Cost of Living Comparison Between London and Swindon Cost of Living Comparison Between London and Swindon

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $4,026 per month in London vs $2,249 in Swindon, rent included.

A couple spends around $5,686 per month in London vs $3,321 in Swindon, rent included.

A family of three spends $7,345 per month in London vs $4,394 in Swindon, rent included.

London costs about 79% more than Swindon, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both London and Swindon sit above the global median – London by 200%, Swindon by 68%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$27.00 £20.00

$20.53 £15.21

31.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$107 £79.4

$81.9 £60.7

30.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.68 £7.92

$9.34 £6.92

14.35%

Cappuccino

$5.28 £3.91

$4.08 £3.02

29.41%

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

$2.79 £2.06

$1.86 £1.38

50.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.79 £1.33

$1.44 £1.07

24.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.96 £6.64

$5.10 £3.78

75.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.12 £6.02

$4.83 £3.58

68.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.78 £1.32

$1.37 £1.02

29.93%

White Bread (500g)

$2.09 £1.55

$1.31 £0.97

59.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.52 £1.87

$1.52 £1.13

65.79%

Eggs

$4.97 £3.68

$3.65 £2.70

36.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.26 £8.34

$8.76 £6.49

28.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.74 £6.48

$8.00 £5.93

9.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.58 £10.81

$12.93 £9.58

12.76%

Apples (1kg)

$3.47 £2.57

$2.95 £2.18

17.63%

Banana (1kg)

$1.99 £1.47

$1.56 £1.15

27.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.21 £2.38

$2.80 £2.08

14.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.64 £2.70

$3.40 £2.52

7.06%

Potato (1kg)

$1.77 £1.31

$1.44 £1.07

22.92%

Onion (1kg)

$1.87 £1.39

$1.78 £1.32

5.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.31 £0.97

$0.93 £0.69

40.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.90 £1.41

$1.73 £1.28

9.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$23.39 £17.33

$21.44 £15.89

9.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.41 £9.94

$12.22 £9.06

9.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.29 £2.44

$3.15 £2.34

4.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.92 £2.90

$3.43 £2.54

14.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.84 £2.85

$3.22 £2.39

19.25%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$246 £182

$92.8 £68.8

164.63%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.95 £4.41

$6.21 £4.60

-4.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.26 £2.41

$1.54 £1.14

111.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$41.24 £30.56

$15.17 £11.24

171.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.88 £1.39

$1.94 £1.44

-3.09%

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

$37.7K £28.0K

$37.7K £27.9K

0.14%

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

$39.2K £29.0K

$40.4K £29.9K

-2.98%

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

$320 £237

$221 £164

44.93%

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

$20.23 £14.99

$16.34 £12.11

23.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$43.39 £32.15

$43.40 £32.16

-0.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$65.4 £48.43

$34.92 £25.87

87.17%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.94 £17.00

$23.49 £17.40

-2.34%

Cinema Ticket

$20.78 £15.40

$13.40 £9.93

55.07%

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

$2,468 £1,829

$1,225 £907

101.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$28.0K £20.7K

$5,539 £4,105

405.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$120 £88.9

$58.7 £43.50

104.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.5 £37.40

$39.59 £29.34

27.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$132 £97.7

$86.9 £64.4

51.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$156 £116

$97.2 £72.0

60.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,031 £2,246

$1,215 £901

149.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,278 £1,688

$1,120 £830

103.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,615 £4,161

$1,954 £1,448

187.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,600 £2,668

$1,759 £1,304

104.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$19.2K £14.2K

$2,751 £2,039

596.70%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$10.2K £7,583

$3,142 £2,328

225.75%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,953 £3,671

$3,071 £2,275

61.31%

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: April 19, 2026

Last update for Swindon: April 22, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $3,031 in London versus $1,215 in Swindon. 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 61% 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 $107 in London versus $82 in Swindon. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $338 vs $284 – making Swindon 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 Swindon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $4,026 in London, $2,249 in Swindon – roughly 79% apart. London costs more across the board, with Getting Around showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $6,039 per month in London and $3,373 in Swindon. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 19% 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 $107 in London and $82.0 in Swindon. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Swindon, where all-in costs run around $2,249, than in London at $4,026. In Swindon 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 $2,249 in Swindon to $4,026 in London. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Swindon. 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.