Cost of Living Comparison Between London and Dartford Cost of Living Comparison Between London and Dartford

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,892 per month in London vs $3,007 in Dartford, rent included.

A couple spends around $5,638 per month in London vs $4,457 in Dartford, rent included.

A family of three spends $7,385 per month in London vs $5,907 in Dartford, rent included.

London costs about 29% more than Dartford, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both London and Dartford sit above the global median – London by 190%, Dartford by 124%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$26.92 £20.01

$27.23 £20.24

-1.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$110 £81.5

$108 £80.5

1.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.83 £8.05

$10.91 £8.11

-0.73%

Cappuccino

$5.10 £3.79

$5.07 £3.77

0.59%

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

$2.77 £2.06

$2.86 £2.13

-3.15%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.78 £1.33

$1.88 £1.40

-5.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.93 £6.64

$8.12 £6.04

9.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.03 £5.97

$6.87 £5.11

16.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.77 £1.32

$1.62 £1.20

9.26%

White Bread (500g)

$2.08 £1.55

$1.32 £0.98

57.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.57 £1.91

$2.55 £1.90

0.78%

Eggs

$4.75 £3.53

$3.65 £2.71

30.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.16 £8.30

$10.10 £7.51

10.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.00 £6.69

$8.83 £6.57

1.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.83 £11.02

$14.50 £10.77

2.28%

Apples (1kg)

$3.33 £2.47

$3.35 £2.49

-0.60%

Banana (1kg)

$1.96 £1.46

$1.99 £1.48

-1.51%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.25 £2.42

$2.86 £2.13

13.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.60 £2.67

$3.48 £2.58

3.45%

Potato (1kg)

$1.68 £1.25

$1.49 £1.11

12.75%

Onion (1kg)

$1.87 £1.39

$1.43 £1.07

30.77%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.32 £0.98

$0.93 £0.69

41.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.95 £1.45

$1.53 £1.13

27.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$22.81 £16.96

$23.16 £17.22

-1.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.71 £10.19

$13.63 £10.13

0.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.31 £2.46

$2.23 £1.66

48.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.93 £2.92

$3.37 £2.51

16.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.95 £2.94

$3.22 £2.39

22.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$240 £179

$87.8 £65.2

173.94%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.04 £4.49

$5.35 £3.98

12.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.31 £2.46

$1.70 £1.26

94.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$40.84 £30.36

$15.15 £11.26

169.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.88 £1.40

$1.89 £1.41

-0.53%

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

$38.9K £28.9K

$38.1K £28.3K

2.05%

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

$40.0K £29.8K

$39.3K £29.2K

1.82%

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

$326 £243

$228 £169

43.31%

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

$20.23 £15.04

$20.12 £14.95

0.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.59 £31.66

$43.13 £32.06

-1.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$64.4 £47.86

$44.78 £33.28

43.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.34 £16.61

Cinema Ticket

$20.19 £15.00

$20.14 £14.97

0.25%

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

$2,525 £1,876

$1,905 £1,416

32.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$28.0K £20.8K

$25.5K £18.9K

10.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$119 £88.6

$83.2 £61.8

43.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.83 £37.04

$48.06 £35.73

3.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$127 £94.4

$109 £80.9

16.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$159 £118

$98.4 £73.2

61.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,019 £2,244

$2,286 £1,699

32.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,274 £1,690

$1,651 £1,227

37.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,543 £4,120

$3,009 £2,237

84.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,737 £2,778

$2,708 £2,013

37.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$19.4K £14.4K

$5,433 £4,038

256.95%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$9,516 £7,073

$4,424 £3,288

115.09%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,820 £3,583

$3,596 £2,673

34.05%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.05

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

Last update for London: May 31, 2026

Last update for Dartford: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $3,019 in London versus $2,286 in Dartford. 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 34% 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 $110 in London versus $108 in Dartford. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $340 vs $304 – making Dartford 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 Dartford: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – London is pricier by about 29%, 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 $5,838 per month in London and $4,511 in Dartford. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Dartford, 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 $110 in London and $108 in Dartford. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $3,892 in London and $3,007 in Dartford. 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 $3,892 in London and $3,007 in Dartford. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Dartford – 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 Dartford. 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.