Cost of Living Comparison Between London and Hertfordshire Cost of Living Comparison Between London and Hertfordshire

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $4,094 in London versus $2,541 in Hertfordshire.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,874 in London versus $3,871 in Hertfordshire.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,654 in London versus $5,200 in Hertfordshire.

Living in London is roughly 61% more expensive than in Hertfordshire, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: London 199% above, Hertfordshire 86% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$26.60 £19.88

$27.55 £20.58

-3.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$108 £80.5

$82.5 £61.6

30.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.94 £8.17

$10.81 £8.07

1.20%

Cappuccino

$5.65 £4.22

$5.12 £3.83

10.35%

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

$2.94 £2.20

$2.54 £1.90

15.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.18 £1.63

$2.05 £1.53

6.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.22 £6.89

$5.81 £4.34

58.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.56 £6.40

$5.71 £4.26

49.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.83 £1.37

$1.53 £1.15

19.61%

White Bread (500g)

$1.98 £1.48

$1.87 £1.40

5.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.43 £1.81

$2.82 £2.11

-13.83%

Eggs

$5.13 £3.83

$3.56 £2.66

44.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.80 £9.57

$8.25 £6.17

55.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.00 £8.22

$7.16 £5.35

53.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.37 £13.73

$17.00 £12.70

8.06%

Apples (1kg)

$3.12 £2.33

$3.44 £2.57

-9.30%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 £1.08

$1.58 £1.18

-8.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.88 £2.15

$3.25 £2.43

-11.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.37 £2.52

$3.45 £2.58

-2.32%

Potato (1kg)

$1.64 £1.22

$1.24 £0.92

32.26%

Onion (1kg)

$1.84 £1.38

$1.82 £1.36

1.10%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.48 £1.11

$1.26 £0.94

17.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 £1.39

$1.52 £1.13

22.37%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$23.72 £17.73

$21.50 £16.07

10.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.23 £9.89

$10.23 £7.64

29.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.19 £2.39

$2.09 £1.56

52.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.50 £3.36

$2.06 £1.54

118.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.11 £3.07

$3.42 £2.56

20.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$255 £190

$86.9 £65.0

192.89%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.51 £4.12

$4.18 £3.13

31.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.37 £2.52

$3.97 £2.97

-15.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$59.6 £44.52

$32.77 £24.49

81.78%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.06 £1.54

$1.94 £1.45

6.19%

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

$39.1K £29.3K

$38.9K £29.1K

0.56%

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

$41.6K £31.1K

$41.3K £30.8K

0.96%

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

$367 £274

$161 £120

128.47%

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

$18.37 £13.73

$17.66 £13.20

4.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$41.97 £31.36

$45.05 £33.67

-6.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$62.3 £46.52

$47.90 £35.79

29.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.46 £16.79

Cinema Ticket

$18.35 £13.71

$13.31 £9.95

37.87%

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

$2,844 £2,125

$1,637 £1,223

73.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$36.3K £27.1K

$22.5K £16.8K

61.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$111 £83.2

$47.95 £35.83

132.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.0 £41.07

$39.99 £29.88

37.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$128 £95.7

$73.4 £54.9

74.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$156 £117

$115 £85.6

36.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,976 £2,224

$1,814 £1,355

64.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,312 £1,728

$1,381 £1,032

67.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,421 £4,051

$2,881 £2,153

88.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,837 £2,867

$2,364 £1,767

62.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$18.0K £13.4K

$5,086 £3,801

253.52%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,845 £5,863

$4,015 £3,000

95.41%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,744 £3,545

$3,230 £2,414

46.87%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.67

5.21

-10.36%

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

Last update for London: September 15, 2026

Last update for Hertfordshire: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,976 in London and $1,814 in Hertfordshire. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

London pays 47% 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: $108 in London vs $82.0 in Hertfordshire for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $358 vs $294 per month, with Hertfordshire 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 Hertfordshire: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Hertfordshire is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Groceries & Markets, Getting Around, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment. The 61% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 47% 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: $2,976 in London versus $1,814 in Hertfordshire. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Hertfordshire – a meal for two runs $82.0 versus $108 in London. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $4,094 per month in London versus $2,541 in Hertfordshire – a 61% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,500. Hertfordshire is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

For families, Hertfordshire 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.

Safety-wise, London and Hertfordshire 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 Hertfordshire gentler on the wallet – expenses run 61% less than in London. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.