Cost of Living Comparison Between Oxford and London Cost of Living Comparison Between Oxford and London

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,083 per month in Oxford vs $3,892 in London, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,405 per month in Oxford vs $5,638 in London, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,726 per month in Oxford vs $7,385 in London, rent included.

Oxford is about 21% cheaper than London, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Oxford and London sit above the global median – Oxford by 130%, London by 190%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.09 £14.93

$26.92 £20.01

-25.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$77.5 £57.6

$110 £81.5

-29.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.39 £7.73

$10.83 £8.05

-4.06%

Cappuccino

$4.65 £3.46

$5.10 £3.79

-8.82%

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

$2.31 £1.72

$2.77 £2.06

-16.61%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.82 £1.35

$1.78 £1.33

2.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.25 £6.13

$8.93 £6.64

-7.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.28 £5.41

$8.03 £5.97

-9.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 £1.45

$1.77 £1.32

10.17%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 £1.21

$2.08 £1.55

-21.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.93 £2.18

$2.57 £1.91

14.01%

Eggs

$5.19 £3.86

$4.75 £3.53

9.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.29 £10.62

$11.16 £8.30

28.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.39 £6.98

$9.00 £6.69

4.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.39 £10.70

$14.83 £11.02

-2.97%

Apples (1kg)

$4.08 £3.04

$3.33 £2.47

22.52%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 £1.16

$1.96 £1.46

-20.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.21 £2.38

$3.25 £2.42

-1.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.56 £4.13

$3.60 £2.67

54.44%

Potato (1kg)

$1.68 £1.25

Onion (1kg)

$1.96 £1.46

$1.87 £1.39

4.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.05 £0.78

$1.32 £0.98

-20.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.02 £1.50

$1.95 £1.45

3.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$19.74 £14.67

$22.81 £16.96

-13.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.16 £8.30

$13.71 £10.19

-18.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.60 £2.68

$3.31 £2.46

8.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.66 £3.46

$3.93 £2.92

18.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.38 £2.51

$3.95 £2.94

-14.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$112 £83.2

$240 £179

-53.44%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$8.05 £5.98

$6.04 £4.49

33.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.89 £1.40

$3.31 £2.46

-42.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$33.31 £24.76

$40.84 £30.36

-18.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.93 £1.43

$1.88 £1.40

2.66%

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

$38.1K £28.3K

$38.9K £28.9K

-2.13%

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

$44.2K £32.9K

$40.0K £29.8K

10.43%

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

$384 £285

$326 £243

17.53%

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

$18.63 £13.84

$20.23 £15.04

-7.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$46.94 £34.89

$42.59 £31.66

10.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$58.2 £43.27

$64.4 £47.86

-9.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.30 £9.14

$22.34 £16.61

-44.94%

Cinema Ticket

$15.10 £11.22

$20.19 £15.00

-25.21%

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

$1,758 £1,307

$2,525 £1,876

-30.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$53.3K £39.6K

$28.0K £20.8K

90.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$96.0 £71.4

$119 £88.6

-19.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.5 £39.05

$49.83 £37.04

5.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.6 £69.6

$127 £94.4

-26.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$118 £88.0

$159 £118

-25.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,139 £1,590

$3,019 £2,244

-29.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,532 £1,139

$2,274 £1,690

-32.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,534 £2,627

$5,543 £4,120

-36.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,510 £1,866

$3,737 £2,778

-32.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,154 £6,061

$19.4K £14.4K

-57.96%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,899 £5,128

$9,516 £7,073

-27.49%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,073 £3,027

$4,820 £3,583

-15.51%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.74

5.05

13.66%

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

Last update for Oxford: June 2, 2026

Last update for London: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,139 in Oxford versus $3,019 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 18% 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 $77.0 in Oxford versus $110 in London. Groceries tell a different story – $359 in Oxford vs $340 in London – so London wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Oxford vs London: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,083 in Oxford, $3,892 in London – roughly 26% apart. London costs more across the board, with Getting Around showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,625 per month in Oxford and $5,838 in London. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Interestingly, groceries are about 6% cheaper in London – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $77.0 in Oxford and $110 in London. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,083 in Oxford and $3,892 in London. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

It depends on your priorities. London has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $3,083 in Oxford to $3,892 in London. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Oxford. 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.