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: $3,892 in London versus $2,092 in Ipswich.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,638 in London versus $3,185 in Ipswich.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,385 in London versus $4,279 in Ipswich.

Living in London is roughly 86% more expensive than Ipswich, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: London 190% above, Ipswich 56% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$26.92 £20.01

$20.14 £14.97

33.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$110 £81.5

$88.0 £65.4

24.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.83 £8.05

$10.90 £8.10

-0.64%

Cappuccino

$5.10 £3.79

$4.55 £3.38

12.09%

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

$2.77 £2.06

$1.51 £1.12

83.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.78 £1.33

$1.05 £0.78

69.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.93 £6.64

$6.89 £5.12

29.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.03 £5.97

$6.17 £4.58

30.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.77 £1.32

$1.44 £1.07

22.92%

White Bread (500g)

$2.08 £1.55

$1.42 £1.05

46.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.57 £1.91

$1.51 £1.12

70.20%

Eggs

$4.75 £3.53

$3.57 £2.65

33.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.16 £8.30

$8.51 £6.32

31.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.00 £6.69

$7.03 £5.23

28.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.83 £11.02

$13.18 £9.80

12.52%

Apples (1kg)

$3.33 £2.47

$2.32 £1.72

43.53%

Banana (1kg)

$1.96 £1.46

$1.38 £1.03

42.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.25 £2.42

$2.08 £1.55

56.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.60 £2.67

$2.11 £1.57

70.62%

Potato (1kg)

$1.68 £1.25

$1.72 £1.28

-2.33%

Onion (1kg)

$1.87 £1.39

$1.58 £1.17

18.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.32 £0.98

$0.86 £0.64

53.49%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.95 £1.45

$0.96 £0.71

103.13%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$22.81 £16.96

$16.49 £12.26

38.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.71 £10.19

$10.70 £7.96

28.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.31 £2.46

$1.73 £1.28

91.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.93 £2.92

$2.41 £1.79

63.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.95 £2.94

$2.78 £2.07

42.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$240 £179

$88.4 £65.7

172.11%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.04 £4.49

$6.26 £4.65

-3.51%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.31 £2.46

$1.11 £0.82

198.20%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$40.84 £30.36

$33.39 £24.82

22.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.88 £1.40

$1.91 £1.42

-1.57%

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

$38.9K £28.9K

$38.1K £28.3K

2.17%

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

$40.0K £29.8K

$41.6K £30.9K

-3.83%

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

$326 £243

$335 £249

-2.66%

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

$20.23 £15.04

$14.22 £10.57

42.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.59 £31.66

$34.95 £25.98

21.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$64.4 £47.86

$73.6 £54.7

-12.49%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.34 £16.61

$11.07 £8.23

101.81%

Cinema Ticket

$20.19 £15.00

$13.48 £10.02

49.78%

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

$2,525 £1,876

$1,910 £1,420

32.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$28.0K £20.8K

$22.3K £16.6K

25.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$119 £88.6

$81.2 £60.4

46.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.83 £37.04

$40.50 £30.11

23.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$127 £94.4

$88.3 £65.6

43.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$159 £118

$70.0 £52.1

127.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,019 £2,244

$1,069 £795

182.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,274 £1,690

$849 £631

167.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,543 £4,120

$1,523 £1,132

264.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,737 £2,778

$1,544 £1,147

142.10%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$19.4K £14.4K

$5,198 £3,864

273.07%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$9,516 £7,073

$3,975 £2,955

139.37%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,820 £3,583

$3,033 £2,254

58.93%

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 Ipswich: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $3,019 in London and $1,069 in Ipswich. 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 $88.0 in Ipswich for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $340 vs $246 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 86% in total monthly costs ($3,892 vs $2,092 including rent). Ipswich 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 $1,069 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 172% less than in London. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $2,525 in London versus $1,910 in Ipswich. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $2,092 in Ipswich versus $3,892 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 86% less than in London. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.