Cost of Living Comparison Between London and Cumbria Cost of Living Comparison Between London and Cumbria

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,892 in London versus $2,293 in Cumbria.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,638 in London versus $3,410 in Cumbria.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,385 in London versus $4,528 in Cumbria.

Living in London is roughly 70% more expensive than Cumbria, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: London 190% above, Cumbria 71% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$26.92 £20.05

$20.49 £15.26

31.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$110 £81.7

$82.5 £61.5

32.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.83 £8.07

$10.03 £7.47

7.98%

Cappuccino

$5.10 £3.80

$4.77 £3.56

6.92%

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

$2.77 £2.06

$2.30 £1.71

20.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.78 £1.33

$1.64 £1.22

8.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.93 £6.65

$6.12 £4.56

45.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.03 £5.98

$5.99 £4.46

34.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.77 £1.32

$1.60 £1.19

10.62%

White Bread (500g)

$2.08 £1.55

$1.86 £1.39

11.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.57 £1.92

$2.28 £1.70

12.72%

Eggs

$4.75 £3.54

$3.85 £2.87

23.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.16 £8.31

$9.86 £7.34

13.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.00 £6.71

$9.01 £6.71

-0.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.83 £11.05

$14.29 £10.65

3.78%

Apples (1kg)

$3.33 £2.48

$3.10 £2.31

7.42%

Banana (1kg)

$1.96 £1.46

$1.58 £1.18

24.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.25 £2.42

$2.78 £2.07

16.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.60 £2.68

$3.56 £2.65

1.12%

Potato (1kg)

$1.68 £1.25

$1.67 £1.25

0.60%

Onion (1kg)

$1.87 £1.40

$1.54 £1.14

21.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.32 £0.99

$1.07 £0.79

23.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.95 £1.45

$1.51 £1.12

29.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$22.81 £17.00

$19.17 £14.29

18.99%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.71 £10.21

$9.88 £7.36

38.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.31 £2.47

$2.81 £2.09

17.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.93 £2.93

$3.15 £2.35

24.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.95 £2.95

$3.31 £2.46

19.34%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$240 £179

$89.0 £66.3

170.00%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.04 £4.50

$5.47 £4.08

10.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.31 £2.46

$1.90 £1.42

74.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$40.84 £30.43

$23.51 £17.51

73.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.88 £1.40

$2.07 £1.54

-9.18%

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

$38.9K £29.0K

$38.1K £28.4K

2.13%

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

$40.0K £29.8K

$41.4K £30.8K

-3.20%

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

$326 £243

$293 £218

11.51%

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

$20.23 £15.07

$17.02 £12.68

18.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.59 £31.73

$43.78 £32.62

-2.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$64.4 £47.97

$45.40 £33.82

41.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.34 £16.64

$18.68 £13.92

19.59%

Cinema Ticket

$20.19 £15.04

$13.62 £10.15

48.24%

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

$2,525 £1,881

$1,584 £1,180

59.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$28.0K £20.9K

$18.1K £13.5K

54.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$119 £88.8

$85.3 £63.6

39.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.83 £37.12

$43.61 £32.49

14.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$127 £94.6

$93.4 £69.6

35.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$159 £119

$100 £74.5

59.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,019 £2,249

$1,237 £921

144.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,274 £1,694

$983 £732

131.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,543 £4,130

$2,018 £1,504

174.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,737 £2,784

$1,706 £1,271

119.04%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$19.4K £14.4K

$5,414 £4,034

258.19%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$9,516 £7,089

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,820 £3,591

$4,778 £3,559

0.89%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.05

5.63

-10.30%

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

Last update for London: May 31, 2026

Last update for Cumbria: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $3,019 in London and $1,237 in Cumbria. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

London pays 1% 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: $110 in London vs $83.0 in Cumbria for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $340 vs $301 per month, with Cumbria 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 Cumbria: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cumbria is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Groceries & Markets, Getting Around, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment. The 70% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

London pays 1% more on average, 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: $3,019 in London versus $1,237 in Cumbria. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Cumbria – a meal for two runs $83.0 versus $110 in London. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $3,892 per month in London versus $2,293 in Cumbria – a 70% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,293 in Cumbria versus $3,892 in London, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Cumbria but tight or insufficient in London. The gap between the two cities makes Cumbria the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Cumbria 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 Cumbria 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 Cumbria gentler on the wallet – expenses run 70% less than in London. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.