Cost of Living Comparison Between London and Kettering Cost of Living Comparison Between London and Kettering

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,892 in London versus $2,125 in Kettering.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,638 in London versus $2,793 in Kettering.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,385 in London versus $3,461 in Kettering.

Living in London is roughly 83% more expensive than Kettering, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: London 190% above, Kettering 59% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$26.92 £20.01

$20.04 £14.89

34.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$110 £81.5

$82.8 £61.5

32.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.83 £8.05

$10.76 £8.00

0.65%

Cappuccino

$5.10 £3.79

$4.55 £3.38

12.09%

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

$2.77 £2.06

$1.97 £1.46

40.61%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.78 £1.33

$1.38 £1.03

28.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.93 £6.64

$5.49 £4.08

62.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.03 £5.97

$5.45 £4.05

47.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.77 £1.32

$1.15 £0.85

53.91%

White Bread (500g)

$2.08 £1.55

$1.57 £1.17

32.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.57 £1.91

$2.06 £1.53

24.76%

Eggs

$4.75 £3.53

$4.22 £3.13

12.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.16 £8.30

$10.19 £7.58

9.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.00 £6.69

$7.30 £5.43

23.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.83 £11.02

$15.83 £11.77

-6.32%

Apples (1kg)

$3.33 £2.47

$3.26 £2.43

2.15%

Banana (1kg)

$1.96 £1.46

$1.75 £1.30

12.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.25 £2.42

$2.76 £2.05

17.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.60 £2.67

$2.53 £1.88

42.29%

Potato (1kg)

$1.68 £1.25

$0.99 £0.74

69.70%

Onion (1kg)

$1.87 £1.39

$1.67 £1.24

11.98%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.32 £0.98

$1.03 £0.77

28.16%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.95 £1.45

$1.52 £1.13

28.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$22.81 £16.96

$16.31 £12.12

39.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.71 £10.19

$10.88 £8.09

26.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.31 £2.46

$2.54 £1.89

30.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.93 £2.92

$1.91 £1.42

105.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.95 £2.94

$2.69 £2.00

46.84%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$240 £179

$87.3 £64.9

175.42%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.04 £4.49

$4.15 £3.09

45.54%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.31 £2.46

$1.99 £1.48

66.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$40.84 £30.36

$25.00 £18.58

63.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.88 £1.40

$1.97 £1.46

-4.57%

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

$38.9K £28.9K

$38.0K £28.2K

2.37%

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

$40.0K £29.8K

$42.2K £31.4K

-5.09%

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

$326 £243

$255 £190

27.82%

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

$20.23 £15.04

$16.52 £12.28

22.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.59 £31.66

$35.46 £26.36

20.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$64.4 £47.86

$41.06 £30.52

56.82%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.34 £16.61

Cinema Ticket

$20.19 £15.00

$13.51 £10.04

49.44%

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

$2,525 £1,876

$1,401 £1,041

80.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$28.0K £20.8K

$13.6K £10.1K

106.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$119 £88.6

$74.7 £55.5

59.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.83 £37.04

$36.47 £27.11

36.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$127 £94.4

$70.4 £52.3

80.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$159 £118

$90.6 £67.3

75.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,019 £2,244

$1,070 £795

182.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,274 £1,690

$878 £652

159.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,543 £4,120

$1,069 £795

418.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,737 £2,778

$794 £590

370.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$19.4K £14.4K

$5,477 £4,071

254.06%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$9,516 £7,073

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,820 £3,583

$4,321 £3,212

11.55%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.05

5.79

-12.78%

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

Last update for London: May 31, 2026

Last update for Kettering: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $3,019 in London and $1,070 in Kettering. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

London pays 12% 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 $83.0 in Kettering for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $340 vs $284 per month, with Kettering 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 Kettering: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kettering is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Groceries & Markets, Getting Around, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment. The 83% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

London pays 12% 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 $1,070 in Kettering. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Kettering runs roughly 175% 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 $1,401 in Kettering. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $2,125 in Kettering versus $3,892 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.

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.

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.

Expats usually find Kettering gentler on the wallet – expenses run 83% less than in London. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.