Cost of Living Comparison Between London and Durham Cost of Living Comparison Between London and Durham

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,894 in London versus $2,084 in Durham.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,692 in London versus $3,090 in Durham.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,491 in London versus $4,097 in Durham.

Living in London is roughly 87% more expensive than in Durham, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: London 192% above, Durham 56% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$27.26 £20.65

$18.77 £14.21

45.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$109 £82.4

$93.7 £71.0

16.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.68 £8.09

$10.15 £7.68

5.22%

Cappuccino

$5.29 £4.00

$4.42 £3.35

19.68%

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

$2.87 £2.18

$2.51 £1.90

14.34%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.78 £1.35

$2.01 £1.52

-11.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.58 £6.50

$5.99 £4.53

43.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.18 £6.20

$5.54 £4.20

47.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 £1.31

$1.82 £1.38

-4.95%

White Bread (500g)

$2.08 £1.58

$1.69 £1.28

23.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.44 £1.85

$2.45 £1.86

-0.41%

Eggs

$4.88 £3.70

$4.07 £3.08

19.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.27 £8.54

$9.13 £6.92

23.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.97 £6.79

$8.05 £6.10

11.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.36 £10.88

$9.54 £7.22

50.52%

Apples (1kg)

$3.32 £2.52

$3.59 £2.72

-7.52%

Banana (1kg)

$1.93 £1.46

$2.21 £1.67

-12.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.16 £2.40

$3.23 £2.44

-2.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.53 £2.67

$3.31 £2.51

6.65%

Potato (1kg)

$1.76 £1.34

$1.18 £0.90

49.15%

Onion (1kg)

$1.81 £1.37

$1.59 £1.20

13.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.33 £1.01

$1.00 £0.76

33.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.98 £1.50

$1.79 £1.36

10.61%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$23.40 £17.72

$22.90 £17.35

2.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.18 £9.99

$10.94 £8.29

20.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.17 £2.40

$3.02 £2.29

4.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.05 £3.07

$2.91 £2.21

39.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.97 £3.01

$3.28 £2.49

21.04%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$242 £183

$55.4 £41.94

336.61%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.10 £4.62

$4.63 £3.51

31.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.37 £2.55

$1.60 £1.21

110.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$40.23 £30.48

$23.31 £17.66

72.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.93 £1.46

$1.99 £1.51

-3.02%

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

$38.9K £29.5K

$36.8K £27.9K

5.70%

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

$39.9K £30.2K

$40.1K £30.4K

-0.59%

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

$328 £248

$273 £207

20.17%

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

$20.01 £15.16

$15.65 £11.85

27.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$43.55 £32.99

$34.11 £25.84

27.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$63.4 £48.04

$50.8 £38.50

24.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.24 £16.85

Cinema Ticket

$20.49 £15.52

$13.08 £9.91

56.65%

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

$2,501 £1,894

$1,617 £1,225

54.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$28.6K £21.7K

$18.4K £13.9K

55.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$120 £90.6

$102 £77.3

17.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.2 £38.02

$60.1 £45.52

-16.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$128 £97.2

$121 £91.4

6.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$159 £120

$88.7 £67.2

79.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,935 £2,224

$1,443 £1,093

103.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,257 £1,710

$831 £629

171.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,498 £4,165

$2,552 £1,933

115.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,687 £2,793

$1,237 £937

197.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$21.2K £16.1K

$5,129 £3,885

313.80%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$9,484 £7,184

$3,824 £2,897

148.00%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,709 £3,567

$2,070 £1,568

127.44%

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: June 15, 2026

Last update for Durham: June 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,935 in London and $1,443 in Durham. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

London pays 127% 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: $109 in London vs $94.0 in Durham for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $336 vs $293 per month, with Durham 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 Durham: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

London and Durham differ by about 87% in total monthly costs ($3,894 vs $2,084 including rent). Durham is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 127% 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: $2,935 in London versus $1,443 in Durham. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $3,894 per month in London versus $2,084 in Durham – a 87% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Durham runs roughly 337% less than in London. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Both cities are expensive relative to $3,000. Durham is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

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 Durham 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 Durham gentler on the wallet – expenses run 87% less than in London. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.