Cost of Living Comparison Between London and Harlow Cost of Living Comparison Between London and Harlow

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,916 in London versus $2,726 in Harlow.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,631 in London versus $4,018 in Harlow.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,345 in London versus $5,311 in Harlow.

Living in London is roughly 44% more expensive than in Harlow, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: London 193% above, Harlow 104% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$27.47 £20.43

$26.86 £19.98

2.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$111 £82.4

$95.2 £70.8

16.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.67 £7.94

$10.33 £7.68

3.29%

Cappuccino

$5.30 £3.94

$3.65 £2.72

45.21%

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

$2.74 £2.04

$3.31 £2.46

-17.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.79 £1.33

$2.08 £1.55

-13.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.00 £6.69

$4.64 £3.45

93.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.12 £6.04

$4.53 £3.37

79.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.72 £1.28

$1.41 £1.05

21.99%

White Bread (500g)

$2.11 £1.57

$1.37 £1.02

54.01%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.47 £1.84

$2.75 £2.05

-10.18%

Eggs

$4.98 £3.71

$3.70 £2.75

34.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.11 £8.26

$9.86 £7.34

12.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.13 £6.79

$8.31 £6.18

9.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.41 £10.72

$12.81 £9.53

12.49%

Apples (1kg)

$3.36 £2.50

$2.97 £2.21

13.13%

Banana (1kg)

$2.03 £1.51

$1.04 £0.77

95.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.27 £2.44

$2.93 £2.18

11.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.63 £2.70

$3.27 £2.43

11.01%

Potato (1kg)

$1.68 £1.25

$0.65 £0.48

158.46%

Onion (1kg)

$1.77 £1.32

$1.17 £0.87

51.28%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.33 £0.99

$0.57 £0.42

133.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.91 £1.42

$0.67 £0.50

185.07%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$22.79 £16.95

$16.85 £12.54

35.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.62 £10.13

$9.27 £6.90

46.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.20 £2.38

$2.27 £1.69

40.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.07 £3.03

$3.37 £2.51

20.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.82 £2.84

$2.74 £2.04

39.42%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$249 £185

$85.8 £63.8

189.83%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.89 £4.38

$5.55 £4.13

6.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.32 £2.47

$1.73 £1.29

91.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$40.47 £30.10

$14.84 £11.04

172.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.90 £1.41

$1.92 £1.43

-1.04%

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

$38.9K £29.0K

$32.8K £24.4K

18.86%

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

$39.4K £29.3K

$40.7K £30.3K

-3.25%

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

$328 £244

$228 £170

44.01%

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

$19.61 £14.58

$13.63 £10.14

43.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.68 £31.75

$37.95 £28.23

12.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$63.2 £47.04

$27.39 £20.37

130.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.39 £16.65

Cinema Ticket

$20.69 £15.39

$12.05 £8.96

71.70%

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

$2,474 £1,841

$1,887 £1,404

31.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$27.9K £20.8K

$26.2K £19.5K

6.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$119 £88.8

$82.4 £61.3

44.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.1 £37.26

$49.99 £37.18

0.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$131 £97.3

$111 £82.9

17.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$158 £118

$99.6 £74.1

59.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,937 £2,184

$1,652 £1,229

77.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,229 £1,658

$1,496 £1,113

49.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,569 £4,142

$2,551 £1,897

118.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,707 £2,757

$2,465 £1,833

50.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$20.1K £15.0K

$5,348 £3,978

275.97%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$8,485 £6,311

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,247 £3,159

$2,987 £2,222

42.19%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.05

1.00%

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

Last update for London: July 12, 2026

Last update for Harlow: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,937 in London and $1,652 in Harlow. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

London pays 42% 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 $95.0 in Harlow for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $339 vs $264 per month, with Harlow 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 Harlow: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

London and Harlow differ by about 44% in total monthly costs ($3,916 vs $2,726 including rent). Harlow is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 42% 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 $1,652 in Harlow. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Harlow – a meal for two runs $95.0 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 $2,726 in Harlow – a 44% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Both cities are expensive relative to $3,000. Harlow 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 Harlow 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 Harlow gentler on the wallet – expenses run 44% less than in London. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.