Cost of Living Comparison Between London and Leeds Cost of Living Comparison Between London and Leeds

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,892 in London versus $2,350 in Leeds.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,638 in London versus $3,466 in Leeds.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,385 in London versus $4,581 in Leeds.

Living in London is roughly 66% more expensive than Leeds, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: London 190% above, Leeds 75% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$26.92 £20.05

$20.28 £15.10

32.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$110 £81.7

$80.7 £60.1

35.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.83 £8.06

$10.16 £7.57

6.59%

Cappuccino

$5.10 £3.80

$4.61 £3.44

10.63%

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

$2.77 £2.06

$2.34 £1.74

18.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.78 £1.33

$1.57 £1.17

13.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.93 £6.65

$6.97 £5.19

28.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.03 £5.98

$5.44 £4.05

47.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.77 £1.32

$1.63 £1.22

8.59%

White Bread (500g)

$2.08 £1.55

$1.66 £1.23

25.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.57 £1.92

$3.88 £2.89

-33.76%

Eggs

$4.75 £3.54

$4.13 £3.08

15.01%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.16 £8.31

$10.38 £7.73

7.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.00 £6.70

$8.21 £6.11

9.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.83 £11.05

$17.30 £12.88

-14.28%

Apples (1kg)

$3.33 £2.48

$3.43 £2.56

-2.92%

Banana (1kg)

$1.96 £1.46

$1.99 £1.49

-1.51%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.25 £2.42

$3.16 £2.35

2.85%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.60 £2.68

$3.72 £2.77

-3.23%

Potato (1kg)

$1.68 £1.25

$1.80 £1.34

-6.67%

Onion (1kg)

$1.87 £1.40

$2.01 £1.50

-6.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.32 £0.99

$1.37 £1.02

-3.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.95 £1.45

$1.90 £1.42

2.63%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$22.81 £16.99

$18.02 £13.42

26.58%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.71 £10.21

$10.85 £8.08

26.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.31 £2.47

$2.71 £2.02

22.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.93 £2.93

$1.94 £1.45

102.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.95 £2.95

$3.31 £2.47

19.34%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$240 £179

$108 £80.2

123.18%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.04 £4.50

$6.37 £4.74

-5.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.31 £2.46

$2.00 £1.49

65.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$40.84 £30.42

$16.58 £12.35

146.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.88 £1.40

$1.95 £1.45

-3.59%

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

$38.9K £29.0K

$37.9K £28.2K

2.69%

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

$40.0K £29.8K

$42.8K £31.9K

-6.50%

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

$326 £243

$288 £215

13.32%

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

$20.23 £15.07

$17.29 £12.87

17.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.59 £31.72

$43.86 £32.67

-2.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$64.4 £47.95

$41.71 £31.07

54.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.34 £16.64

$21.44 £15.97

4.20%

Cinema Ticket

$20.19 £15.03

$13.05 £9.72

54.71%

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

$2,525 £1,880

$1,559 £1,161

61.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$28.0K £20.9K

$6,769 £5,041

313.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$119 £88.7

$81.8 £60.9

45.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.83 £37.11

$43.75 £32.59

13.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$127 £94.6

$84.8 £63.1

49.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$159 £119

$70.8 £52.8

124.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,019 £2,249

$1,352 £1,007

123.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,274 £1,694

$1,002 £746

126.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,543 £4,129

$2,440 £1,818

127.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,737 £2,783

$1,615 £1,203

131.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$19.4K £14.4K

$3,848 £2,866

403.94%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$9,516 £7,087

$3,604 £2,684

164.04%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,820 £3,590

$3,273 £2,438

47.26%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.05

5.6

-9.82%

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

Last update for London: May 31, 2026

Last update for Leeds: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $3,019 in London and $1,352 in Leeds. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

London pays 47% 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 $81.0 in Leeds for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $340 vs $326 per month, with Leeds 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 Leeds: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Leeds wins on cost – living expenses run 66% lower than in London. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Leeds the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

London pays 47% 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 $1,352 in Leeds. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $3,892 per month in London versus $2,350 in Leeds – a 66% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Leeds runs roughly 123% less than in London. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $2,350 in Leeds versus $3,892 in London, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Leeds but tight or insufficient in London. The gap between the two cities makes Leeds the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Leeds delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $2,350 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Leeds hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Leeds gentler on the wallet – expenses run 66% less than in London. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.