Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Oldham and London

For one person, living is cheaper in Oldham: $1,982 a month against $4,049 in London, rent and utilities included – about $24,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Oldham
🇬🇧 United Kingdom
$1,982
/mo nomad
London
🇬🇧 United Kingdom
$4,049
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Oldham 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 Oldham and in London actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,982 per month in Oldham vs $4,049 in London, rent included.

  • Oldham $1,982
  • London $4,049

A couple spends around $2,932 per month in Oldham vs $5,827 in London, rent included.

  • Oldham $2,932
  • London $5,827

A family of three spends $3,883 per month in Oldham vs $7,605 in London, rent included.

  • Oldham $3,883
  • London $7,605

Oldham is about 51% cheaper than London, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Oldham and London sit above the global median – Oldham by 46%, London by 199%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Oldham
London
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$19.67 £14.75
$27.09 £20.33
-27.39%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$88.1 £66.1
$104 £78.3
-15.58%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.56 £7.17
$10.86 £8.15
-11.97%
Cappuccino
$4.79 £3.59
$5.60 £4.20
-14.46%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.93 £2.20
$3.05 £2.29
-3.93%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.99 £1.49
$2.28 £1.71
-12.72%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$7.24 £5.43
$9.23 £6.92
-21.56%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$6.74 £5.06
$7.95 £5.96
-15.22%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Oldham
London
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.46 £1.10
$1.83 £1.37
-20.22%
White Bread (500g)
$1.69 £1.27
$2.05 £1.54
-17.56%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.95 £2.21
$2.47 £1.86
19.43%
Eggs
$4.05 £3.04
$5.12 £3.84
-20.90%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.83 £7.37
$12.89 £9.67
-23.74%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.81 £6.61
$10.84 £8.14
-18.73%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$15.54 £11.66
$17.03 £12.78
-8.75%
Apples (1kg)
$3.15 £2.36
$3.07 £2.30
2.61%
Banana (1kg)
$1.86 £1.40
$1.38 £1.03
34.78%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.85 £2.14
$2.99 £2.24
-4.68%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.46 £2.59
$3.39 £2.54
2.06%
Potato (1kg)
$1.49 £1.11
$1.60 £1.20
-6.88%
Onion (1kg)
$1.60 £1.20
$1.80 £1.35
-11.11%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.20 £0.90
$1.41 £1.06
-14.89%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.23 £0.92
$1.81 £1.36
-32.04%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$23.63 £17.73
$23.92 £17.94
-1.21%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.86 £8.15
$13.54 £10.16
-19.79%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.76 £2.07
$3.23 £2.42
-14.55%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.12 £2.34
$4.39 £3.29
-28.93%
🚌 Getting Around
Oldham
London
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.61 £1.96
$3.92 £2.94
-33.42%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$95.7 £71.8
$243 £182
-60.60%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.21 £2.41
$5.58 £4.18
-42.47%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.02 £1.52
$3.27 £2.46
-38.23%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$30.03 £22.53
$58.4 £43.81
-48.58%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.12 £1.59
$2.08 £1.56
1.92%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$38.2K £28.7K
$38.8K £29.1K
-1.60%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$39.8K £29.8K
$40.6K £30.5K
-2.04%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Oldham
London
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$251 £188
$380 £285
-33.93%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$16.94 £12.71
$18.62 £13.97
-9.02%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$40.55 £30.43
$40.45 £30.35
0.25%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Oldham
London
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$43.14 £32.36
$61.3 £45.95
-29.57%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$21.41 £16.07
-
Cinema Ticket
$13.18 £9.89
$18.09 £13.57
-27.14%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Oldham
London
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,290 £968
$2,905 £2,180
-55.58%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$19.7K £14.8K
$35.5K £26.6K
-44.43%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Oldham
London
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$87.1 £65.3
$116 £87.3
-25.21%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$41.43 £31.08
$54.5 £40.89
-24.00%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$93.5 £70.2
$128 £95.8
-26.75%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$87.3 £65.5
$167 £125
-47.69%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Oldham
London
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,222 £917
$2,852 £2,140
-57.15%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$728 £546
$2,269 £1,702
-67.91%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,368 £1,026
$5,250 £3,939
-73.94%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,093 £820
$3,752 £2,815
-70.88%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$5,063 £3,798
$18.5K £13.9K
-72.66%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,336 £2,503
$8,100 £6,077
-58.81%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Oldham
London
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$2,483 £1,863
$5,109 £3,833
-51.40%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.82
4.74
1.69%

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

Last update for Oldham: October 17, 2026

Last update for London: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Oldham
$728
London
$2.3K 212% $1.5K
Eating Out
Oldham
$313
London
$400 27.9% $87
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Oldham
$309
London
$439 42.3% $131
Groceries & Markets
Oldham
$304
London
$353 16.2% $49
Clothing & Footwear
Oldham
$139
London
$209 50.5% $70
Getting Around
Oldham
$119
London
$280 135% $161
Sport & Entertainment
Oldham
$70
London
$97 40.2% $28

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,222 in Oldham versus $2,852 in London. 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 106% 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 $88.0 in Oldham versus $104 in London. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $304 vs $353 – making Oldham the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇬🇧 Oldham
🇬🇧 London
🕒 Local time
10:07 10:07 AM
10:07 10:07 AM
Same time as Oldham
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
110,718
8,908,083 Capital
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to GBP – British Pound Converter

British Pound exchange rates as of October 21, 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
  • Oldham London 260 km
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  • Oldham
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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
Oldham vs London: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Oldham and in London compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $1,982 in Oldham, $4,049 in London – roughly 104% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in transport.
What salary covers living expenses in Oldham compared to London?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,972 per month in Oldham and $6,073 in London. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Oldham and London?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Oldham, 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 16% 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 $88.0 in Oldham and $104 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 $3,000 per month?
A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Oldham, where all-in costs run around $1,982, than in London at $4,049. In Oldham it covers expenses comfortably, while in London it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
How does quality of life compare between Oldham and London?
It depends on your priorities. London has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,982 in Oldham to $4,049 in London. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
How do I decide between Oldham and London?
If budget matters most, go with Oldham. 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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