Cost of Living Comparison Between London and Fort William Cost of Living Comparison Between London and Fort William

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,916 in London versus $2,447 in Fort William.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,631 in London versus $3,523 in Fort William.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,345 in London versus $4,599 in Fort William.

Living in London is roughly 60% more expensive than in Fort William, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: London 193% above, Fort William 83% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$27.47 £20.45

$21.80 £16.23

26.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$111 £82.4

$82.4 £61.4

34.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.67 £7.95

$9.95 £7.40

7.24%

Cappuccino

$5.30 £3.94

$4.73 £3.52

12.05%

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

$2.74 £2.04

$2.03 £1.51

34.98%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.79 £1.33

$1.54 £1.14

16.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.00 £6.70

$6.29 £4.68

43.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.12 £6.04

$6.64 £4.95

22.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.72 £1.28

$1.48 £1.10

16.22%

White Bread (500g)

$2.11 £1.57

$1.68 £1.25

25.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.47 £1.84

$1.87 £1.39

32.09%

Eggs

$4.98 £3.71

$3.55 £2.64

40.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.11 £8.27

$8.77 £6.53

26.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.13 £6.80

$10.73 £7.99

-14.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.41 £10.73

$13.86 £10.32

3.97%

Apples (1kg)

$3.36 £2.50

$2.96 £2.20

13.51%

Banana (1kg)

$2.03 £1.51

$1.32 £0.98

53.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.27 £2.44

$2.08 £1.55

57.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.63 £2.70

$4.09 £3.05

-11.25%

Potato (1kg)

$1.68 £1.25

$1.16 £0.86

44.83%

Onion (1kg)

$1.77 £1.32

$1.38 £1.02

28.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.33 £0.99

$1.16 £0.86

14.66%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.91 £1.42

$1.40 £1.04

36.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$22.79 £16.97

$19.00 £14.14

19.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.62 £10.14

$11.13 £8.28

22.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.20 £2.38

$2.17 £1.62

47.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.07 £3.03

$2.31 £1.72

76.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.82 £2.85

$3.30 £2.46

15.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$249 £185

$87.3 £65.0

185.15%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.89 £4.39

$4.89 £3.64

20.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.32 £2.47

$1.67 £1.24

98.80%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$40.47 £30.13

$34.28 £25.52

18.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.90 £1.42

$1.87 £1.39

1.60%

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

$38.9K £29.0K

$38.4K £28.6K

1.30%

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

$39.4K £29.3K

$41.2K £30.7K

-4.28%

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

$328 £244

$388 £289

-15.40%

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

$19.61 £14.60

$24.26 £18.06

-19.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.68 £31.78

$46.27 £34.45

-7.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$63.2 £47.08

$45.23 £33.68

39.82%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.39 £16.67

Cinema Ticket

$20.69 £15.40

$8.95 £6.66

131.17%

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

$2,474 £1,842

$1,836 £1,367

34.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$27.9K £20.8K

$15.0K £11.2K

85.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$119 £88.9

$84.0 £62.6

42.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.1 £37.29

$40.66 £30.27

23.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$131 £97.4

$96.2 £71.7

35.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$158 £118

$119 £88.7

32.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,937 £2,186

$1,233 £918

138.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,229 £1,660

$1,001 £745

122.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,569 £4,146

$2,074 £1,544

168.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,707 £2,760

$1,679 £1,250

120.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$20.1K £15.0K

$5,250 £3,909

283.00%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$8,485 £6,317

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,247 £3,162

$2,008 £1,495

111.49%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.05

6.2

-18.55%

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

Last update for London: July 12, 2026

Last update for Fort William: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,937 in London and $1,233 in Fort William. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

London pays 111% 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 $82.0 in Fort William for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $339 vs $292 per month, with Fort William 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 Fort William: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Fort William is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Groceries & Markets, Getting Around, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment. The 60% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 111% 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 $1,233 in Fort William. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 16% higher in London. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Fort William – a meal for two runs $82.0 versus $111 in London. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $2,447 in Fort William versus $3,916 in London, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Fort William but tight or insufficient in London. The gap between the two cities makes Fort William the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Fort William 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 Fort William gentler on the wallet – expenses run 60% less than in London. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.