Cost of Living Comparison Between London and Romford Cost of Living Comparison Between London and Romford

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $4,005 per month in London vs $2,840 in Romford, rent included.

A couple spends around $5,688 per month in London vs $4,439 in Romford, rent included.

A family of three spends $7,371 per month in London vs $6,037 in Romford, rent included.

London costs about 41% more than Romford, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both London and Romford sit above the global median – London by 199%, Romford by 112%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$27.10 £20.08

$27.35 £20.26

-0.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$109 £80.6

-0.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.05 £8.19

$10.11 £7.49

9.30%

Cappuccino

$5.16 £3.83

$4.58 £3.39

12.66%

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

$2.73 £2.02

$2.08 £1.54

31.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.86 £1.38

$1.62 £1.20

14.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.88 £6.58

$8.75 £6.48

1.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.15 £6.04

$6.96 £5.16

17.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.75 £1.30

$1.81 £1.34

-3.31%

White Bread (500g)

$2.19 £1.62

$2.05 £1.52

6.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.58 £1.91

$2.45 £1.81

5.31%

Eggs

$4.84 £3.59

$4.90 £3.63

-1.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.16 £8.27

$11.30 £8.38

-1.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.03 £6.69

$8.88 £6.58

1.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.73 £10.92

$14.52 £10.76

1.45%

Apples (1kg)

$3.43 £2.54

$3.14 £2.33

9.24%

Banana (1kg)

$1.94 £1.44

Oranges (1kg)

$3.10 £2.29

$3.19 £2.36

-2.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.45 £2.56

$3.61 £2.67

-4.43%

Potato (1kg)

$1.74 £1.29

$1.73 £1.29

0.58%

Onion (1kg)

$1.85 £1.37

$2.03 £1.50

-8.87%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.39 £1.03

$1.17 £0.87

18.80%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.98 £1.47

$1.60 £1.18

23.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$23.08 £17.10

$20.73 £15.36

11.34%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.32 £9.87

$13.37 £9.91

-0.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.30 £2.45

$2.80 £2.08

17.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.02 £2.98

$2.94 £2.18

36.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.84 £2.85

$3.72 £2.76

3.23%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$246 £182

$272 £201

-9.51%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.85 £4.33

$4.58 £3.39

27.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.34 £2.47

$2.17 £1.61

53.92%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$40.12 £29.73

$40.61 £30.09

-1.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.90 £1.41

$1.88 £1.39

1.06%

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

$38.9K £28.9K

$38.3K £28.4K

1.69%

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

$38.6K £28.6K

$39.7K £29.5K

-2.78%

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

$318 £236

$327 £243

-2.74%

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

$19.99 £14.81

$19.46 £14.42

2.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$43.42 £32.17

$43.59 £32.30

-0.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$64.6 £47.85

$49.94 £37.01

29.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.02 £17.06

Cinema Ticket

$20.17 £14.94

$17.88 £13.25

12.81%

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

$2,552 £1,891

$1,820 £1,348

40.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$27.9K £20.7K

$19.1K £14.2K

46.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$119 £88.3

$93.6 £69.4

27.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.4 £37.33

$41.61 £30.83

21.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$127 £94.0

$109 £80.7

16.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$159 £118

$87.7 £65.0

81.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,034 £2,249

$1,891 £1,401

60.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,294 £1,700

$1,241 £920

84.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,634 £4,175

$3,400 £2,520

65.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,693 £2,737

$2,324 £1,722

58.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$19.2K £14.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$10.5K £7,791

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,023 £3,722

$2,885 £2,138

74.10%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.05

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

Last update for London: April 27, 2026

Last update for Romford: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $3,034 in London versus $1,891 in Romford. 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 74% 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 $109 in Romford. Groceries tell a different story – $340 in London vs $328 in Romford – so Romford wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Romford: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $4,005 in London, $2,840 in Romford – roughly 41% apart. London costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $6,007 per month in London and $4,260 in Romford. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 4% 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 $109 in Romford. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$3,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $4,005 in London and $2,840 in Romford. 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 $2,840 in Romford to $4,005 in London. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Romford. 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.