Cost of Living Comparison Between London and Oxford Cost of Living Comparison Between London and Oxford

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $4,235 per month in London vs $3,218 in Oxford, rent included.

A couple spends around $5,919 per month in London vs $4,603 in Oxford, rent included.

A family of three spends $7,602 per month in London vs $5,989 in Oxford, rent included.

London costs about 32% more than Oxford, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both London and Oxford sit above the global median – London by 207%, Oxford by 133%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$27.01 £19.97

$25.17 £18.61

7.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$108 £80.2

$105 £77.3

3.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.92 £8.07

$11.01 £8.14

-0.82%

Cappuccino

$5.76 £4.26

$5.17 £3.82

11.41%

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

$2.97 £2.19

$4.60 £3.40

-35.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 £1.64

$2.32 £1.71

-4.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.45 £6.99

$9.22 £6.82

2.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.79 £6.50

$8.27 £6.11

6.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.93 £1.43

$1.81 £1.33

6.63%

White Bread (500g)

$2.01 £1.49

$1.65 £1.22

21.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.40 £1.78

$2.04 £1.51

17.65%

Eggs

$5.22 £3.86

$4.27 £3.16

22.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.91 £9.54

$14.87 £10.99

-13.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.93 £8.08

$8.37 £6.19

30.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.13 £13.41

$15.15 £11.20

19.67%

Apples (1kg)

$3.21 £2.37

$3.44 £2.54

-6.69%

Banana (1kg)

$1.42 £1.05

$1.73 £1.28

-17.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.91 £2.15

$3.10 £2.29

-6.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.51 £2.59

$3.72 £2.75

-5.65%

Potato (1kg)

$1.65 £1.22

$1.79 £1.32

-7.82%

Onion (1kg)

$1.82 £1.35

$1.82 £1.34

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.55 £1.14

$1.21 £0.89

28.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.82 £1.35

$1.70 £1.25

7.06%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$23.94 £17.70

$24.16 £17.86

-0.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.42 £9.92

$11.13 £8.23

20.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.12 £2.31

$3.56 £2.63

-12.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.71 £3.49

$3.69 £2.73

27.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.01 £2.96

$4.18 £3.09

-4.07%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$271 £200

$113 £83.4

140.42%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 £4.26

$5.29 £3.91

9.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.41 £2.52

$3.33 £2.47

2.40%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$58.5 £43.25

$41.84 £30.93

39.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.04 £1.51

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

$39.7K £29.3K

-0.00%

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

$42.0K £31.0K

$42.1K £31.1K

-0.37%

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

$374 £276

0.04%

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

$18.34 £13.56

$18.48 £13.66

-0.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.70 £31.57

$44.51 £32.91

-4.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$62.9 £46.52

$45.51 £33.64

38.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.43 £16.58

$11.87 £8.77

88.96%

Cinema Ticket

$18.62 £13.77

$14.59 £10.79

27.62%

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

$2,876 £2,127

$2,332 £1,724

23.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$37.0K £27.3K

$16.0K £11.8K

130.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$113 £83.3

$96.5 £71.4

16.64%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.8 £41.23

$47.14 £34.85

18.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$127 £93.7

$102 £75.1

24.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$157 £116

$105 £77.4

50.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,926 £2,163

$2,359 £1,744

24.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,382 £1,761

$1,744 £1,289

36.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,537 £4,094

$3,281 £2,426

68.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,821 £2,825

$2,591 £1,915

47.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$18.6K £13.8K

$8,243 £6,094

125.81%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,901 £5,841

$6,900 £5,101

14.51%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,781 £3,535

$4,136 £3,058

15.59%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.61

4.79

-3.76%

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

Last update for London: September 6, 2026

Last update for Oxford: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,926 in London versus $2,359 in Oxford. 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 16% 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 $108 in London versus $105 in Oxford. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $360 vs $332 – making Oxford 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 Oxford: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $4,235 in London, $3,218 in Oxford – roughly 32% apart. London costs more across the board, with Getting Around showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $6,353 per month in London and $4,827 in Oxford. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 8% 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 $108 in London and $105 in Oxford. 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 $4,235 in London and $3,218 in Oxford. 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 $3,218 in Oxford to $4,235 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 Oxford. 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.