Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Rockford, IL and London

For one person, living is cheaper in Rockford, IL: $2,166 a month against $2,359 in London, rent and utilities included – about $2,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Rockford, IL
🇺🇸 United States
$2,166
/mo nomad
London
🇨🇦 Canada
$2,359
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,166 in Rockford, IL versus $2,359 in London.

  • Rockford, IL $2,166
  • London $2,359

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,480 in Rockford, IL versus $3,355 in London.

  • Rockford, IL $3,480
  • London $3,355

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,794 in Rockford, IL versus $4,351 in London.

  • Rockford, IL $4,794
  • London $4,351

Living in Rockford, IL costs roughly 8% less than in London, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Rockford, IL 60% above, London 74% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Rockford, IL
London
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$15.72 $15.72
$21.18 CA$29.94
-25.78%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$73.6 $73.6
$63.1 CA$89.2
16.65%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.97 $9.97
$12.23 CA$17.29
-18.48%
Cappuccino
$5.03 $5.03
$3.67 CA$5.19
37.06%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.82 $2.82
$2.18 CA$3.08
29.36%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.99 $1.99
$2.18 CA$3.08
-8.72%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$4.59 $4.59
$6.55 CA$9.27
-29.92%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$6.83 $6.83
$6.28 CA$8.88
8.76%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Rockford, IL
London
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.82 $0.82
$1.98 CA$2.79
-58.59%
White Bread (500g)
$3.40 $3.40
$2.69 CA$3.80
26.39%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$5.30 $5.30
$3.91 CA$5.53
35.55%
Eggs
$2.91 $2.91
$3.67 CA$5.19
-20.71%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.07 $10.07
$10.16 CA$14.37
-0.89%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$13.99 $13.99
$11.60 CA$16.40
20.60%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$16.79 $16.79
$14.91 CA$21.08
12.61%
Apples (1kg)
$4.78 $4.78
$4.35 CA$6.15
9.89%
Banana (1kg)
$1.53 $1.53
$1.24 CA$1.76
23.39%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.79 $3.79
$3.75 CA$5.30
1.07%
Tomato (1kg)
$5.15 $5.15
$4.02 CA$5.69
28.11%
Potato (1kg)
$2.45 $2.45
$3.05 CA$4.31
-19.67%
Onion (1kg)
$2.59 $2.59
$3.04 CA$4.29
-14.80%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.23 $2.23
$2.55 CA$3.61
-12.55%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.85 $1.85
$1.52 CA$2.15
21.71%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$10.97 $10.97
$11.81 CA$16.70
-7.11%
Wine (Bottle)
$15.82 $15.82
$12.91 CA$18.25
22.54%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.99 $1.99
$2.44 CA$3.46
-18.44%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.86 $1.86
$2.84 CA$4.01
-34.51%
🚌 Getting Around
Rockford, IL
London
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.52 $1.52
$2.27 CA$3.21
-33.04%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$55.5 $55.5
$79.4 CA$112
-30.11%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.75 $2.75
$2.53 CA$3.57
8.70%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.58 $1.58
$1.71 CA$2.42
-7.60%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$20.70 $20.70
$21.96 CA$31.05
-5.74%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.04 $1.04
$1.24 CA$1.76
-16.13%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$33.5K $33.5K
$27.0K CA$38.2K
24.11%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.2K $26.2K
$22.8K CA$32.2K
14.91%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Rockford, IL
London
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$192 $192
$139 CA$197
38.30%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$45.71 $45.71
$39.70 CA$56.1
15.14%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$71.1 $71.1
$57.0 CA$80.5
24.78%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Rockford, IL
London
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$41.82 $41.82
$37.60 CA$53.2
11.22%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$25.44 $25.44
$29.03 CA$41.04
-12.37%
Cinema Ticket
$14.03 $14.03
$10.48 CA$14.82
33.87%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Rockford, IL
London
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$520 $520
$410 CA$580
26.70%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$4,074 $4,074
$20.3K CA$28.6K
-79.89%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Rockford, IL
London
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$45.23 $45.23
$53.0 CA$75.0
-14.71%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$35.80 $35.80
$39.23 CA$55.5
-8.74%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$93.1 $93.1
$81.1 CA$115
14.73%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$113 $113
$89.7 CA$127
25.64%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Rockford, IL
London
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,293 $1,293
$1,297 CA$1,834
-0.32%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$925 $925
$1,172 CA$1,656
-21.03%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,298 $2,298
$2,066 CA$2,920
11.26%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,040 $2,040
$1,682 CA$2,378
21.29%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,476 $1,476
$3,510 CA$4,962
-57.94%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,421 $1,421
$3,683 CA$5,207
-61.43%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Rockford, IL
London
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,398 $3,398
$3,092 CA$4,371
9.89%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.49
4.72
37.50%

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

Last update for Rockford, IL: October 18, 2026

Last update for London: October 20, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Rockford, IL
$925
London
$1.2K 26.6% $246
Groceries & Markets
Rockford, IL
$389
London
$362 6.9% $27
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Rockford, IL
$309
London
$236 23.7% $73
Eating Out
Rockford, IL
$272
London
$313 15.1% $41
Clothing & Footwear
Rockford, IL
$129
London
$118 8.3% $11
Getting Around
Rockford, IL
$72
London
$100 37.8% $27
Sport & Entertainment
Rockford, IL
$70
London
$59 16.2% $11

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,293 in Rockford, IL and $1,297 in London. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Rockford, IL pays 10% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $74.0 in Rockford, IL vs $63.0 in London for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $389 vs $362 per month, with London cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇺🇸 Rockford, IL
🇨🇦 London
🕒 Local time
20:50 8:50 PM
21:50 9:50 PM
1 h ahead of Rockford, IL
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
148,655
383,822
Exchange rates and currency converter

CAD, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 22, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

Canadian Dollar exchange rates as of October 22, 2026: 1 USD = 1.41 CAD (1 CAD = 0.707 USD). 1 EUR = 1.59 CAD (1 CAD = 0.629 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Rockford, IL London 650 km ≈ 1 h 15 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Rockford, IL
  • 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
Rockford, IL vs London: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is London cheaper than Rockford, IL?
Rockford, IL is cheaper overall, especially in eating out and transport. The 9% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Rockford, IL or London?
Average pay runs 10% higher in Rockford, IL, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
What is the rent difference between Rockford, IL and London?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,293 in Rockford, IL versus $1,297 in London. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What are total monthly expenses in Rockford, IL and in London?
All in, you'll spend $2,166 per month in Rockford, IL versus $2,359 in London – a 9% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
A monthly transit pass in Rockford, IL runs roughly 43% less than in London. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
Is $2,500 a realistic budget for living in Rockford, IL or in London?
At $2,166 in Rockford, IL versus $2,359 in London, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Rockford, IL but tight or insufficient in London. The gap between the two cities makes Rockford, IL the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Rockford, IL or London more family-friendly?
For families, Rockford, IL is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in London, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Rockford, IL or London?
Safety-wise, Rockford, IL and London are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Rockford, IL gentler on the wallet – expenses run 9% less than in London. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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