Cost of Living Comparison Between London and Ilford Cost of Living Comparison Between London and Ilford

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,892 per month in London vs $3,005 in Ilford, rent included.

A couple spends around $5,638 per month in London vs $3,949 in Ilford, rent included.

A family of three spends $7,385 per month in London vs $4,893 in Ilford, rent included.

London costs about 29% more than Ilford, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both London and Ilford sit above the global median – London by 190%, Ilford by 124%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$26.92 £20.01

$20.59 £15.30

30.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$110 £81.5

$88.3 £65.7

24.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.83 £8.05

$10.70 £7.96

1.21%

Cappuccino

$5.10 £3.79

$4.68 £3.48

8.97%

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

$2.77 £2.06

$1.51 £1.13

83.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.78 £1.33

$1.09 £0.81

63.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.93 £6.64

$5.29 £3.93

68.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.03 £5.97

$6.28 £4.67

27.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.77 £1.32

$1.41 £1.05

25.53%

White Bread (500g)

$2.08 £1.55

$1.41 £1.05

47.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.57 £1.91

$2.17 £1.61

18.43%

Eggs

$4.75 £3.53

$3.62 £2.69

31.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.16 £8.30

$8.34 £6.20

33.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.00 £6.69

$8.44 £6.27

6.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.83 £11.02

$13.32 £9.90

11.34%

Apples (1kg)

$3.33 £2.47

$3.23 £2.40

3.10%

Banana (1kg)

$1.96 £1.46

$1.56 £1.16

25.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.25 £2.42

$2.87 £2.13

13.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.60 £2.67

$2.91 £2.16

23.71%

Potato (1kg)

$1.68 £1.25

$1.74 £1.29

-3.45%

Onion (1kg)

$1.87 £1.39

$1.51 £1.12

23.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.32 £0.98

$1.29 £0.96

2.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.95 £1.45

$1.40 £1.04

39.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$22.81 £16.96

$20.45 £15.20

11.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.71 £10.19

$9.04 £6.72

51.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.31 £2.46

$2.73 £2.03

21.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.93 £2.92

$2.44 £1.81

61.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.95 £2.94

$3.48 £2.59

13.51%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$240 £179

$89.4 £66.4

169.01%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.04 £4.49

$6.14 £4.57

-1.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.31 £2.46

$2.12 £1.58

56.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$40.84 £30.36

$29.52 £21.94

38.35%

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

$38.3K £28.5K

1.44%

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

$40.0K £29.8K

$38.6K £28.7K

3.79%

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

$326 £243

$318 £236

2.80%

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

$20.23 £15.04

$16.22 £12.05

24.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.59 £31.66

$35.41 £26.32

20.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$64.4 £47.86

$28.63 £21.28

124.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.34 £16.61

Cinema Ticket

$20.19 £15.00

$20.71 £15.39

-2.51%

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

$2,525 £1,876

$1,880 £1,397

34.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$28.0K £20.8K

$22.6K £16.8K

23.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$119 £88.6

$103 £76.3

16.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.83 £37.04

$41.29 £30.69

20.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$127 £94.4

$90.1 £66.9

41.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$159 £118

$98.8 £73.4

61.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,019 £2,244

$1,387 £1,031

117.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,274 £1,690

$1,747 £1,299

30.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,543 £4,120

$3,015 £2,241

83.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,737 £2,778

$2,191 £1,628

70.58%

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

$3,566 £2,651

35.17%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.05

5.45

-7.34%

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

Last update for London: May 31, 2026

Last update for Ilford: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $3,019 in London versus $1,387 in Ilford. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 35% higher in London, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $110 in London versus $88.0 in Ilford. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $340 vs $277 – making Ilford the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Ilford: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

London costs about 29% more than Ilford, with the gap driven mainly by Getting Around. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,838 per month in London and $4,508 in Ilford. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Ilford, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 23% more in London, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $110 in London and $88.0 in Ilford. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Ilford, where all-in costs run around $3,005, than in London at $3,892. In Ilford it covers expenses comfortably, while in London it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Ilford costs $3,005 versus $3,892 in London. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Ilford. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, London makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.