Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between London and Lewes

For one person, living is cheaper in Lewes: $2,380 a month against $4,049 in London, rent and utilities included – about $20,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

London
🇬🇧 United Kingdom
$4,049
/mo nomad
Lewes
🇬🇧 United Kingdom
$2,380
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in London and in Lewes

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 Lewes actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $4,049 per month in London vs $2,380 in Lewes, rent included.

  • London $4,049
  • Lewes $2,380

A couple spends around $5,827 per month in London vs $3,503 in Lewes, rent included.

  • London $5,827
  • Lewes $3,503

A family of three spends $7,605 per month in London vs $4,625 in Lewes, rent included.

  • London $7,605
  • Lewes $4,625

London costs about 70% more than Lewes, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both London and Lewes sit above the global median – London by 199%, Lewes by 76%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
London
Lewes
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$27.09 £20.33
$25.36 £19.03
6.82%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$104 £78.3
$92.9 £69.7
12.37%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.86 £8.15
$9.92 £7.44
9.48%
Cappuccino
$5.60 £4.20
$4.85 £3.64
15.46%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.05 £2.29
$2.93 £2.20
4.10%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.28 £1.71
$2.66 £2.00
-14.29%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$9.23 £6.92
$8.77 £6.58
5.25%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$7.95 £5.96
$6.67 £5.00
19.19%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
London
Lewes
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.83 £1.37
$1.41 £1.06
29.79%
White Bread (500g)
$2.05 £1.54
$1.68 £1.26
22.02%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.47 £1.86
$2.18 £1.64
13.30%
Eggs
$5.12 £3.84
$3.75 £2.81
36.53%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.89 £9.67
$11.14 £8.36
15.71%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.84 £8.14
$8.37 £6.28
29.51%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$17.03 £12.78
$12.44 £9.33
36.90%
Apples (1kg)
$3.07 £2.30
$2.97 £2.23
3.37%
Banana (1kg)
$1.38 £1.03
$1.46 £1.10
-5.48%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.99 £2.24
$2.83 £2.13
5.65%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.39 £2.54
$3.22 £2.41
5.28%
Potato (1kg)
$1.60 £1.20
$1.61 £1.21
-0.62%
Onion (1kg)
$1.80 £1.35
$1.39 £1.04
29.50%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.41 £1.06
$0.90 £0.68
56.67%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.81 £1.36
$1.52 £1.14
19.08%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$23.92 £17.94
$23.69 £17.77
0.97%
Wine (Bottle)
$13.54 £10.16
$11.18 £8.39
21.11%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$3.23 £2.42
$2.28 £1.71
41.67%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.39 £3.29
$3.09 £2.32
42.07%
🚌 Getting Around
London
Lewes
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$3.92 £2.94
$3.27 £2.45
19.88%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$243 £182
$96.7 £72.6
150.99%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$5.58 £4.18
$5.10 £3.82
9.41%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$3.27 £2.46
$2.69 £2.01
21.56%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$58.4 £43.81
$23.06 £17.30
153.25%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.08 £1.56
$2.00 £1.50
4.00%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$38.8K £29.1K
$39.1K £29.4K
-0.80%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$40.6K £30.5K
$40.9K £30.7K
-0.61%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
London
Lewes
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$380 £285
$281 £211
35.40%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$18.62 £13.97
$16.80 £12.60
10.83%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$40.45 £30.35
$44.72 £33.55
-9.55%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
London
Lewes
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$61.3 £45.95
$46.00 £34.51
33.15%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$21.41 £16.07
$13.08 £9.81
63.69%
Cinema Ticket
$18.09 £13.57
$13.40 £10.05
35.00%
🧸 Childcare & Education
London
Lewes
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$2,905 £2,180
$1,801 £1,351
61.28%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$35.5K £26.6K
$29.8K £22.4K
19.08%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
London
Lewes
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$116 £87.3
$76.2 £57.1
52.84%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$54.5 £40.89
$45.00 £33.76
21.13%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$128 £95.8
$102 £76.4
25.41%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$167 £125
$88.3 £66.3
88.88%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
London
Lewes
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,852 £2,140
$1,236 £927
130.76%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,269 £1,702
$1,039 £779
118.40%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$5,250 £3,939
$2,102 £1,577
149.75%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$3,752 £2,815
$1,656 £1,242
126.61%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$18.5K £13.9K
$5,149 £3,863
259.64%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$8,100 £6,077
$3,947 £2,961
105.20%
💵 Salaries & Financials
London
Lewes
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$5,109 £3,833
$4,441 £3,332
15.05%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.74
5
-5.20%

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

Last update for London: October 19, 2026

Last update for Lewes: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
London
$2.3K
Lewes
$1K 54.2% $1.2K
Monthly Utilities & Internet
London
$439
Lewes
$342 22.1% $97
Eating Out
London
$400
Lewes
$370 7.4% $30
Groceries & Markets
London
$353
Lewes
$288 18.6% $66
Getting Around
London
$280
Lewes
$128 54.2% $152
Clothing & Footwear
London
$209
Lewes
$140 33.1% $69
Sport & Entertainment
London
$97
Lewes
$73 25.3% $25

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,852 in London versus $1,236 in Lewes. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 15% higher in London, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $104 in London versus $93.0 in Lewes. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $353 vs $288 – making Lewes the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇬🇧 London
🇬🇧 Lewes
🕒 Local time
20:30 8:30 PM
20:30 8:30 PM
Same time as London
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
8,908,083 Capital
17,297
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to GBP – British Pound Converter

British Pound exchange rates as of October 23, 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 Lewes 71 km
From you
  • London
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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 Lewes: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Lewes cheaper than London?
Yes – London is pricier by about 70%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in transport.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $6,073 per month in London and $3,571 in Lewes. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Lewes, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $2,905 per month in London and $1,801 in Lewes. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
How do food prices compare in London and in Lewes?
Groceries cost about 23% more in London, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Is $2,500 a realistic budget for living in London or in Lewes?
A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Lewes, where all-in costs run around $2,380, than in London at $4,049. In Lewes it covers expenses comfortably, while in London it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is London or Lewes more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Lewes – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is safer, London or Lewes?
Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Lewes. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, London makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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