Cost of Living Comparison Between London and Hastings Cost of Living Comparison Between London and Hastings

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,916 in London versus $2,584 in Hastings.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,631 in London versus $3,526 in Hastings.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,345 in London versus $4,467 in Hastings.

Living in London is roughly 52% more expensive than in Hastings, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: London 193% above, Hastings 93% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$27.47 £20.43

$20.14 £14.98

36.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$111 £82.4

$78.7 £58.5

40.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.67 £7.94

$11.53 £8.58

-7.46%

Cappuccino

$5.30 £3.94

$4.49 £3.34

18.04%

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

$2.74 £2.04

$2.69 £2.00

1.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.79 £1.33

$1.33 £0.99

34.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.00 £6.69

$6.95 £5.17

29.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.12 £6.04

$6.62 £4.92

22.66%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.72 £1.28

$0.70 £0.52

145.71%

White Bread (500g)

$2.11 £1.57

$1.37 £1.02

54.01%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.47 £1.84

$2.69 £2.00

-8.18%

Eggs

$4.98 £3.71

$3.30 £2.45

50.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.11 £8.26

$9.54 £7.10

16.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.13 £6.79

$9.37 £6.97

-2.56%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.41 £10.72

$13.72 £10.21

5.03%

Apples (1kg)

$3.36 £2.50

$2.32 £1.73

44.83%

Banana (1kg)

$2.03 £1.51

$1.62 £1.21

25.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.27 £2.44

$2.38 £1.77

37.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.63 £2.70

$3.47 £2.58

4.61%

Potato (1kg)

$1.68 £1.25

$1.83 £1.36

-8.20%

Onion (1kg)

$1.77 £1.32

$1.21 £0.90

46.28%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.33 £0.99

$0.94 £0.70

41.49%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.91 £1.42

$2.31 £1.72

-17.32%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$22.79 £16.95

$17.34 £12.89

31.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.62 £10.13

$6.51 £4.84

109.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.20 £2.38

$2.89 £2.15

10.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.07 £3.03

$3.36 £2.50

21.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.82 £2.84

$2.67 £1.99

43.07%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$249 £185

$91.2 £67.8

172.89%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.89 £4.38

$5.16 £3.84

14.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.32 £2.47

$1.74 £1.29

90.80%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$40.47 £30.10

$41.35 £30.76

-2.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.90 £1.41

$1.88 £1.40

1.06%

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

$38.9K £29.0K

$20.2K £15.0K

92.81%

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

$39.4K £29.3K

$33.1K £24.6K

19.13%

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

$328 £244

$340 £253

-3.41%

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

$19.61 £14.58

$18.36 £13.65

6.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.68 £31.75

$27.60 £20.53

54.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$63.2 £47.04

$44.98 £33.45

40.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.39 £16.65

$47.08 £35.02

-52.44%

Cinema Ticket

$20.69 £15.39

$11.99 £8.92

72.56%

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

$2,474 £1,841

$1,559 £1,159

58.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$27.9K £20.8K

$18.1K £13.4K

54.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$119 £88.8

$80.0 £59.5

49.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.1 £37.26

$41.49 £30.86

20.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$131 £97.3

$117 £87.3

11.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$158 £118

$145 £108

9.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,937 £2,184

$1,520 £1,131

93.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,229 £1,658

$1,278 £951

74.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,569 £4,142

$2,006 £1,492

177.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,707 £2,757

$1,509 £1,123

145.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$20.1K £15.0K

$13.5K £10.0K

49.30%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$8,485 £6,311

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,247 £3,159

$3,300 £2,454

28.70%

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 Hastings: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,937 in London and $1,520 in Hastings. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

London pays 29% 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 $79.0 in Hastings for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $339 vs $283 per month, with Hastings 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 Hastings: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

London and Hastings differ by about 52% in total monthly costs ($3,916 vs $2,584 including rent). Hastings is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 29% 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 $1,520 in Hastings. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $3,916 per month in London versus $2,584 in Hastings – a 52% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Hastings runs roughly 173% less than in London. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $2,584 in Hastings versus $3,916 in London, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Hastings but tight or insufficient in London. The gap between the two cities makes Hastings 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.

Expats usually find Hastings gentler on the wallet – expenses run 52% less than in London. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.