Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between London and Kettering

For one person, living is cheaper in Kettering: $1,921 a month against $3,986 in London, rent and utilities included – about $24,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

London
🇬🇧 United Kingdom
$3,986
/mo nomad
Kettering
🇬🇧 United Kingdom
$1,921
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in London and in Kettering

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in London and in Kettering actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,986 in London versus $1,921 in Kettering.

  • London $3,986
  • Kettering $1,921

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,791 in London versus $2,555 in Kettering.

  • London $5,791
  • Kettering $2,555

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,595 in London versus $3,189 in Kettering.

  • London $7,595
  • Kettering $3,189

Living in London is roughly 108% more expensive than in Kettering, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: London 195% above, Kettering 42% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
London
Kettering
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$25.93 £19.45
$19.80 £14.86
30.96%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$107 £79.9
$80.4 £60.3
32.50%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.71 £8.03
$10.75 £8.07
-0.37%
Cappuccino
$5.47 £4.11
$4.59 £3.44
19.17%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.97 £2.23
$2.10 £1.58
41.43%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.20 £1.65
$1.53 £1.15
43.79%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$9.13 £6.85
$5.75 £4.31
58.78%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$7.94 £5.96
$5.35 £4.01
48.41%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
London
Kettering
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.86 £1.40
$1.44 £1.08
29.17%
White Bread (500g)
$2.07 £1.55
$1.76 £1.32
17.61%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.42 £1.81
$2.71 £2.03
-10.70%
Eggs
$5.09 £3.82
$3.98 £2.99
27.89%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.87 £9.66
$9.01 £6.76
42.84%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.43 £7.82
$7.54 £5.66
38.33%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$16.87 £12.66
$16.40 £12.30
2.87%
Apples (1kg)
$3.11 £2.33
$3.30 £2.48
-5.76%
Banana (1kg)
$1.40 £1.05
$1.54 £1.15
-9.09%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.08 £2.31
$2.67 £2.01
15.36%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.27 £2.45
$3.16 £2.37
3.48%
Potato (1kg)
$1.58 £1.19
$1.21 £0.91
30.58%
Onion (1kg)
$1.74 £1.31
$1.71 £1.28
1.75%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.40 £1.05
$1.21 £0.91
15.70%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.80 £1.35
$1.24 £0.93
45.16%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$23.28 £17.46
$23.65 £17.74
-1.56%
Wine (Bottle)
$13.03 £9.77
$9.70 £7.28
34.33%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$3.17 £2.38
$3.28 £2.46
-3.35%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.42 £3.32
$2.39 £1.79
84.94%
🚌 Getting Around
London
Kettering
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$4.07 £3.05
$2.59 £1.94
57.14%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$247 £185
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$5.58 £4.18
$4.09 £3.07
36.43%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$3.36 £2.52
$1.59 £1.19
111.32%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$56.8 £42.58
$31.82 £23.87
78.35%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.13 £1.60
$2.00 £1.50
6.50%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$38.2K £28.6K
$37.6K £28.2K
1.69%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$40.9K £30.7K
$41.0K £30.7K
-0.19%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
London
Kettering
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$372 £279
$200 £150
86.01%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$17.82 £13.37
$16.23 £12.17
9.80%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$40.37 £30.29
$43.94 £32.96
-8.12%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
London
Kettering
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$60.0 £44.99
$39.72 £29.80
50.98%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$21.29 £15.97
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$17.74 £13.31
$12.96 £9.73
36.88%
🧸 Childcare & Education
London
Kettering
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$2,864 £2,149
$1,503 £1,128
90.53%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$35.3K £26.5K
$22.3K £16.7K
58.50%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
London
Kettering
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$114 £85.5
$86.4 £64.8
32.04%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$54.3 £40.71
$31.23 £23.43
73.78%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$124 £93.2
$73.9 £55.4
68.23%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$163 £122
$97.2 £72.9
67.81%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
London
Kettering
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,869 £2,152
$1,053 £790
172.40%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,233 £1,675
$851 £638
162.54%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$5,266 £3,951
$1,071 £804
391.60%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$3,778 £2,835
$758 £569
398.43%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$18.3K £13.8K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$8,024 £6,020
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
London
Kettering
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$5,037 £3,779
$4,330 £3,248
16.33%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.74
5.06
-6.32%

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

Last update for London: October 10, 2026

Last update for Kettering: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
London
$2.2K
Kettering
$851 61.9% $1.4K
Monthly Utilities & Internet
London
$430
Kettering
$260 39.5% $170
Eating Out
London
$388
Kettering
$300 22.6% $88
Groceries & Markets
London
$349
Kettering
$292 16.4% $57
Getting Around
London
$285
Kettering
$22 * 92.2% $263
Clothing & Footwear
London
$205
Kettering
$130 36.7% $75
Sport & Entertainment
London
$95
Kettering
$66 31.2% $30

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,869 in London and $1,053 in Kettering. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

London pays 16% 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: $107 in London vs $80.0 in Kettering for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $349 vs $292 per month, with Kettering cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇬🇧 London
🇬🇧 Kettering
🕒 Local time
18:32 6:32 PM
18:32 6:32 PM
Same time as London
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
8,908,083 Capital
56,676
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to GBP – British Pound Converter

British Pound exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 0.75 GBP (1 GBP = 1.33 USD). 1 EUR = 0.843 GBP (1 GBP = 1.19 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • London Kettering 110 km
From you
  • London
  • Kettering

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Kettering: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Kettering cheaper than London?
Kettering is cheaper overall, especially in eating out, groceries, and transport. The 108% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: London or Kettering?
Average pay runs 16% higher in London, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
What is the rent difference between London and Kettering?
Rent for a central apartment: $2,869 in London versus $1,053 in Kettering. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do food prices compare in London and in Kettering?
Supermarket bills run roughly 20% higher in London. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
What are total monthly expenses in London and in Kettering?
All in, you'll spend $3,986 per month in London versus $1,921 in Kettering – a 108% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Is $2,500 a realistic budget for living in London or in Kettering?
At $1,921 in Kettering versus $3,986 in London, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Kettering but tight or insufficient in London. The gap between the two cities makes Kettering the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is London or Kettering more family-friendly?
For families, Kettering 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.
Which city is safer, London or Kettering?
Safety-wise, London and Kettering are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Kettering gentler on the wallet – expenses run 108% less than in London. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

London vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities

Show times on the 12-hour clock, temperatures in °F and distances in miles?