Cost of Living Comparison Between London and Cambridge Cost of Living Comparison Between London and Cambridge

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $4,094 per month in London vs $3,251 in Cambridge, rent included.

A couple spends around $5,874 per month in London vs $4,515 in Cambridge, rent included.

A family of three spends $7,654 per month in London vs $5,779 in Cambridge, rent included.

London costs about 26% more than Cambridge, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both London and Cambridge sit above the global median – London by 199%, Cambridge by 138%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$26.60 £19.88

$21.27 £15.90

25.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$108 £80.5

$92.1 £68.8

17.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.94 £8.17

$10.96 £8.19

-0.18%

Cappuccino

$5.65 £4.22

$4.64 £3.47

21.77%

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

$2.94 £2.20

$2.86 £2.13

2.80%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.18 £1.63

$1.95 £1.46

11.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.22 £6.89

$7.90 £5.91

16.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.56 £6.40

$6.59 £4.92

29.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.83 £1.37

$1.66 £1.24

10.24%

White Bread (500g)

$1.98 £1.48

$1.76 £1.32

12.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.43 £1.81

$2.55 £1.90

-4.71%

Eggs

$5.13 £3.83

$4.45 £3.33

15.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.80 £9.57

$9.79 £7.31

30.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.00 £8.22

$9.54 £7.13

15.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.37 £13.73

$15.70 £11.73

17.01%

Apples (1kg)

$3.12 £2.33

$3.10 £2.32

0.65%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 £1.08

$1.76 £1.31

-17.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.88 £2.15

$3.72 £2.78

-22.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.37 £2.52

$3.43 £2.56

-1.75%

Potato (1kg)

$1.64 £1.22

$1.87 £1.39

-12.30%

Onion (1kg)

$1.84 £1.38

$1.84 £1.37

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.48 £1.11

$1.27 £0.95

16.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 £1.39

$2.00 £1.50

-7.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$23.72 £17.73

$23.17 £17.31

2.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.23 £9.89

$11.43 £8.54

15.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.19 £2.39

$3.39 £2.53

-5.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.50 £3.36

$4.24 £3.17

6.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.11 £3.07

$4.02 £3.01

2.24%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$255 £190

$99.1 £74.0

157.00%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.51 £4.12

$7.86 £5.87

-29.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.37 £2.52

$2.67 £1.99

26.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$59.6 £44.52

$51.6 £38.59

15.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.06 £1.54

$2.04 £1.52

0.98%

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

$39.1K £29.3K

$38.6K £28.8K

1.46%

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

$41.6K £31.1K

$40.9K £30.5K

1.90%

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

$367 £274

$337 £252

8.93%

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

$18.37 £13.73

$19.37 £14.48

-5.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$41.97 £31.36

$45.96 £34.34

-8.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$62.3 £46.52

$66.1 £49.38

-5.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.46 £16.79

$20.63 £15.42

8.87%

Cinema Ticket

$18.35 £13.71

$17.50 £13.08

4.86%

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

$2,844 £2,125

$2,619 £1,957

8.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$36.3K £27.1K

$29.9K £22.3K

21.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$111 £83.2

$91.6 £68.4

21.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.0 £41.07

$48.57 £36.29

13.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$128 £95.7

$94.9 £70.9

34.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$156 £117

$130 £97.2

19.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,976 £2,224

$2,129 £1,591

39.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,312 £1,728

$1,758 £1,314

31.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,421 £4,051

$3,262 £2,437

66.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,837 £2,867

$2,678 £2,001

43.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$18.0K £13.4K

$9,177 £6,858

95.93%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,845 £5,863

$6,038 £4,512

29.93%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,744 £3,545

$4,422 £3,305

7.28%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.67

5.04

-7.34%

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

Last update for London: September 15, 2026

Last update for Cambridge: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,976 in London versus $2,129 in Cambridge. 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 7% 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 $92.0 in Cambridge. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $358 vs $331 – making Cambridge 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 Cambridge: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – London is pricier by about 26%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $6,142 per month in London and $4,876 in Cambridge. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $108 in London and $92.0 in Cambridge. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $4,094 in London and $3,251 in Cambridge. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $4,094 in London and $3,251 in Cambridge. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Cambridge – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Cambridge. 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.