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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,930 per month in London vs $2,809 in Romford, rent included.

A couple spends around $5,723 per month in London vs $4,325 in Romford, rent included.

A family of three spends $7,516 per month in London vs $5,841 in Romford, rent included.

London costs about 40% more than Romford, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both London and Romford sit above the global median – London by 192%, Romford by 109%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$26.75 £19.89

$26.92 £20.02

-0.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$110 £82.1

$108 £80.1

2.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.65 £7.92

$10.16 £7.55

4.82%

Cappuccino

$5.30 £3.94

$4.63 £3.44

14.47%

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

$2.77 £2.06

$2.09 £1.55

32.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.79 £1.33

$1.56 £1.16

14.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.03 £6.72

$8.70 £6.47

3.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.21 £6.10

$6.66 £4.95

23.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.78 £1.33

$1.80 £1.34

-1.11%

White Bread (500g)

$2.18 £1.62

$2.09 £1.55

4.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.55 £1.90

$2.53 £1.88

0.79%

Eggs

$4.93 £3.67

$4.93 £3.66

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.26 £8.38

$11.40 £8.47

-1.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.63 £6.42

$9.23 £6.86

-6.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.48 £10.76

$14.73 £10.95

-1.70%

Apples (1kg)

$3.47 £2.58

$3.24 £2.41

7.10%

Banana (1kg)

$1.97 £1.46

$1.96 £1.45

0.51%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.13 £2.33

$3.33 £2.47

-6.01%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.60 £2.68

$3.48 £2.59

3.45%

Potato (1kg)

$1.74 £1.30

$1.75 £1.30

-0.57%

Onion (1kg)

$1.80 £1.34

$1.96 £1.45

-8.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.38 £1.02

$1.14 £0.84

21.05%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.91 £1.42

$1.61 £1.20

18.63%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$23.53 £17.50

$21.35 £15.88

10.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.12 £9.75

$13.16 £9.78

-0.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.20 £2.38

$2.69 £2.00

18.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.97 £2.95

$2.95 £2.19

34.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.01 £2.98

$3.69 £2.74

8.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$245 £182

$272 £203

-9.98%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.10 £4.53

$4.47 £3.32

36.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.20 £2.38

$2.20 £1.64

45.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$41.13 £30.58

$40.70 £30.26

1.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.94 £1.44

$1.97 £1.46

-1.52%

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

$37.8K £28.1K

$39.1K £29.1K

-3.56%

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

$39.9K £29.7K

$39.4K £29.3K

1.35%

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

$325 £241

$327 £243

-0.66%

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

$19.51 £14.50

$19.86 £14.77

-1.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.94 £31.93

$42.95 £31.93

-0.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$64.4 £47.91

$49.99 £37.16

28.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.99 £17.10

Cinema Ticket

$20.47 £15.22

$17.49 £13.01

17.04%

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

$2,476 £1,841

$1,795 £1,335

37.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$28.7K £21.3K

$19.0K £14.1K

50.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$118 £87.9

$94.8 £70.5

24.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.06 £36.47

$42.79 £31.82

14.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$128 £95.2

$109 £80.8

17.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$156 £116

$88.5 £65.8

76.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,031 £2,253

$1,929 £1,434

57.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,249 £1,672

$1,240 £922

81.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,565 £4,138

$3,452 £2,566

61.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,661 £2,722

$2,351 £1,748

55.72%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$20.4K £15.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$9,765 £7,260

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,801 £3,570

$2,892 £2,150

66.02%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Romford: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $3,031 in London versus $1,929 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 66% 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 $108 in Romford. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $337 vs $331 – making Romford 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 Romford: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,930 in London, $2,809 in Romford – roughly 40% apart. London costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,895 per month in London and $4,214 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 2% 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 $108 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 $3,930 in London and $2,809 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 $2,809 in Romford to $3,930 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.