Cost of Living Comparison Between London and Ipswich Cost of Living Comparison Between London and Ipswich

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $4,221 in London versus $2,318 in Ipswich.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,971 in London versus $3,487 in Ipswich.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,721 in London versus $4,657 in Ipswich.

Living in London is roughly 82% more expensive than in Ipswich, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: London 207% above, Ipswich 69% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$27.14 £20.08

$21.46 £15.88

26.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$110 £81.3

$107 £79.5

2.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.05 £8.17

$10.64 £7.87

3.85%

Cappuccino

$5.84 £4.32

$5.83 £4.31

0.17%

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

$3.02 £2.24

$1.70 £1.26

77.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.24 £1.66

$1.88 £1.39

19.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.33 £6.90

$6.94 £5.13

34.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.92 £6.60

$6.97 £5.16

27.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.88 £1.39

$1.72 £1.27

9.30%

White Bread (500g)

$2.05 £1.51

$1.65 £1.22

24.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.46 £1.82

$1.65 £1.22

49.09%

Eggs

$5.21 £3.85

$4.45 £3.29

17.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.72 £9.41

$13.07 £9.67

-2.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.97 £8.12

$8.99 £6.65

22.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.29 £13.53

$15.62 £11.55

17.09%

Apples (1kg)

$3.17 £2.35

$3.29 £2.43

-3.65%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 £1.11

Oranges (1kg)

$2.80 £2.07

$2.75 £2.03

1.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.50 £2.59

$3.20 £2.37

9.37%

Potato (1kg)

$1.65 £1.22

$1.64 £1.21

0.61%

Onion (1kg)

$1.85 £1.37

$1.51 £1.12

22.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.53 £1.14

$1.48 £1.10

3.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 £1.35

$1.50 £1.11

22.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$24.20 £17.90

$23.79 £17.60

1.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.40 £9.91

$10.97 £8.11

22.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.27 £2.42

$2.73 £2.02

19.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.67 £3.46

$3.68 £2.72

26.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.18 £3.09

$2.98 £2.21

40.27%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$272 £201

$86.8 £64.2

213.54%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.75 £4.26

$5.64 £4.17

1.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.32 £2.46

$2.05 £1.52

61.95%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$58.0 £42.89

$34.42 £25.46

68.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.06 £1.52

$1.89 £1.40

8.99%

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

$39.5K £29.2K

$38.6K £28.6K

2.27%

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

$42.6K £31.5K

$41.3K £30.6K

3.19%

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

$373 £276

0.10%

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

$18.28 £13.53

$15.91 £11.77

14.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.44 £31.39

$41.73 £30.87

1.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$63.7 £47.12

$34.46 £25.49

84.82%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.74 £16.82

$7.96 £5.89

185.68%

Cinema Ticket

$18.46 £13.66

$18.38 £13.60

0.44%

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

$2,922 £2,161

$1,064 £788

174.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$37.1K £27.4K

$20.4K £15.1K

81.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$115 £84.8

$71.3 £52.8

60.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.6 £40.40

$56.0 £41.39

-2.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$129 £95.2

$82.3 £60.9

56.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$153 £113

$69.8 £51.6

119.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,001 £2,220

$1,089 £806

175.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,363 £1,748

$976 £722

142.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,471 £4,047

$1,447 £1,071

277.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,809 £2,818

$1,566 £1,158

143.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$18.4K £13.6K

$5,170 £3,825

256.42%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,891 £5,838

$3,994 £2,955

97.57%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,580 £3,388

$3,034 £2,245

50.95%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.61

4.64

-0.65%

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

Last update for London: August 30, 2026

Last update for Ipswich: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $3,001 in London and $1,089 in Ipswich. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

London pays 51% 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 $107 in Ipswich for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $361 vs $316 per month, with Ipswich 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 Ipswich: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

London and Ipswich differ by about 82% in total monthly costs ($4,221 vs $2,318 including rent). Ipswich is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 51% 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: $3,001 in London versus $1,089 in Ipswich. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Ipswich runs roughly 214% less than in London. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $2,922 in London versus $1,064 in Ipswich. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $2,318 in Ipswich versus $4,221 in London, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Ipswich but tight or insufficient in London. The gap between the two cities makes Ipswich 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.

Safety-wise, London and Ipswich 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 Ipswich gentler on the wallet – expenses run 82% less than in London. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.