Cost of Living Comparison Between Merthyr Tydfil and Rugby Cost of Living Comparison Between Merthyr Tydfil and Rugby

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,373 per month in Merthyr Tydfil vs $2,344 in Rugby, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,184 per month in Merthyr Tydfil vs $3,491 in Rugby, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,995 per month in Merthyr Tydfil vs $4,637 in Rugby, rent included.

Merthyr Tydfil costs about 1% more than Rugby, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Merthyr Tydfil and Rugby sit above the global median – Merthyr Tydfil by 73%, Rugby by 71%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$21.13 £15.62

$20.60 £15.22

2.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.0 £46.55

$81.1 £60.0

-22.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.74 £7.94

$9.55 £7.06

12.46%

Cappuccino

$4.53 £3.35

$5.01 £3.71

-9.58%

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

$2.58 £1.91

$2.09 £1.54

23.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.72 £1.27

$1.56 £1.16

10.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.85 £4.32

$6.15 £4.55

-4.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.82 £3.56

$6.32 £4.68

-23.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.41 £1.04

$1.76 £1.30

-19.89%

White Bread (500g)

$0.66 £0.48

$1.79 £1.32

-63.13%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.66 £1.22

$2.54 £1.88

-34.65%

Eggs

$4.10 £3.03

$3.91 £2.89

4.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.61 £7.10

$11.67 £8.63

-17.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.15 £6.76

$8.21 £6.07

11.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.36 £10.62

$15.61 £11.54

-8.01%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 £1.95

$2.55 £1.88

3.14%

Banana (1kg)

$2.58 £1.91

$1.83 £1.35

40.98%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.11 £3.03

$2.52 £1.86

63.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.28 £2.43

$3.14 £2.32

4.46%

Potato (1kg)

$1.20 £0.89

$1.70 £1.26

-29.41%

Onion (1kg)

$1.32 £0.97

$1.79 £1.33

-26.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 £0.87

$1.21 £0.89

-3.31%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.10 £0.81

$1.60 £1.18

-31.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$23.68 £17.51

$22.55 £16.67

5.01%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.54 £10.74

$12.39 £9.16

17.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.95 £2.92

$3.66 £2.70

7.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.08 £3.01

$3.44 £2.55

18.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.66 £1.97

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$102 £75.5

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.93 £5.12

$4.50 £3.33

54.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.64 £1.21

$1.89 £1.40

-13.23%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$21.98 £16.25

$24.82 £18.35

-11.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.01 £1.49

$1.97 £1.46

2.03%

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

$38.3K £28.3K

$39.4K £29.1K

-2.73%

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

$41.5K £30.7K

$41.0K £30.3K

1.29%

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

$631 £466

$270 £200

133.60%

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

$13.38 £9.89

$20.59 £15.22

-35.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$38.36 £28.36

$48.03 £35.50

-20.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.14 £30.41

$58.7 £43.38

-29.89%

Cinema Ticket

$8.07 £5.96

$14.77 £10.92

-45.36%

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

$1,226 £906

$1,622 £1,199

-24.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,558 £4,108

$15.5K £11.5K

-64.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.1 £65.9

$107 £79.3

-16.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.68 £33.03

$38.05 £28.13

17.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 £62.7

$119 £87.8

-28.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.0 £65.1

$114 £84.3

-22.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$817 £604

$1,159 £857

-29.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$787 £582

$1,056 £781

-25.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,164 £861

$1,819 £1,344

-35.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,020 £754

$1,882 £1,391

-45.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,066 £3,745

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,346 £3,212

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,656 £1,224

$4,234 £3,130

-60.89%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.59

5.09

9.82%

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

Last update for Merthyr Tydfil: September 1, 2026

Last update for Rugby: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $817 in Merthyr Tydfil versus $1,159 in Rugby. 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 156% higher in Rugby, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $63.0 in Merthyr Tydfil versus $81.0 in Rugby. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $304 vs $316 – making Merthyr Tydfil 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

Merthyr Tydfil vs Rugby: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,373 in Merthyr Tydfil, $2,344 in Rugby – roughly 1% apart. Merthyr Tydfil costs more across the board, with Getting Around showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,559 per month in Merthyr Tydfil and $3,516 in Rugby. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,373 in Merthyr Tydfil and $2,344 in Rugby. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $1,226 per month in Merthyr Tydfil and $1,622 in Rugby. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Rugby, where all-in costs run around $2,344, than in Merthyr Tydfil at $2,373. In Rugby it covers expenses comfortably, while in Merthyr Tydfil it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Rugby – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Rugby. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Merthyr Tydfil makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.