Cost of Living Comparison Between London and Cardiff Cost of Living Comparison Between London and Cardiff

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,916 in London versus $2,355 in Cardiff.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,631 in London versus $3,357 in Cardiff.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,345 in London versus $4,359 in Cardiff.

Living in London is roughly 66% more expensive than in Cardiff, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: London 193% above, Cardiff 76% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$27.47 £20.42

$20.04 £14.90

37.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$111 £82.3

$88.4 £65.7

25.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.67 £7.93

$10.90 £8.10

-2.11%

Cappuccino

$5.30 £3.94

$4.85 £3.60

9.28%

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

$2.74 £2.03

$2.54 £1.89

7.87%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.79 £1.33

$1.72 £1.28

4.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.00 £6.69

$6.82 £5.07

31.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.12 £6.03

$6.22 £4.62

30.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.72 £1.28

$1.91 £1.42

-9.95%

White Bread (500g)

$2.11 £1.57

$1.75 £1.30

20.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.47 £1.84

$3.03 £2.25

-18.48%

Eggs

$4.98 £3.70

$4.63 £3.44

7.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.11 £8.26

$10.13 £7.53

9.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.13 £6.79

$8.95 £6.66

2.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.41 £10.71

$9.23 £6.86

56.12%

Apples (1kg)

$3.36 £2.50

$2.81 £2.09

19.57%

Banana (1kg)

$2.03 £1.51

$1.65 £1.22

23.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.27 £2.43

$3.25 £2.41

0.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.63 £2.70

$5.75 £4.27

-36.87%

Potato (1kg)

$1.68 £1.25

$1.75 £1.30

-4.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.77 £1.32

$1.48 £1.10

19.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.33 £0.99

$1.18 £0.88

12.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.91 £1.42

$1.74 £1.29

9.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$22.79 £16.94

$19.49 £14.49

16.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.62 £10.12

$11.10 £8.25

22.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.20 £2.38

$3.18 £2.37

0.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.07 £3.03

$3.49 £2.59

16.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.82 £2.84

$3.15 £2.35

21.27%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$249 £185

$78.9 £58.7

215.24%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.89 £4.38

$4.03 £2.99

46.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.32 £2.47

$2.58 £1.92

28.68%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$40.47 £30.09

$20.49 £15.23

97.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.90 £1.41

$1.91 £1.42

-0.52%

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

$38.9K £28.9K

$38.8K £28.8K

0.39%

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

$39.4K £29.3K

$54.4K £40.5K

-27.58%

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

$328 £244

$292 £217

12.45%

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

$19.61 £14.58

$20.13 £14.96

-2.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.68 £31.73

$42.95 £31.93

-0.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$63.2 £47.01

$39.58 £29.42

59.78%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.39 £16.64

$8.55 £6.36

161.87%

Cinema Ticket

$20.69 £15.38

$7.87 £5.85

162.90%

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

$2,474 £1,840

$1,991 £1,480

24.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$27.9K £20.8K

$33.8K £25.2K

-17.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$119 £88.7

$69.3 £51.5

72.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.1 £37.24

$36.81 £27.37

36.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$131 £97.3

$74.4 £55.3

75.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$158 £118

$67.2 £49.93

135.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,937 £2,183

$1,311 £975

123.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,229 £1,657

$1,123 £835

98.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,569 £4,140

$2,558 £1,902

117.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,707 £2,756

$1,660 £1,234

123.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$20.1K £14.9K

$5,509 £4,095

265.04%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$8,485 £6,308

$3,517 £2,614

141.28%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,247 £3,157

$3,316 £2,465

28.08%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.05

-15.83%

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

Last update for London: July 12, 2026

Last update for Cardiff: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,937 in London and $1,311 in Cardiff. 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: $111 in London vs $88.0 in Cardiff for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $339 vs $315 per month, with Cardiff 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 Cardiff: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

London and Cardiff differ by about 66% in total monthly costs ($3,916 vs $2,355 including rent). Cardiff is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 28% 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 $1,311 in Cardiff. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Cardiff – a meal for two runs $88.0 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 $2,355 in Cardiff – a 66% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,355 in Cardiff versus $3,916 in London, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Cardiff but tight or insufficient in London. The gap between the two cities makes Cardiff 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.

Safety-wise, London and Cardiff 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 Cardiff gentler on the wallet – expenses run 66% less than in London. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.