Cost of Living Comparison Between London and Milton Keynes Cost of Living Comparison Between London and Milton Keynes

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $4,005 per month in London vs $2,717 in Milton Keynes, rent included.

A couple spends around $5,688 per month in London vs $3,760 in Milton Keynes, rent included.

A family of three spends $7,371 per month in London vs $4,802 in Milton Keynes, rent included.

London costs about 47% more than Milton Keynes, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both London and Milton Keynes sit above the global median – London by 199%, Milton Keynes by 103%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$27.10 £20.08

$20.08 £14.88

34.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$109 £80.6

$87.1 £64.6

24.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.05 £8.19

$10.83 £8.03

2.03%

Cappuccino

$5.16 £3.83

$4.61 £3.42

11.93%

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

$2.73 £2.02

$1.57 £1.17

73.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.86 £1.38

$1.09 £0.81

70.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.88 £6.58

$5.56 £4.12

59.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.15 £6.04

$5.99 £4.44

36.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.75 £1.30

$1.46 £1.08

19.86%

White Bread (500g)

$2.19 £1.62

$1.45 £1.08

51.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.58 £1.91

$2.16 £1.60

19.44%

Eggs

$4.84 £3.59

$3.70 £2.74

30.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.16 £8.27

$8.33 £6.17

33.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.03 £6.69

$8.42 £6.24

7.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.73 £10.92

$13.26 £9.83

11.09%

Apples (1kg)

$3.43 £2.54

$3.14 £2.33

9.24%

Banana (1kg)

$1.94 £1.44

$1.49 £1.11

30.20%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.10 £2.29

$2.92 £2.16

6.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.45 £2.56

$2.94 £2.18

17.35%

Potato (1kg)

$1.74 £1.29

$1.75 £1.30

-0.57%

Onion (1kg)

$1.85 £1.37

$1.53 £1.14

20.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.39 £1.03

$1.30 £0.97

6.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.98 £1.47

$1.45 £1.07

36.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$23.08 £17.10

$21.18 £15.70

8.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.32 £9.87

$9.28 £6.88

43.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.30 £2.45

$2.87 £2.13

14.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.02 £2.98

$2.40 £1.78

67.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.84 £2.85

$3.78 £2.80

1.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$246 £182

$79.9 £59.2

207.77%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.85 £4.33

$6.01 £4.45

-2.66%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.34 £2.47

$1.28 £0.95

160.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$40.12 £29.73

$29.19 £21.63

37.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.90 £1.41

$1.89 £1.40

0.53%

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

$38.9K £28.9K

$38.1K £28.2K

2.24%

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

$38.6K £28.6K

$41.0K £30.4K

-5.71%

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

$318 £236

$335 £249

-5.12%

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

$19.99 £14.81

$14.46 £10.71

38.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$43.42 £32.17

$34.27 £25.39

26.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$64.6 £47.85

$37.72 £27.95

71.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.02 £17.06

$20.64 £15.30

11.53%

Cinema Ticket

$20.17 £14.94

$20.72 £15.35

-2.65%

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

$2,552 £1,891

$1,938 £1,436

31.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$27.9K £20.7K

$23.0K £17.0K

21.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$119 £88.3

$102 £75.4

17.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.4 £37.33

$40.40 £29.94

24.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$127 £94.0

$88.2 £65.4

43.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$159 £118

$99.0 £73.3

61.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,034 £2,249

$1,732 £1,284

75.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,294 £1,700

$1,371 £1,016

67.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,634 £4,175

$2,578 £1,910

118.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,693 £2,737

$1,950 £1,445

89.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$19.2K £14.2K

$7,700 £5,705

149.04%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$10.5K £7,791

$6,252 £4,633

68.17%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,023 £3,722

$3,287 £2,435

52.84%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.05

5.45

-7.34%

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

Last update for London: April 27, 2026

Last update for Milton Keynes: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $3,034 in London versus $1,732 in Milton Keynes. 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 53% 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 $109 in London versus $87.0 in Milton Keynes. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $340 vs $279 – making Milton Keynes the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Milton Keynes: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $4,005 in London, $2,717 in Milton Keynes – roughly 47% apart. London costs more across the board, with Getting Around showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $6,007 per month in London and $4,076 in Milton Keynes. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Milton Keynes, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 22% more in London, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $109 in London and $87.0 in Milton Keynes. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $4,005 in London and $2,717 in Milton Keynes. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

It depends on your priorities. London has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,717 in Milton Keynes to $4,005 in London. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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.

If budget matters most, go with Milton Keynes. 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.