Cost of Living Comparison Between London and Swansea Cost of Living Comparison Between London and Swansea

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $4,005 per month in London vs $2,229 in Swansea, rent included.

A couple spends around $5,688 per month in London vs $3,242 in Swansea, rent included.

A family of three spends $7,371 per month in London vs $4,256 in Swansea, rent included.

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

Both London and Swansea sit above the global median – London by 199%, Swansea by 66%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$27.10 £20.08

$24.06 £17.83

12.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$109 £80.6

$68.8 £51.0

58.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.05 £8.19

$10.03 £7.43

10.17%

Cappuccino

$5.16 £3.83

$5.04 £3.73

2.38%

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

$2.73 £2.02

$2.35 £1.74

16.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.86 £1.38

$1.17 £0.87

58.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.88 £6.58

$6.00 £4.45

48.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.15 £6.04

$7.01 £5.19

16.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.75 £1.30

$1.97 £1.46

-11.17%

White Bread (500g)

$2.19 £1.62

$1.85 £1.37

18.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.58 £1.91

$1.73 £1.28

49.13%

Eggs

$4.84 £3.59

$3.70 £2.74

30.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.16 £8.27

$8.36 £6.20

33.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.03 £6.69

$8.91 £6.60

1.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.73 £10.92

$12.97 £9.61

13.57%

Apples (1kg)

$3.43 £2.54

$2.97 £2.20

15.49%

Banana (1kg)

$1.94 £1.44

$1.27 £0.94

52.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.10 £2.29

$2.29 £1.70

35.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.45 £2.56

$3.46 £2.56

-0.29%

Potato (1kg)

$1.74 £1.29

$2.12 £1.57

-17.92%

Onion (1kg)

$1.85 £1.37

$1.70 £1.26

8.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.39 £1.03

$1.03 £0.77

34.95%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.98 £1.47

$1.88 £1.39

5.32%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$23.08 £17.10

$22.74 £16.85

1.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.32 £9.87

$10.62 £7.87

25.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.30 £2.45

$2.69 £1.99

22.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.02 £2.98

$3.94 £2.92

2.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.84 £2.85

$4.17 £3.09

-7.91%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$246 £182

$96.1 £71.2

155.88%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.85 £4.33

$4.10 £3.04

42.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.34 £2.47

$2.47 £1.83

35.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$40.12 £29.73

$34.25 £25.38

17.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.90 £1.41

$1.97 £1.46

-3.55%

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

$38.9K £28.9K

$38.8K £28.7K

0.43%

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

$38.6K £28.6K

$48.9K £36.2K

-20.94%

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

$318 £236

$316 £234

0.75%

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

$19.99 £14.81

$15.57 £11.54

28.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$43.42 £32.17

$45.29 £33.56

-4.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$64.6 £47.85

$36.21 £26.83

78.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.02 £17.06

$16.47 £12.21

39.77%

Cinema Ticket

$20.17 £14.94

$10.29 £7.62

96.02%

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

$2,552 £1,891

$1,520 £1,127

67.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$27.9K £20.7K

$18.2K £13.5K

53.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$119 £88.3

$57.1 £42.33

108.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.4 £37.33

$40.23 £29.81

25.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$127 £94.0

$125 £92.3

1.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$159 £118

$85.0 £63.0

87.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,034 £2,249

$1,122 £831

170.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,294 £1,700

$899 £666

155.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,634 £4,175

$1,673 £1,240

236.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,693 £2,737

$1,404 £1,040

163.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$19.2K £14.2K

$3,691 £2,735

419.56%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$10.5K £7,791

$2,782 £2,062

277.89%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,023 £3,722

$3,144 £2,330

59.76%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.05

6.1

-17.21%

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

Last update for London: April 27, 2026

Last update for Swansea: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $3,034 in London versus $1,122 in Swansea. 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 60% 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 $69.0 in Swansea. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $340 vs $296 – making Swansea 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 Swansea: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $4,005 in London, $2,229 in Swansea – roughly 80% apart. London costs more across the board, with Getting Around showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $6,007 per month in London and $3,343 in Swansea. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 15% 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 $69.0 in Swansea. 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 Swansea, where all-in costs run around $2,229, than in London at $4,005. In Swansea 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 $2,229 in Swansea to $4,005 in London. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Swansea. 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.