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: $3,892 in London versus $2,655 in Harlow.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,638 in London versus $3,928 in Harlow.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,385 in London versus $5,202 in Harlow.

Living in London is roughly 47% more expensive than Harlow, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: London 190% above, Harlow 98% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$26.92 £20.01

$27.58 £20.50

-2.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$110 £81.5

$95.6 £71.1

14.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.83 £8.05

$10.27 £7.63

5.45%

Cappuccino

$5.10 £3.79

$3.84 £2.85

32.81%

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

$2.77 £2.06

$3.49 £2.59

-20.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.78 £1.33

$2.01 £1.49

-11.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.93 £6.64

$4.88 £3.63

82.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.03 £5.97

$4.53 £3.37

77.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.77 £1.32

$1.36 £1.01

30.15%

White Bread (500g)

$2.08 £1.55

$1.32 £0.98

57.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.57 £1.91

$2.65 £1.97

-3.02%

Eggs

$4.75 £3.53

$3.54 £2.63

34.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.16 £8.30

$10.18 £7.57

9.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.00 £6.69

$7.91 £5.88

13.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.83 £11.02

$13.26 £9.85

11.84%

Apples (1kg)

$3.33 £2.47

$3.07 £2.28

8.47%

Banana (1kg)

$1.96 £1.46

$0.97 £0.72

102.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.25 £2.42

$2.92 £2.17

11.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.60 £2.67

$3.28 £2.44

9.76%

Potato (1kg)

$1.68 £1.25

$0.63 £0.47

166.67%

Onion (1kg)

$1.87 £1.39

$1.14 £0.85

64.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.32 £0.98

$0.56 £0.42

135.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.95 £1.45

$0.69 £0.51

182.61%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$22.81 £16.96

$16.78 £12.47

35.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.71 £10.19

$9.34 £6.94

46.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.31 £2.46

$2.33 £1.74

42.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.93 £2.92

$3.34 £2.49

17.66%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.95 £2.94

$2.75 £2.05

43.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$240 £179

$84.4 £62.8

184.71%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.04 £4.49

$5.49 £4.08

10.02%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.31 £2.46

$1.66 £1.23

99.40%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$40.84 £30.36

$15.23 £11.32

168.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.88 £1.40

$1.93 £1.44

-2.59%

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

$38.9K £28.9K

$32.7K £24.3K

19.04%

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

$40.0K £29.8K

$40.4K £30.0K

-0.83%

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

$326 £243

$221 £164

47.71%

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

$20.23 £15.04

$13.38 £9.94

51.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.59 £31.66

$37.11 £27.59

14.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$64.4 £47.86

$27.41 £20.37

134.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.34 £16.61

Cinema Ticket

$20.19 £15.00

$12.37 £9.20

63.22%

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

$2,525 £1,876

$1,917 £1,425

31.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$28.0K £20.8K

$26.1K £19.4K

7.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$119 £88.6

$84.5 £62.8

40.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.83 £37.04

$48.37 £35.96

3.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$127 £94.4

$110 £81.9

15.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$159 £118

$99.4 £73.9

60.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,019 £2,244

$1,649 £1,226

83.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,274 £1,690

$1,481 £1,101

53.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,543 £4,120

$2,568 £1,909

115.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,737 £2,778

$2,407 £1,789

55.26%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$19.4K £14.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$9,516 £7,073

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,820 £3,583

$3,032 £2,254

58.96%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Harlow: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $3,019 in London and $1,649 in Harlow. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

London pays 59% 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: $110 in London vs $96.0 in Harlow for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $340 vs $262 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 47% in total monthly costs ($3,892 vs $2,655 including rent). Harlow is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

London pays 59% more on average, 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: $3,019 in London versus $1,649 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 $96.0 versus $110 in London. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $3,892 per month in London versus $2,655 in Harlow – a 47% 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 47% less than in London. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.