$17.17 £12.78

32.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.62 £10.14

$10.86 £8.08

25.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.20 £2.38

$2.83 £2.11

13.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.07 £3.03

$1.93 £1.44

110.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.82 £2.85

$2.98 £2.22

28.19%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$249 £185

$109 £81.0

128.69%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.89 £4.39

$3.48 £2.59

69.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.32 £2.47

$1.07 £0.80

210.28%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$40.47 £30.13

$16.49 £12.28

145.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.90 £1.42

$1.97 £1.47

-3.55%

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

$38.9K £29.0K

$38.7K £28.8K

0.66%

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

$39.4K £29.3K

$40.7K £30.3K

-3.21%

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

$328 £244

$273 £203

20.39%

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

$19.61 £14.60

$16.89 £12.58

16.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.68 £31.78

$43.63 £32.48

-2.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$63.2 £47.08

$46.28 £34.45

36.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.39 £16.67

$17.28 £12.86

29.57%

Cinema Ticket

$20.69 £15.40

$7.68 £5.71

169.40%

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

$2,474 £1,842

$1,557 £1,159

58.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$27.9K £20.8K

$6,892 £5,131

305.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$119 £88.9

$81.6 £60.8

46.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.1 £37.29

$42.64 £31.75

17.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$131 £97.4

$87.0 £64.8

50.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$158 £118

$71.6 £53.3

121.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,937 £2,186

$768 £572

282.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,229 £1,660

$636 £473

250.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,569 £4,146

$1,478 £1,101

276.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,707 £2,760

$1,274 £949

190.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$20.1K £15.0K

$4,441 £3,306

352.80%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$8,485 £6,317

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,247 £3,162

$3,211 £2,391

32.25%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Burnley: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,937 in London and $768 in Burnley. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

London pays 32% 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: $111 in London vs $80.0 in Burnley for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $339 vs $269 per month, with Burnley 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 Burnley: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Burnley is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Groceries & Markets, Getting Around, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment. The 115% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 32% 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: $2,937 in London versus $768 in Burnley. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Burnley – a meal for two runs $80.0 versus $111 in London. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $3,916 per month in London versus $1,820 in Burnley – a 115% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,820 in Burnley versus $3,916 in London, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Burnley but tight or insufficient in London. The gap between the two cities makes Burnley the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Burnley 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.

Expats usually find Burnley gentler on the wallet – expenses run 115% less than in London. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.