Cost of Living Comparison Between Preston and London Cost of Living Comparison Between Preston and London

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,101 per month in Preston vs $3,892 in London, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,213 per month in Preston vs $5,638 in London, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,324 per month in Preston vs $7,385 in London, rent included.

Preston is about 46% cheaper than London, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Preston and London sit above the global median – Preston by 57%, London by 190%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.62 £12.36

$26.92 £20.01

-38.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$74.7 £55.5

$110 £81.5

-31.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.54 £6.35

$10.83 £8.05

-21.14%

Cappuccino

$4.32 £3.21

$5.10 £3.79

-15.29%

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

$2.08 £1.54

$2.77 £2.06

-24.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 £1.15

$1.78 £1.33

-12.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.37 £3.99

$8.93 £6.64

-39.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.47 £4.07

$8.03 £5.97

-31.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.61 £1.20

$1.77 £1.32

-9.04%

White Bread (500g)

$1.46 £1.09

$2.08 £1.55

-29.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.73 £1.29

$2.57 £1.91

-32.68%

Eggs

$3.82 £2.84

$4.75 £3.53

-19.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.35 £7.69

$11.16 £8.30

-7.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.25 £6.13

$9.00 £6.69

-8.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.47 £12.99

$14.83 £11.02

17.80%

Apples (1kg)

$2.79 £2.07

$3.33 £2.47

-16.22%

Banana (1kg)

$1.97 £1.46

$1.96 £1.46

0.51%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.04 £2.26

$3.25 £2.42

-6.46%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.80 £2.83

$3.60 £2.67

5.56%

Potato (1kg)

$1.65 £1.23

$1.68 £1.25

-1.79%

Onion (1kg)

$2.07 £1.54

$1.87 £1.39

10.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 £0.76

$1.32 £0.98

-22.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 £1.33

$1.95 £1.45

-8.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$18.20 £13.53

$22.81 £16.96

-20.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.61 £7.14

$13.71 £10.19

-29.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.75 £2.04

$3.31 £2.46

-16.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.94 £1.44

$3.93 £2.92

-50.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.65 £1.97

$3.95 £2.94

-32.91%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$118 £87.4

$240 £179

-51.08%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.65 £1.97

$6.04 £4.49

-56.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.57 £1.17

$3.31 £2.46

-52.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.34 £12.15

$40.84 £30.36

-59.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.88 £1.39

$1.88 £1.40

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

$38.9K £29.0K

$38.9K £28.9K

0.16%

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

$40.9K £30.4K

$40.0K £29.8K

2.07%

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

$291 £217

$326 £243

-10.76%

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

$16.08 £11.95

$20.23 £15.04

-20.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.76 £31.78

$42.59 £31.66

0.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.70 £31.74

$64.4 £47.86

-33.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.87 £12.54

$22.34 £16.61

-24.49%

Cinema Ticket

$13.14 £9.77

$20.19 £15.00

-34.92%

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

$1,292 £961

$2,525 £1,876

-48.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,783 £6,528

$28.0K £20.8K

-68.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$80.3 £59.7

$119 £88.6

-32.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.79 £32.55

$49.83 £37.04

-12.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.9 £56.4

$127 £94.4

-40.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$68.7 £51.1

$159 £118

-56.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,031 £766

$3,019 £2,244

-65.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$867 £644

$2,274 £1,690

-61.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,006 £1,491

$5,543 £4,120

-63.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,686 £1,253

$3,737 £2,778

-54.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,371 £2,506

$19.4K £14.4K

-82.62%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,433 £1,809

$9,516 £7,073

-74.43%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,419 £2,541

$4,820 £3,583

-29.07%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

5.05

10.30%

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

Last update for Preston: June 1, 2026

Last update for London: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,031 in Preston 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 41% 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 $75.0 in Preston versus $110 in London. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $306 vs $340 – making Preston 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

Preston vs London: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,101 in Preston, $3,892 in London – roughly 85% apart. London costs more across the board, with Getting Around showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,151 per month in Preston 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 Preston, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 11% 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 $75.0 in Preston and $110 in London. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Preston, where all-in costs run around $2,101, than in London at $3,892. In Preston 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 $2,101 in Preston to $3,892 in London. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Preston. 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.