Cost of Living Comparison Between London and Lerwick Cost of Living Comparison Between London and Lerwick

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,892 in London versus $2,312 in Lerwick.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,638 in London versus $3,374 in Lerwick.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,385 in London versus $4,435 in Lerwick.

Living in London is roughly 68% more expensive than Lerwick, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: London 190% above, Lerwick 73% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$26.92 £20.18

$20.16 £15.12

33.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$110 £82.2

$81.3 £61.0

34.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.83 £8.12

$10.14 £7.60

6.80%

Cappuccino

$5.10 £3.82

$4.61 £3.45

10.63%

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

$2.77 £2.08

$2.29 £1.71

20.96%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.78 £1.34

$1.60 £1.20

11.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.93 £6.70

$6.24 £4.68

43.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.03 £6.02

$6.01 £4.51

33.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.77 £1.33

$1.58 £1.18

12.03%

White Bread (500g)

$2.08 £1.56

$1.61 £1.20

29.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.57 £1.93

$2.19 £1.65

17.35%

Eggs

$4.75 £3.56

$3.88 £2.91

22.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.16 £8.37

$10.06 £7.55

10.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.00 £6.75

$9.01 £6.75

-0.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.83 £11.12

$13.81 £10.36

7.39%

Apples (1kg)

$3.33 £2.49

$3.12 £2.34

6.73%

Banana (1kg)

$1.96 £1.47

$1.63 £1.23

20.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.25 £2.44

$2.86 £2.15

13.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.60 £2.70

Potato (1kg)

$1.68 £1.26

Onion (1kg)

$1.87 £1.40

$1.48 £1.11

26.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.32 £0.99

$1.06 £0.80

24.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.95 £1.46

$1.48 £1.11

31.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$22.81 £17.10

$19.37 £14.53

17.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.71 £10.28

$11.18 £8.38

22.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.31 £2.49

$2.82 £2.11

17.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.93 £2.95

$3.10 £2.33

26.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.95 £2.97

$3.27 £2.45

20.80%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$240 £180

$89.3 £67.0

169.22%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.04 £4.53

$5.55 £4.16

8.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.31 £2.48

$1.53 £1.15

116.34%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$40.84 £30.62

$22.72 £17.04

79.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.88 £1.41

$1.94 £1.45

-3.09%

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

$38.9K £29.2K

$38.3K £28.7K

1.60%

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

$40.0K £30.0K

$40.8K £30.6K

-1.83%

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

$326 £245

$296 £222

10.47%

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

$20.23 £15.17

$17.23 £12.92

17.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.59 £31.94

$43.36 £32.51

-1.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$64.4 £48.28

$45.04 £33.77

42.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.34 £16.75

Cinema Ticket

$20.19 £15.14

$13.71 £10.28

47.26%

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

$2,525 £1,893

$1,576 £1,182

60.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$28.0K £21.0K

$18.5K £13.9K

51.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$119 £89.3

$82.8 £62.1

43.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.83 £37.36

$43.14 £32.35

15.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$127 £95.2

$92.8 £69.6

36.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$159 £119

$97.0 £72.7

64.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,019 £2,264

$1,224 £918

146.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,274 £1,705

$1,011 £758

124.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,543 £4,156

$2,074 £1,555

167.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,737 £2,802

$1,713 £1,285

118.10%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$19.4K £14.5K

$4,753 £3,564

308.04%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$9,516 £7,135

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,820 £3,614

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Lerwick: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $3,019 in London and $1,224 in Lerwick. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $110 in London vs $81.0 in Lerwick for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $340 vs $300 per month, with Lerwick 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 Lerwick: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lerwick is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Groceries & Markets, Getting Around, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment. The 68% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $5,838 in London and $3,468 in Lerwick to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $3,019 in London versus $1,224 in Lerwick. 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 $2,312 in Lerwick – a 68% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Lerwick runs roughly 169% less than in London. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $2,312 in Lerwick versus $3,892 in London, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Lerwick but tight or insufficient in London. The gap between the two cities makes Lerwick the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Lerwick 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 Lerwick 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 Lerwick gentler on the wallet – expenses run 68% less than in London. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.