Cost of Living Comparison Between London and Surrey Cost of Living Comparison Between London and Surrey

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,916 per month in London vs $3,300 in Surrey, rent included.

A couple spends around $5,631 per month in London vs $3,943 in Surrey, rent included.

A family of three spends $7,345 per month in London vs $4,585 in Surrey, rent included.

London costs about 19% more than Surrey, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both London and Surrey sit above the global median – London by 193%, Surrey by 147%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$27.47 £20.43

$20.17 £15.00

36.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$111 £82.4

$84.5 £62.8

31.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.67 £7.94

$9.25 £6.88

15.35%

Cappuccino

$5.30 £3.94

$4.50 £3.35

17.78%

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

$2.74 £2.04

$2.19 £1.63

25.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.79 £1.33

$1.63 £1.22

9.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.00 £6.69

$5.83 £4.34

54.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.12 £6.04

$5.40 £4.02

50.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.72 £1.28

$1.49 £1.11

15.44%

White Bread (500g)

$2.11 £1.57

$1.50 £1.11

40.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.47 £1.84

$2.88 £2.14

-14.24%

Eggs

$4.98 £3.71

$3.30 £2.45

50.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.11 £8.26

$8.93 £6.64

24.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.13 £6.79

$7.51 £5.59

21.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.41 £10.72

$15.26 £11.35

-5.57%

Apples (1kg)

$3.36 £2.50

$4.22 £3.14

-20.38%

Banana (1kg)

$2.03 £1.51

$2.30 £1.71

-11.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.27 £2.44

$3.05 £2.27

7.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.63 £2.70

$4.82 £3.58

-24.69%

Potato (1kg)

$1.68 £1.25

$1.24 £0.92

35.48%

Onion (1kg)

$1.77 £1.32

$1.73 £1.29

2.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.33 £0.99

$1.05 £0.78

26.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.91 £1.42

$1.89 £1.40

1.06%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$22.79 £16.95

$13.50 £10.04

68.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.62 £10.13

$11.28 £8.39

20.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.20 £2.38

$2.92 £2.17

9.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.07 £3.03

$1.83 £1.36

122.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.82 £2.84

$4.14 £3.08

-7.73%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$249 £185

$133 £99.2

86.53%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.89 £4.38

$4.59 £3.41

28.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.32 £2.47

$1.71 £1.28

94.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$40.47 £30.10

$41.24 £30.67

-1.87%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.90 £1.41

$1.90 £1.42

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

$38.9K £29.0K

$38.4K £28.5K

1.50%

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

$39.4K £29.3K

$40.1K £29.8K

-1.70%

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

$328 £244

$274 £203

20.04%

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

$19.61 £14.58

$15.68 £11.66

25.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.68 £31.75

$41.27 £30.70

3.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$63.2 £47.04

$55.2 £41.09

14.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.39 £16.65

Cinema Ticket

$20.69 £15.39

$11.04 £8.21

87.41%

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

$2,474 £1,841

$1,280 £952

93.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$27.9K £20.8K

$18.0K £13.4K

55.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$119 £88.8

$85.8 £63.8

39.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.1 £37.26

$42.26 £31.43

18.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$131 £97.3

$87.7 £65.2

49.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$158 £118

$137 £102

15.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,937 £2,184

$2,363 £1,758

24.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,229 £1,658

$1,993 £1,483

11.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,569 £4,142

$3,382 £2,515

64.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,707 £2,757

$1,668 £1,241

122.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$20.1K £15.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$8,485 £6,311

$7,292 £5,424

16.36%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,247 £3,159

$3,419 £2,543

24.20%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.05

5.9

-14.41%

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

Last update for London: July 12, 2026

Last update for Surrey: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,937 in London versus $2,363 in Surrey. 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 24% 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 $111 in London versus $84.0 in Surrey. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $339 vs $311 – making Surrey 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 Surrey: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,916 in London, $3,300 in Surrey – roughly 19% apart. London costs more across the board, with Getting Around showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,874 per month in London and $4,950 in Surrey. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Surrey, 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 $111 in London and $84.0 in Surrey. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,916 in London and $3,300 in Surrey. 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 $3,300 in Surrey to $3,916 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 Surrey. 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.