Cost of Living Comparison Between Poole and London Cost of Living Comparison Between Poole and London

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,551 per month in Poole vs $4,005 in London, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,817 per month in Poole vs $5,688 in London, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,082 per month in Poole vs $7,371 in London, rent included.

Poole is about 36% cheaper than London, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Poole and London sit above the global median – Poole by 91%, London by 199%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.65 £15.28

$27.10 £20.06

-23.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$111 £81.9

$109 £80.5

1.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.65 £7.14

$11.05 £8.18

-12.67%

Cappuccino

$4.87 £3.60

$5.16 £3.82

-5.62%

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

$2.57 £1.90

$2.73 £2.02

-5.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.77 £1.31

$1.86 £1.38

-4.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.61 £5.63

$8.88 £6.57

-14.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.95 £5.15

$8.15 £6.03

-14.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.69 £1.25

$1.75 £1.30

-3.43%

White Bread (500g)

$1.23 £0.91

$2.19 £1.62

-43.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.55 £1.89

$2.58 £1.91

-1.16%

Eggs

$3.36 £2.49

$4.84 £3.59

-30.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.12 £7.49

$11.16 £8.26

-9.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.19 £5.32

$9.03 £6.68

-20.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.52 £10.01

$14.73 £10.90

-8.21%

Apples (1kg)

$2.69 £1.99

$3.43 £2.54

-21.57%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 £0.89

$1.94 £1.44

-37.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.33 £1.72

$3.10 £2.29

-24.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.17 £1.61

$3.45 £2.56

-37.10%

Potato (1kg)

$1.55 £1.15

$1.74 £1.29

-10.92%

Onion (1kg)

$1.51 £1.11

$1.85 £1.37

-18.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.94 £0.69

$1.39 £1.03

-32.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 £1.03

$1.98 £1.47

-29.80%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$17.80 £13.17

$23.08 £17.08

-22.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.08 £7.46

$13.32 £9.86

-24.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.62 £1.94

$3.30 £2.44

-20.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 £1.85

$4.02 £2.97

-38.06%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.14 £3.06

$3.84 £2.84

7.81%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.2 £59.4

$246 £182

-67.38%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.15 £3.07

$5.85 £4.33

-29.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.65 £1.22

$3.34 £2.47

-50.60%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$22.07 £16.33

$40.12 £29.69

-44.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.96 £1.45

$1.90 £1.41

3.16%

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

$38.7K £28.6K

$38.9K £28.8K

-0.68%

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

$39.1K £28.9K

$38.6K £28.6K

1.10%

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

$340 £252

$318 £236

6.96%

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

$16.61 £12.29

$19.99 £14.79

-16.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$45.75 £33.86

$43.42 £32.13

5.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.21 £22.35

$64.6 £47.79

-53.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.02 £17.04

Cinema Ticket

$22.13 £16.38

$20.17 £14.92

9.72%

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

$2,354 £1,742

$2,552 £1,889

-7.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.3K £12.1K

$27.9K £20.7K

-41.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.3 £64.6

$119 £88.2

-26.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.09 £30.41

$50.4 £37.28

-18.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.5 £67.0

$127 £93.8

-28.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.3 £63.1

$159 £118

-46.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,200 £888

$3,034 £2,246

-60.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,217 £900

$2,294 £1,697

-46.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,345 £1,735

$5,634 £4,169

-58.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,207 £1,633

$3,693 £2,733

-40.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$19.2K £14.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,150 £1,591

$10.5K £7,781

-79.55%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,295 £2,438

$5,023 £3,717

-34.41%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.45

5.05

7.92%

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

Last update for Poole: April 26, 2026

Last update for London: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,200 in Poole versus $3,034 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 52% 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 $111 in Poole versus $109 in London. Groceries tell a different story – $267 in Poole vs $340 in London – so Poole 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

Poole vs London: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,551 in Poole, $4,005 in London – roughly 57% apart. London costs more across the board, with Getting Around showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,826 per month in Poole and $6,007 in London. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 27% 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 $111 in Poole and $109 in London. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Poole, where all-in costs run around $2,551, than in London at $4,005. In Poole 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 $2,551 in Poole to $4,005 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 Poole. 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.