Cost of Living Comparison Between London and Oban Cost of Living Comparison Between London and Oban

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $4,221 per month in London vs $2,127 in Oban, rent included.

A couple spends around $5,971 per month in London vs $3,158 in Oban, rent included.

A family of three spends $7,721 per month in London vs $4,188 in Oban, rent included.

London costs about 98% more than Oban, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both London and Oban sit above the global median – London by 207%, Oban by 55%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$27.14 £20.08

$16.37 £12.11

65.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$110 £81.3

$86.9 £64.3

26.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.05 £8.17

$9.58 £7.09

15.34%

Cappuccino

$5.84 £4.32

$4.79 £3.54

21.92%

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

$3.02 £2.24

$2.30 £1.70

31.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.24 £1.66

$1.99 £1.47

12.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.33 £6.90

$6.04 £4.46

54.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.92 £6.60

$5.00 £3.70

78.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.88 £1.39

$1.61 £1.19

16.77%

White Bread (500g)

$2.05 £1.51

$1.82 £1.35

12.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.46 £1.82

$1.90 £1.41

29.47%

Eggs

$5.21 £3.85

$4.45 £3.29

17.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.72 £9.41

$8.92 £6.60

42.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.97 £8.12

$12.48 £9.24

-12.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.29 £13.53

$16.67 £12.33

9.72%

Apples (1kg)

$3.17 £2.35

$2.92 £2.16

8.56%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 £1.11

$1.41 £1.04

6.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.80 £2.07

$2.87 £2.12

-2.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.50 £2.59

$3.94 £2.91

-11.17%

Potato (1kg)

$1.65 £1.22

$1.84 £1.36

-10.33%

Onion (1kg)

$1.85 £1.37

$1.53 £1.13

20.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.53 £1.14

$1.30 £0.96

17.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 £1.35

$1.72 £1.27

6.40%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$24.20 £17.90

$21.46 £15.88

12.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.40 £9.91

$11.38 £8.42

17.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.27 £2.42

$2.71 £2.00

20.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.67 £3.46

$3.09 £2.29

51.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.18 £3.09

$3.56 £2.63

17.42%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$272 £201

$82.8 £61.2

228.66%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.75 £4.26

$3.95 £2.92

45.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.32 £2.46

$2.45 £1.82

35.51%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$58.0 £42.89

$24.58 £18.18

135.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.06 £1.52

$2.07 £1.53

-0.48%

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

$39.5K £29.2K

$39.6K £29.3K

-0.30%

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

$42.6K £31.5K

$42.0K £31.0K

1.64%

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

$373 £276

$344 £255

8.32%

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

$18.28 £13.53

$29.13 £21.55

-37.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.44 £31.39

$43.95 £32.51

-3.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$63.7 £47.12

$46.93 £34.72

35.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.74 £16.82

$6.94 £5.14

227.67%

Cinema Ticket

$18.46 £13.66

$11.72 £8.67

57.51%

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

$2,922 £2,161

$1,840 £1,361

58.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$37.1K £27.4K

$23.7K £17.5K

56.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$115 £84.8

$97.2 £71.9

18.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.6 £40.40

$50.3 £37.23

8.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$129 £95.2

$107 £79.5

19.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$153 £113

$117 £86.3

31.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,001 £2,220

$1,252 £926

139.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,363 £1,748

$793 £586

198.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,471 £4,047

$2,087 £1,544

162.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,809 £2,818

$1,244 £920

206.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$18.4K £13.6K

$5,217 £3,860

253.20%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,891 £5,838

$3,972 £2,938

98.70%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,580 £3,388

$3,179 £2,352

44.09%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.61

5.11

-9.78%

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

Last update for London: August 30, 2026

Last update for Oban: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $3,001 in London versus $1,252 in Oban. 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 44% 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 $110 in London versus $87.0 in Oban. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $361 vs $330 – making Oban 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 Oban: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $4,221 in London, $2,127 in Oban – roughly 98% apart. London costs more across the board, with Getting Around showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $6,332 per month in London and $3,191 in Oban. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 9% 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 $110 in London and $87.0 in Oban. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Oban, where all-in costs run around $2,127, than in London at $4,221. In Oban it covers expenses comfortably, while in London it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. London has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,127 in Oban to $4,221 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 Oban. 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.