Cost of Living Comparison Between London and Dundee Cost of Living Comparison Between London and Dundee

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $4,221 in London versus $2,137 in Dundee.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,971 in London versus $3,165 in Dundee.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,721 in London versus $4,193 in Dundee.

Living in London is roughly 98% more expensive than in Dundee, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: London 207% above, Dundee 56% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$27.14 £20.08

$21.94 £16.23

23.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$110 £81.3

$80.4 £59.5

36.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.05 £8.17

$10.82 £8.01

2.13%

Cappuccino

$5.84 £4.32

$4.51 £3.33

29.49%

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

$3.02 £2.24

$2.65 £1.96

13.96%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.24 £1.66

$1.40 £1.04

60.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.33 £6.90

$5.84 £4.32

59.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.92 £6.60

$6.11 £4.52

45.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.88 £1.39

$2.19 £1.62

-14.16%

White Bread (500g)

$2.05 £1.51

$1.73 £1.28

18.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.46 £1.82

$2.84 £2.10

-13.38%

Eggs

$5.21 £3.85

$5.56 £4.11

-6.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.72 £9.41

$7.76 £5.74

63.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.97 £8.12

$9.78 £7.23

12.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.29 £13.53

$15.62 £11.55

17.09%

Apples (1kg)

$3.17 £2.35

$2.53 £1.87

25.30%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 £1.11

$2.26 £1.67

-33.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.80 £2.07

$2.91 £2.16

-3.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.50 £2.59

$2.84 £2.10

23.24%

Potato (1kg)

$1.65 £1.22

$3.24 £2.40

-49.07%

Onion (1kg)

$1.85 £1.37

$2.10 £1.55

-11.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.53 £1.14

$1.81 £1.34

-15.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 £1.35

$2.37 £1.76

-22.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$24.20 £17.90

$23.60 £17.46

2.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.40 £9.91

$12.02 £8.89

11.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.27 £2.42

$3.38 £2.50

-3.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.67 £3.46

$3.38 £2.50

38.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.18 £3.09

$3.42 £2.53

22.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$272 £201

$58.9 £43.58

361.77%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.75 £4.26

$4.71 £3.48

22.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.32 £2.46

$3.88 £2.87

-14.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$58.0 £42.89

$26.81 £19.83

116.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.06 £1.52

$1.93 £1.43

6.74%

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

$39.5K £29.2K

$38.7K £28.6K

2.10%

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

$42.6K £31.5K

$41.3K £30.6K

3.17%

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

$373 £276

$245 £181

52.42%

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

$18.28 £13.53

$13.30 £9.84

37.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.44 £31.39

$43.43 £32.13

-2.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$63.7 £47.12

$51.1 £37.83

24.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.74 £16.82

$7.24 £5.36

214.09%

Cinema Ticket

$18.46 £13.66

$13.64 £10.09

35.34%

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

$2,922 £2,161

$2,016 £1,491

44.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$37.1K £27.4K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$115 £84.8

$101 £75.0

13.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.6 £40.40

$58.0 £42.93

-5.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$129 £95.2

$125 £92.4

3.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$153 £113

$89.4 £66.1

71.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,001 £2,220

$1,053 £779

185.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,363 £1,748

$835 £618

182.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,471 £4,047

$1,681 £1,244

225.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,809 £2,818

$1,288 £953

195.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$18.4K £13.6K

$4,176 £3,090

341.24%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,891 £5,838

$3,331 £2,464

136.92%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,580 £3,388

$3,321 £2,457

37.91%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.61

5.41

-14.79%

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

Last update for London: August 30, 2026

Last update for Dundee: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $3,001 in London and $1,053 in Dundee. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

London pays 38% 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 $80.0 in Dundee for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $361 vs $341 per month, with Dundee 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 Dundee: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

London and Dundee differ by about 98% in total monthly costs ($4,221 vs $2,137 including rent). Dundee is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 38% 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: $3,001 in London versus $1,053 in Dundee. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Dundee runs roughly 362% less than in London. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $2,922 in London versus $2,016 in Dundee. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $2,137 in Dundee versus $4,221 in London, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Dundee but tight or insufficient in London. The gap between the two cities makes Dundee the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, London and Dundee 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 Dundee gentler on the wallet – expenses run 98% less than in London. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.