Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Motherwell and London

For one person, living is cheaper in Motherwell: $2,285 a month against $3,986 in London, rent and utilities included – about $20,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Motherwell
🇬🇧 United Kingdom
$2,285
/mo nomad
London
🇬🇧 United Kingdom
$3,986
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Motherwell and in London

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Motherwell and in London actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,285 per month in Motherwell vs $3,986 in London, rent included.

  • Motherwell $2,285
  • London $3,986

A couple spends around $3,349 per month in Motherwell vs $5,791 in London, rent included.

  • Motherwell $3,349
  • London $5,791

A family of three spends $4,414 per month in Motherwell vs $7,595 in London, rent included.

  • Motherwell $4,414
  • London $7,595

Motherwell is about 43% cheaper than London, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Motherwell and London sit above the global median – Motherwell by 69%, London by 195%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Motherwell
London
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$20.07 £15.06
$25.93 £19.45
-22.60%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$74.0 £55.5
$107 £79.9
-30.52%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.64 £7.98
$10.71 £8.03
-0.65%
Cappuccino
$4.69 £3.52
$5.47 £4.11
-14.26%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.15 £1.61
$2.97 £2.23
-27.61%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.76 £1.32
$2.20 £1.65
-20.00%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.41 £4.06
$9.13 £6.85
-40.74%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$6.67 £5.00
$7.94 £5.96
-15.99%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Motherwell
London
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.47 £1.10
$1.86 £1.40
-20.97%
White Bread (500g)
$1.63 £1.22
$2.07 £1.55
-21.26%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.19 £1.64
$2.42 £1.81
-9.50%
Eggs
$3.80 £2.85
$5.09 £3.82
-25.34%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.14 £6.86
$12.87 £9.66
-28.98%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.13 £6.85
$10.43 £7.82
-12.46%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$16.65 £12.49
$16.87 £12.66
-1.30%
Apples (1kg)
$2.81 £2.11
$3.11 £2.33
-9.65%
Banana (1kg)
$1.52 £1.14
$1.40 £1.05
8.57%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.88 £2.16
$3.08 £2.31
-6.49%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.16 £2.37
$3.27 £2.45
-3.36%
Potato (1kg)
$1.97 £1.48
$1.58 £1.19
24.68%
Onion (1kg)
$1.42 £1.07
$1.74 £1.31
-18.39%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.19 £0.90
$1.40 £1.05
-15.00%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.56 £1.17
$1.80 £1.35
-13.33%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$20.95 £15.71
$23.28 £17.46
-10.01%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.45 £7.84
$13.03 £9.77
-19.80%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$3.13 £2.35
$3.17 £2.38
-1.26%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.41 £2.56
$4.42 £3.32
-22.85%
🚌 Getting Around
Motherwell
London
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$3.49 £2.62
$4.07 £3.05
-14.25%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$97.5 £73.1
$247 £185
-60.50%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$5.98 £4.49
$5.58 £4.18
7.17%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.14 £0.86
$3.36 £2.52
-66.07%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$28.19 £21.15
$56.8 £42.58
-50.33%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.09 £1.57
$2.13 £1.60
-1.88%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$38.5K £28.9K
$38.2K £28.6K
0.78%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$39.9K £30.0K
$40.9K £30.7K
-2.37%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Motherwell
London
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$241 £181
$372 £279
-35.27%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$19.77 £14.83
$17.82 £13.37
10.94%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$41.45 £31.10
$40.37 £30.29
2.68%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Motherwell
London
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$46.34 £34.77
$60.0 £44.99
-22.73%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$6.65 £4.99
$21.29 £15.97
-68.76%
Cinema Ticket
$12.06 £9.05
$17.74 £13.31
-32.02%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Motherwell
London
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$910 £683
$2,864 £2,149
-68.23%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$17.6K £13.2K
$35.3K £26.5K
-50.17%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Motherwell
London
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$117 £87.7
$114 £85.5
2.54%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$48.37 £36.29
$54.3 £40.71
-10.87%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$104 £77.7
$124 £93.2
-16.60%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$90.2 £67.6
$163 £122
-44.71%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Motherwell
London
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,218 £914
$2,869 £2,152
-57.55%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,019 £765
$2,233 £1,675
-54.36%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,124 £1,593
$5,266 £3,951
-59.67%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,643 £1,233
$3,778 £2,835
-56.50%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$5,030 £3,774
$18.3K £13.8K
-72.56%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,920 £2,941
$8,024 £6,020
-51.14%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Motherwell
London
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$5,037 £3,779
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5
4.74
5.49%

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

Last update for Motherwell: October 10, 2026

Last update for London: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Motherwell
$1K
London
$2.2K 119% $1.2K
Eating Out
Motherwell
$305
London
$388 27.1% $83
Groceries & Markets
Motherwell
$304
London
$349 14.9% $45
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Motherwell
$302
London
$430 42.4% $128
Clothing & Footwear
Motherwell
$162
London
$205 26.9% $43
Getting Around
Motherwell
$123
London
$285 132% $162
Sport & Entertainment
Motherwell
$70
London
$95 35.5% $25

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,218 in Motherwell versus $2,869 in London. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $74.0 in Motherwell versus $107 in London. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $304 vs $349 – making Motherwell the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇬🇧 Motherwell
🇬🇧 London
🕒 Local time
17:05 5:05 PM
17:05 5:05 PM
Same time as Motherwell
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
32,120
8,908,083 Capital
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to GBP – British Pound Converter

British Pound exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 0.75 GBP (1 GBP = 1.33 USD). 1 EUR = 0.843 GBP (1 GBP = 1.19 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Motherwell London 540 km ≈ 1 h 15 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Motherwell
  • London

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Motherwell vs London: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Motherwell and in London compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $2,285 in Motherwell, $3,986 in London – roughly 74% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in transport.
What salary covers living expenses in Motherwell compared to London?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,428 per month in Motherwell and $5,979 in London. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Motherwell and London?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Motherwell, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
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.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $74.0 in Motherwell and $107 in London. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Which city is more doable on $2,500 per month?
A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Motherwell, where all-in costs run around $2,285, than in London at $3,986. In Motherwell it covers expenses comfortably, while in London it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
How does quality of life compare between Motherwell and London?
It depends on your priorities. London has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,285 in Motherwell to $3,986 in London. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
How do I decide between Motherwell and London?
If budget matters most, go with Motherwell. 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.

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