Cost of Living Comparison Between London and Kirkwall Cost of Living Comparison Between London and Kirkwall

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $4,000 in London versus $2,318 in Kirkwall.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,771 in London versus $3,450 in Kirkwall.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,542 in London versus $4,582 in Kirkwall.

Living in London is roughly 73% more expensive than Kirkwall, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: London 197% above, Kirkwall 72% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$27.00 £19.95

$25.28 £18.68

6.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$108 £79.5

$81.2 £60.0

32.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.76 £7.95

$9.89 £7.31

8.80%

Cappuccino

$5.12 £3.78

$4.02 £2.97

27.36%

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

$2.75 £2.03

$2.33 £1.72

18.03%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.78 £1.31

$1.59 £1.17

11.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.84 £6.53

$5.48 £4.05

61.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.08 £5.97

$6.35 £4.70

27.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.75 £1.30

$1.60 £1.18

9.37%

White Bread (500g)

$2.18 £1.61

$1.65 £1.22

32.12%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.53 £1.87

$2.22 £1.64

13.96%

Eggs

$4.78 £3.53

$3.97 £2.93

20.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.46 £8.47

$9.75 £7.20

17.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.96 £6.62

$8.61 £6.36

4.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.45 £10.68

$14.32 £10.58

0.91%

Apples (1kg)

$3.45 £2.55

$3.15 £2.33

9.52%

Banana (1kg)

$2.04 £1.51

$1.63 £1.20

25.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.19 £2.36

$2.87 £2.12

11.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.59 £2.65

$3.54 £2.62

1.41%

Potato (1kg)

$1.75 £1.29

$1.63 £1.21

7.36%

Onion (1kg)

$1.78 £1.32

$1.55 £1.14

14.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.32 £0.97

$1.07 £0.79

23.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.89 £1.40

$1.46 £1.08

29.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$22.64 £16.73

$19.36 £14.31

16.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.27 £9.81

$10.71 £7.91

23.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.23 £2.39

$2.79 £2.06

15.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.90 £2.88

$3.08 £2.28

26.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.00 £2.95

$3.27 £2.42

22.32%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$244 £180

$90.2 £66.7

170.12%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.03 £4.45

$5.59 £4.13

7.87%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.24 £2.39

$1.60 £1.18

102.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$40.25 £29.74

$23.01 £17.00

74.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.96 £1.45

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

$38.2K £28.3K

$39.0K £28.8K

-1.94%

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

$39.2K £29.0K

$41.1K £30.4K

-4.55%

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

$328 £242

$291 £215

12.69%

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

$20.14 £14.88

$17.00 £12.57

18.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.96 £31.75

$42.62 £31.50

0.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$65.4 £48.35

$26.29 £19.43

148.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.39 £16.54

Cinema Ticket

$20.19 £14.92

$13.41 £9.91

50.56%

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

$2,552 £1,886

$1,575 £1,164

62.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$27.9K £20.6K

$18.1K £13.4K

53.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$119 £88.2

$85.3 £63.0

39.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.55 £36.62

$44.07 £32.57

12.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$128 £94.4

$93.8 £69.3

36.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$154 £114

$99.7 £73.7

54.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,993 £2,212

$1,204 £890

148.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,221 £1,642

$999 £739

122.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,642 £4,169

$2,068 £1,528

172.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,634 £2,686

$1,692 £1,251

114.75%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$19.2K £14.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$10.2K £7,551

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,067 £3,745

$1,959 £1,448

158.69%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.05

5.63

-10.30%

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

Last update for London: April 13, 2026

Last update for Kirkwall: April 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,993 in London and $1,204 in Kirkwall. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

London pays 159% 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: $108 in London vs $81 in Kirkwall for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $339 vs $299 per month, with Kirkwall 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 Kirkwall: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

London and Kirkwall differ by about 73% in total monthly costs ($4,000 vs $2,318 including rent). Kirkwall is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

London pays 159% 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: $2,993 in London versus $1,204 in Kirkwall. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Kirkwall – a meal for two runs $81.0 versus $108 in London. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $4,000 per month in London versus $2,318 in Kirkwall – a 73% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,318 in Kirkwall versus $4,000 in London, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Kirkwall but tight or insufficient in London. The gap between the two cities makes Kirkwall 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 Kirkwall 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 Kirkwall gentler on the wallet – expenses run 73% less than in London. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.