Cost of Living Comparison Between London and Cheltenham Cost of Living Comparison Between London and Cheltenham

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,916 in London versus $2,186 in Cheltenham.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,631 in London versus $3,213 in Cheltenham.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,345 in London versus $4,240 in Cheltenham.

Living in London is roughly 79% more expensive than in Cheltenham, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: London 193% above, Cheltenham 64% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$27.47 £20.43

$20.67 £15.38

32.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$111 £82.4

$82.9 £61.6

33.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.67 £7.94

$11.05 £8.22

-3.44%

Cappuccino

$5.30 £3.94

$4.67 £3.47

13.49%

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

$2.74 £2.04

$2.08 £1.55

31.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.79 £1.33

$1.33 £0.99

34.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.00 £6.69

$5.32 £3.95

69.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.12 £6.04

$6.67 £4.96

21.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.72 £1.28

$1.47 £1.10

17.01%

White Bread (500g)

$2.11 £1.57

$0.69 £0.52

205.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.47 £1.84

$2.07 £1.54

19.32%

Eggs

$4.98 £3.71

$4.55 £3.38

9.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.11 £8.26

$4.72 £3.51

135.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.13 £6.79

$7.08 £5.26

28.95%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.41 £10.72

$15.89 £11.82

-9.31%

Apples (1kg)

$3.36 £2.50

$2.06 £1.53

63.11%

Banana (1kg)

$2.03 £1.51

$1.71 £1.27

18.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.27 £2.44

$2.02 £1.50

61.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.63 £2.70

$3.59 £2.67

1.11%

Potato (1kg)

$1.68 £1.25

$1.34 £1.00

25.37%

Onion (1kg)

$1.77 £1.32

$1.83 £1.36

-3.28%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.33 £0.99

$1.08 £0.80

23.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.91 £1.42

$1.58 £1.18

20.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$22.79 £16.95

$17.22 £12.81

32.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.62 £10.13

$11.31 £8.41

20.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.20 £2.38

$1.96 £1.45

63.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.07 £3.03

$1.98 £1.47

105.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.82 £2.84

$3.56 £2.64

7.30%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$249 £185

$56.6 £42.06

339.95%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.89 £4.38

$4.06 £3.02

45.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.32 £2.47

$1.39 £1.03

138.85%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$40.47 £30.10

$25.73 £19.14

57.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.90 £1.41

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

$38.9K £29.0K

$38.9K £28.9K

0.13%

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

$39.4K £29.3K

$41.6K £30.9K

-5.20%

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

$328 £244

$262 £195

25.27%

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

$19.61 £14.58

$15.81 £11.76

24.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.68 £31.75

$43.79 £32.57

-2.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$63.2 £47.04

$43.78 £32.56

44.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.39 £16.65

$23.33 £17.35

-4.03%

Cinema Ticket

$20.69 £15.39

$13.85 £10.30

49.39%

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

$2,474 £1,841

$1,411 £1,049

75.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$27.9K £20.8K

$13.8K £10.2K

103.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$119 £88.8

$112 £83.1

6.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.1 £37.26

$35.74 £26.59

40.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$131 £97.3

$112 £83.5

16.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$158 £118

$98.9 £73.5

60.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,937 £2,184

$1,166 £867

151.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,229 £1,658

$943 £702

136.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,569 £4,142

$2,262 £1,682

146.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,707 £2,757

$1,676 £1,247

121.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$20.1K £15.0K

$5,683 £4,227

253.82%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$8,485 £6,311

$5,809 £4,321

46.06%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,247 £3,159

$4,756 £3,538

-10.71%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Cheltenham: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,937 in London and $1,166 in Cheltenham. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cheltenham pays 12% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $111 in London vs $83.0 in Cheltenham for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $339 vs $259 per month, with Cheltenham 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 Cheltenham: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cheltenham is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Groceries & Markets, Getting Around, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment. The 79% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 12% lower in Cheltenham. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $2,937 in London versus $1,166 in Cheltenham. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Cheltenham – a meal for two runs $83.0 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 $2,186 in Cheltenham – a 79% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,186 in Cheltenham versus $3,916 in London, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Cheltenham but tight or insufficient in London. The gap between the two cities makes Cheltenham the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Cheltenham 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.

Safety-wise, London and Cheltenham 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 Cheltenham gentler on the wallet – expenses run 79% less than in London. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.