Cost of Living Comparison Between London and Farnborough Cost of Living Comparison Between London and Farnborough

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,916 in London versus $2,508 in Farnborough.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,631 in London versus $3,737 in Farnborough.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,345 in London versus $4,965 in Farnborough.

Living in London is roughly 56% more expensive than in Farnborough, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: London 193% above, Farnborough 88% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$27.47 £20.45

$20.33 £15.14

35.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$111 £82.4

$77.6 £57.8

42.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.67 £7.95

$8.86 £6.59

20.43%

Cappuccino

$5.30 £3.94

$4.98 £3.71

6.43%

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

$2.74 £2.04

$2.67 £1.99

2.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.79 £1.33

$1.91 £1.42

-6.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.00 £6.70

$6.92 £5.15

30.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.12 £6.04

$6.95 £5.17

16.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.72 £1.28

$1.45 £1.08

18.62%

White Bread (500g)

$2.11 £1.57

$1.39 £1.03

51.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.47 £1.84

$3.70 £2.75

-33.24%

Eggs

$4.98 £3.71

$5.34 £3.98

-6.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.11 £8.27

$8.72 £6.49

27.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.13 £6.80

$9.25 £6.89

-1.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.41 £10.73

$14.53 £10.82

-0.83%

Apples (1kg)

$3.36 £2.50

$1.44 £1.08

133.33%

Banana (1kg)

$2.03 £1.51

$1.58 £1.18

28.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.27 £2.44

$2.40 £1.79

36.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.63 £2.70

$3.23 £2.40

12.38%

Potato (1kg)

$1.68 £1.25

$1.82 £1.36

-7.69%

Onion (1kg)

$1.77 £1.32

$1.21 £0.90

46.28%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.33 £0.99

$0.93 £0.70

43.01%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.91 £1.42

$0.72 £0.54

165.28%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$22.79 £16.97

$17.35 £12.92

31.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.62 £10.14

$10.92 £8.13

24.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.20 £2.38

$3.17 £2.36

0.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.07 £3.03

$3.43 £2.55

18.66%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.82 £2.85

$2.65 £1.97

44.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$249 £185

$87.6 £65.2

183.94%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.89 £4.39

$3.08 £2.29

91.23%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.32 £2.47

$1.87 £1.40

77.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$40.47 £30.13

$12.36 £9.20

227.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.90 £1.42

$1.91 £1.42

-0.52%

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

$38.9K £29.0K

$37.7K £28.1K

3.31%

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

$39.4K £29.3K

$37.8K £28.1K

4.28%

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

$328 £244

$135 £100

143.41%

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

$19.61 £14.60

$16.29 £12.13

20.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.68 £31.78

$41.42 £30.84

3.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$63.2 £47.08

$59.4 £44.22

6.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.39 £16.67

$24.04 £17.90

-6.86%

Cinema Ticket

$20.69 £15.40

$8.03 £5.98

157.66%

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

$2,474 £1,842

$1,529 £1,138

61.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$27.9K £20.8K

$18.6K £13.9K

49.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$119 £88.9

$115 £85.7

3.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.1 £37.29

$53.9 £40.12

-7.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$131 £97.4

$117 £87.3

11.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$158 £118

$146 £109

8.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,937 £2,186

$1,692 £1,259

73.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,229 £1,660

$1,319 £982

69.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,569 £4,146

$2,408 £1,793

131.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,707 £2,760

$2,175 £1,619

70.48%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$20.1K £15.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$8,485 £6,317

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,247 £3,162

$4,094 £3,048

3.74%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.05

5.62

-10.14%

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

Last update for London: July 12, 2026

Last update for Farnborough: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,937 in London and $1,692 in Farnborough. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

London pays 4% 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: $111 in London vs $78.0 in Farnborough for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $339 vs $288 per month, with Farnborough 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 Farnborough: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

London and Farnborough differ by about 56% in total monthly costs ($3,916 vs $2,508 including rent). Farnborough is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 4% 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: $2,937 in London versus $1,692 in Farnborough. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Farnborough – a meal for two runs $78.0 versus $111 in London. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $3,916 per month in London versus $2,508 in Farnborough – a 56% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Both cities are expensive relative to $3,000. Farnborough 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.

Expats usually find Farnborough gentler on the wallet – expenses run 56% less than in London. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.