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: $4,221 in London versus $2,346 in Cheltenham.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,971 in London versus $3,549 in Cheltenham.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,721 in London versus $4,752 in Cheltenham.

Living in London is roughly 80% more expensive than in Cheltenham, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: London 207% above, Cheltenham 71% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$27.14 £20.07

$23.91 £17.68

13.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$110 £81.3

$106 £78.6

3.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.05 £8.17

$11.75 £8.69

-5.96%

Cappuccino

$5.84 £4.31

$4.70 £3.47

24.26%

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

$3.02 £2.23

$2.76 £2.04

9.42%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.24 £1.66

$1.80 £1.33

24.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.33 £6.90

$7.76 £5.74

20.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.92 £6.60

$6.90 £5.10

29.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.88 £1.39

$1.71 £1.26

9.94%

White Bread (500g)

$2.05 £1.51

$1.68 £1.24

22.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.46 £1.82

$2.10 £1.56

17.14%

Eggs

$5.21 £3.85

$4.49 £3.32

16.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.72 £9.40

$8.33 £6.16

52.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.97 £8.11

$9.82 £7.26

11.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.29 £13.52

$13.42 £9.92

36.29%

Apples (1kg)

$3.17 £2.34

$3.26 £2.41

-2.76%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 £1.11

$1.51 £1.11

-0.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.80 £2.07

$1.95 £1.44

43.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.50 £2.58

$3.43 £2.53

2.04%

Potato (1kg)

$1.65 £1.22

$1.63 £1.21

1.23%

Onion (1kg)

$1.85 £1.37

$1.54 £1.14

20.13%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.53 £1.13

$1.29 £0.95

18.60%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 £1.35

$1.46 £1.08

25.34%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$24.20 £17.89

$23.75 £17.56

1.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.40 £9.91

$11.03 £8.15

21.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.27 £2.42

$2.86 £2.12

14.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.67 £3.45

$2.97 £2.20

57.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.18 £3.09

$3.46 £2.56

20.81%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$272 £201

$94.9 £70.2

186.65%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.75 £4.25

$3.62 £2.67

58.84%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.32 £2.46

$1.64 £1.21

102.44%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$58.0 £42.85

$27.20 £20.11

113.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.06 £1.52

$1.86 £1.38

10.75%

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

$39.5K £29.2K

$39.0K £28.8K

1.32%

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

$42.6K £31.5K

$42.1K £31.1K

1.41%

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

$373 £276

$345 £255

8.09%

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

$18.28 £13.51

$17.09 £12.63

6.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.44 £31.37

$50.9 £37.63

-16.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$63.7 £47.08

$45.41 £33.57

40.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.74 £16.81

$41.04 £30.33

-44.59%

Cinema Ticket

$18.46 £13.65

$14.00 £10.35

31.86%

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

$2,922 £2,160

$2,048 £1,514

42.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$37.1K £27.4K

$25.0K £18.5K

48.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$115 £84.8

$103 £76.5

10.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.6 £40.37

$50.4 £37.23

8.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$129 £95.1

$110 £81.6

16.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$153 £113

$99.7 £73.7

53.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,001 £2,218

$1,201 £888

149.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,363 £1,746

$931 £688

153.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,471 £4,044

$2,248 £1,662

143.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,809 £2,816

$1,639 £1,212

132.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$18.4K £13.6K

$5,902 £4,363

212.21%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,891 £5,833

$5,719 £4,227

37.99%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,580 £3,386

$4,877 £3,605

-6.08%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.61

5.54

-16.79%

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

Last update for London: August 30, 2026

Last update for Cheltenham: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $3,001 in London and $1,201 in Cheltenham. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cheltenham pays 6% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $110 in London vs $106 in Cheltenham for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $361 vs $298 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 80% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 6% 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: $3,001 in London versus $1,201 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 $106 versus $110 in London. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $4,221 per month in London versus $2,346 in Cheltenham – a 80% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,346 in Cheltenham versus $4,221 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 80% less than in London. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.