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: $3,892 in London versus $1,785 in Dumfries.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,638 in London versus $2,755 in Dumfries.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,385 in London versus $3,725 in Dumfries.

Living in London is roughly 118% more expensive than Dumfries, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: London 190% above, Dumfries 33% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$26.92 £20.05

$16.45 £12.25

63.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$110 £81.7

$88.7 £66.1

23.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.83 £8.07

$7.95 £5.92

36.23%

Cappuccino

$5.10 £3.80

$3.87 £2.88

31.78%

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

$2.77 £2.06

$2.31 £1.72

19.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.78 £1.33

$1.34 £1.00

32.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.93 £6.65

$3.98 £2.96

124.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.03 £5.98

$5.01 £3.73

60.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.77 £1.32

$1.47 £1.10

20.41%

White Bread (500g)

$2.08 £1.55

$1.49 £1.11

39.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.57 £1.92

$2.55 £1.90

0.78%

Eggs

$4.75 £3.54

$3.57 £2.66

33.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.16 £8.31

$8.07 £6.01

38.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.00 £6.71

$10.03 £7.47

-10.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.83 £11.05

$15.73 £11.72

-5.72%

Apples (1kg)

$3.33 £2.48

$2.54 £1.89

31.10%

Banana (1kg)

$1.96 £1.46

$2.35 £1.75

-16.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.25 £2.42

$2.36 £1.76

37.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.60 £2.68

$3.34 £2.49

7.78%

Potato (1kg)

$1.68 £1.25

$2.13 £1.59

-21.13%

Onion (1kg)

$1.87 £1.40

$1.92 £1.43

-2.60%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.32 £0.99

$1.23 £0.91

7.32%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.95 £1.45

$1.77 £1.32

10.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$22.81 £17.00

$18.72 £13.94

21.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.71 £10.21

$10.79 £8.04

27.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.31 £2.47

$3.28 £2.44

0.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.93 £2.93

$3.03 £2.26

29.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.95 £2.95

$4.23 £3.15

-6.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$240 £179

$98.6 £73.5

143.85%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.04 £4.50

$5.56 £4.14

8.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.31 £2.46

$1.60 £1.19

106.87%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$40.84 £30.43

$14.04 £10.46

190.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.88 £1.40

$1.87 £1.39

0.53%

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

$38.9K £29.0K

$38.3K £28.6K

1.41%

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

$40.0K £29.8K

$41.3K £30.8K

-3.07%

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

$326 £243

$234 £174

39.74%

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

$20.23 £15.07

$14.59 £10.87

38.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.59 £31.73

$47.77 £35.59

-10.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$64.4 £47.97

$50.9 £37.89

26.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.34 £16.64

$27.02 £20.13

-17.32%

Cinema Ticket

$20.19 £15.04

$12.97 £9.66

55.67%

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

$2,525 £1,881

$1,614 £1,202

56.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$28.0K £20.9K

$16.1K £12.0K

74.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$119 £88.8

$94.7 £70.6

25.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.83 £37.12

$57.2 £42.58

-12.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$127 £94.6

$131 £97.7

-3.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$159 £119

$119 £88.8

33.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,019 £2,249

$633 £472

376.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,274 £1,694

$554 £413

310.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,543 £4,130

$1,020 £760

443.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,737 £2,784

$965 £719

287.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$19.4K £14.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$9,516 £7,089

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,820 £3,591

$3,570 £2,660

35.01%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.05

5.45

-7.34%

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

Last update for London: May 31, 2026

Last update for Dumfries: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $3,019 in London and $633 in Dumfries. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

London pays 35% 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 $89.0 in Dumfries for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $340 vs $309 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 118% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

London pays 35% 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 $633 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 $89.0 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 $1,785 in Dumfries – a 118% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,785 in Dumfries versus $3,892 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 118% less than in London. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.