Cost of Living Comparison Between London and Exeter Cost of Living Comparison Between London and Exeter

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $4,235 in London versus $2,478 in Exeter.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,919 in London versus $3,906 in Exeter.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,602 in London versus $5,333 in Exeter.

Living in London is roughly 71% more expensive than in Exeter, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: London 207% above, Exeter 80% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$27.01 £19.96

$20.42 £15.09

32.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$108 £80.1

$101 £74.5

7.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.92 £8.07

$9.21 £6.80

18.57%

Cappuccino

$5.76 £4.26

$5.02 £3.71

14.74%

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

$2.97 £2.19

$3.21 £2.37

-7.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 £1.64

$2.45 £1.81

-9.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.45 £6.99

$7.63 £5.64

23.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.79 £6.50

$6.31 £4.66

39.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.93 £1.43

$1.54 £1.14

25.32%

White Bread (500g)

$2.01 £1.48

$1.64 £1.21

22.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.40 £1.78

$1.82 £1.34

31.87%

Eggs

$5.22 £3.86

$4.41 £3.26

18.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.91 £9.54

$8.84 £6.54

46.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.93 £8.08

$8.55 £6.32

27.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.13 £13.40

$24.16 £17.85

-24.96%

Apples (1kg)

$3.21 £2.37

$3.10 £2.29

3.55%

Banana (1kg)

$1.42 £1.05

$1.45 £1.07

-2.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.91 £2.15

$2.61 £1.93

11.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.51 £2.59

$3.08 £2.28

13.96%

Potato (1kg)

$1.65 £1.22

$2.22 £1.64

-25.68%

Onion (1kg)

$1.82 £1.35

$2.09 £1.54

-12.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.55 £1.14

$1.63 £1.20

-4.91%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.82 £1.35

$1.97 £1.46

-7.61%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$23.94 £17.70

$24.12 £17.83

-0.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.42 £9.92

$9.59 £7.09

39.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.12 £2.31

$3.63 £2.68

-14.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.71 £3.48

$4.49 £3.32

4.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.01 £2.96

$4.04 £2.99

-0.74%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$271 £200

$109 £80.3

149.60%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 £4.26

$5.91 £4.37

-2.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.41 £2.52

$2.56 £1.89

33.20%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$58.5 £43.24

$24.19 £17.88

141.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.04 £1.51

$2.02 £1.49

0.99%

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

$39.7K £29.3K

$39.2K £29.0K

1.24%

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

$42.0K £31.0K

$41.8K £30.9K

0.36%

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

$374 £276

$481 £356

-22.27%

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

$18.34 £13.56

$16.44 £12.15

11.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.70 £31.56

$47.45 £35.07

-10.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$62.9 £46.51

$44.47 £32.87

41.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.43 £16.58

$13.77 £10.18

62.89%

Cinema Ticket

$18.62 £13.76

$12.86 £9.50

44.79%

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

$2,876 £2,126

$1,463 £1,081

96.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$37.0K £27.3K

$17.8K £13.2K

107.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$113 £83.2

$68.9 £50.9

63.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.8 £41.22

$32.50 £24.02

71.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$127 £93.7

$105 £77.2

21.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$157 £116

$112 £82.9

40.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,926 £2,162

$1,204 £890

143.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,382 £1,760

$930 £687

156.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,537 £4,092

$2,456 £1,815

125.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,821 £2,824

$2,108 £1,558

81.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$18.6K £13.8K

$5,439 £4,020

242.22%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,901 £5,839

$6,544 £4,837

20.73%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,781 £3,534

$3,129 £2,313

52.81%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.61

5.11

-9.78%

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

Last update for London: September 6, 2026

Last update for Exeter: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,926 in London and $1,204 in Exeter. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

London pays 53% 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 $101 in Exeter for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $360 vs $336 per month, with Exeter 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 Exeter: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

London and Exeter differ by about 71% in total monthly costs ($4,235 vs $2,478 including rent). Exeter is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 53% 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: $2,926 in London versus $1,204 in Exeter. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Exeter – a meal for two runs $101 versus $108 in London. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $4,235 per month in London versus $2,478 in Exeter – a 71% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,478 in Exeter versus $4,235 in London, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Exeter but tight or insufficient in London. The gap between the two cities makes Exeter 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 Exeter 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 Exeter gentler on the wallet – expenses run 71% less than in London. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.