Cost of Living Comparison Between London and Rochester Cost of Living Comparison Between London and Rochester

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,892 per month in London vs $2,164 in Rochester, rent included.

A couple spends around $5,638 per month in London vs $3,282 in Rochester, rent included.

A family of three spends $7,385 per month in London vs $4,401 in Rochester, rent included.

London costs about 80% more than Rochester, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both London and Rochester sit above the global median – London by 190%, Rochester by 61%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$26.92 £20.05

$24.10 £17.95

11.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$110 £81.7

$96.6 £71.9

13.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.83 £8.06

$10.17 £7.57

6.49%

Cappuccino

$5.10 £3.80

$4.53 £3.37

12.58%

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

$2.77 £2.06

$2.30 £1.71

20.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.78 £1.33

$2.76 £2.06

-35.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.93 £6.65

$6.07 £4.52

47.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.03 £5.98

$5.33 £3.97

50.66%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.77 £1.32

$1.38 £1.03

28.26%

White Bread (500g)

$2.08 £1.55

$1.37 £1.02

51.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.57 £1.92

$1.65 £1.23

55.76%

Eggs

$4.75 £3.54

$3.00 £2.24

58.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.16 £8.31

$4.61 £3.44

142.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.00 £6.70

$7.37 £5.49

22.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.83 £11.05

$11.68 £8.70

26.97%

Apples (1kg)

$3.33 £2.48

$2.75 £2.05

21.09%

Banana (1kg)

$1.96 £1.46

$1.55 £1.16

26.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.25 £2.42

$2.44 £1.82

33.20%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.60 £2.68

$2.39 £1.78

50.63%

Potato (1kg)

$1.68 £1.25

$1.48 £1.10

13.51%

Onion (1kg)

$1.87 £1.40

$1.29 £0.96

44.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.32 £0.99

$0.99 £0.73

33.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.95 £1.45

$1.58 £1.18

23.42%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$22.81 £16.99

$20.32 £15.13

12.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.71 £10.21

$10.75 £8.00

27.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.31 £2.47

$2.25 £1.68

47.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.93 £2.93

$3.39 £2.52

15.93%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.95 £2.95

$3.44 £2.56

14.83%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$240 £179

$88.5 £65.9

171.71%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.04 £4.50

$4.16 £3.10

45.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.31 £2.46

$1.68 £1.25

97.02%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$40.84 £30.42

$14.74 £10.98

177.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.88 £1.40

$1.90 £1.41

-1.05%

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

$38.9K £29.0K

$33.8K £25.2K

15.01%

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

$40.0K £29.8K

$32.1K £23.9K

24.88%

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

$326 £243

$189 £141

72.49%

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

$20.23 £15.07

$19.22 £14.31

5.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.59 £31.72

$30.60 £22.79

39.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$64.4 £47.95

$51.5 £38.34

25.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.34 £16.64

$20.46 £15.24

9.19%

Cinema Ticket

$20.19 £15.03

$13.62 £10.14

48.24%

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

$2,525 £1,880

$493 £367

411.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$28.0K £20.9K

$25.9K £19.3K

7.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$119 £88.7

$68.8 £51.3

73.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.83 £37.11

$40.98 £30.52

21.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$127 £94.6

$60.8 £45.27

108.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$159 £119

$97.0 £72.3

64.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,019 £2,249

$1,203 £896

151.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,274 £1,694

$1,008 £751

125.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,543 £4,129

$1,825 £1,359

203.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,737 £2,783

$1,696 £1,263

120.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$19.4K £14.4K

$5,040 £3,754

284.78%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$9,516 £7,087

$4,721 £3,516

101.56%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,820 £3,590

$3,299 £2,457

46.11%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.05

5.53

-8.68%

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

Last update for London: May 31, 2026

Last update for Rochester: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $3,019 in London versus $1,203 in Rochester. 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 46% 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 $97.0 in Rochester. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $340 vs $246 – making Rochester 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 Rochester: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,892 in London, $2,164 in Rochester – roughly 80% apart. London costs more across the board, with Getting Around showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,838 per month in London and $3,246 in Rochester. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 38% 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 $97.0 in Rochester. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Rochester, where all-in costs run around $2,164, than in London at $3,892. In Rochester 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 $2,164 in Rochester to $3,892 in London. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Rochester. 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.