Cost of Living Comparison Between London and Dumfries Cost of Living Comparison Between London and Dumfries

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $4,094 in London versus $1,757 in Dumfries.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,874 in London versus $2,755 in Dumfries.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,654 in London versus $3,754 in Dumfries.

Living in London is roughly 133% more expensive than in Dumfries, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: London 199% above, Dumfries 28% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$26.60 £19.86

$14.66 £10.94

81.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$108 £80.4

$81.4 £60.8

32.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.94 £8.17

$7.90 £5.90

38.48%

Cappuccino

$5.65 £4.22

$4.51 £3.37

25.28%

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

$2.94 £2.19

$2.60 £1.94

13.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.18 £1.63

$1.35 £1.01

61.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.22 £6.89

$5.68 £4.24

62.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.56 £6.39

$5.93 £4.43

44.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.83 £1.36

$1.59 £1.19

15.09%

White Bread (500g)

$1.98 £1.48

$1.78 £1.33

11.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.43 £1.81

$2.76 £2.06

-11.96%

Eggs

$5.13 £3.83

$4.45 £3.32

15.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.80 £9.56

$7.89 £5.90

62.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.00 £8.21

$9.51 £7.10

15.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.37 £13.72

$15.36 £11.47

19.60%

Apples (1kg)

$3.12 £2.33

$2.45 £1.83

27.35%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 £1.08

$2.25 £1.68

-35.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.88 £2.15

$2.35 £1.76

22.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.37 £2.52

$2.91 £2.17

15.81%

Potato (1kg)

$1.64 £1.22

$3.12 £2.33

-47.44%

Onion (1kg)

$1.84 £1.37

$2.14 £1.60

-14.02%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.48 £1.11

$1.68 £1.25

-11.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 £1.39

$2.08 £1.55

-10.58%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$23.72 £17.72

$24.13 £18.02

-1.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.23 £9.88

$12.03 £8.98

9.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.19 £2.39

$3.29 £2.45

-3.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.50 £3.36

$3.22 £2.41

39.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.11 £3.07

$4.23 £3.16

-2.84%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$255 £190

$93.4 £69.8

172.57%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.51 £4.12

$4.73 £3.53

16.49%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.37 £2.52

$0.96 £0.72

251.04%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$59.6 £44.49

$12.10 £9.04

392.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.06 £1.54

$1.96 £1.46

5.10%

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

$39.1K £29.2K

$39.6K £29.6K

-1.08%

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

$41.6K £31.1K

$41.6K £31.0K

0.19%

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

$367 £274

$247 £184

48.89%

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

$18.37 £13.72

$23.31 £17.41

-21.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$41.97 £31.34

$43.23 £32.29

-2.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$62.3 £46.49

$51.7 £38.60

20.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.46 £16.78

$27.44 £20.49

-18.15%

Cinema Ticket

$18.35 £13.70

$13.70 £10.23

33.94%

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

$2,844 £2,124

$1,952 £1,457

45.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$36.3K £27.1K

$22.5K £16.8K

61.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$111 £83.1

$82.0 £61.2

35.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.0 £41.04

$54.2 £40.50

1.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$128 £95.6

$127 £95.0

0.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$156 £116

$91.1 £68.0

71.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,976 £2,223

$622 £464

378.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,312 £1,727

$545 £407

324.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,421 £4,049

$1,027 £767

427.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,837 £2,865

$971 £725

295.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$18.0K £13.4K

$5,094 £3,804

252.98%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,845 £5,859

$4,011 £2,996

95.58%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,744 £3,543

$3,610 £2,696

31.41%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.67

5.41

-13.68%

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

Last update for London: September 15, 2026

Last update for Dumfries: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,976 in London and $622 in Dumfries. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

London pays 31% 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: $108 in London vs $81.0 in Dumfries for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $358 vs $322 per month, with Dumfries 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 Dumfries: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Dumfries is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Groceries & Markets, Getting Around, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment. The 133% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 31% 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: $2,976 in London versus $622 in Dumfries. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Dumfries – a meal for two runs $81.0 versus $108 in London. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $4,094 per month in London versus $1,757 in Dumfries – a 133% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,757 in Dumfries versus $4,094 in London, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Dumfries but tight or insufficient in London. The gap between the two cities makes Dumfries the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Dumfries 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.

Expats usually find Dumfries gentler on the wallet – expenses run 133% less than in London. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.