Cost of Living Comparison Between Romford and London Cost of Living Comparison Between Romford and London

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,809 per month in Romford vs $3,930 in London, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,325 per month in Romford vs $5,723 in London, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,841 per month in Romford vs $7,516 in London, rent included.

Romford is about 29% cheaper than London, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Romford and London sit above the global median – Romford by 109%, London by 192%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$26.92 £20.02

$26.75 £19.89

0.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$108 £80.1

$110 £82.1

-2.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.16 £7.55

$10.65 £7.92

-4.60%

Cappuccino

$4.63 £3.44

$5.30 £3.94

-12.64%

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

$2.09 £1.55

$2.77 £2.06

-24.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.56 £1.16

$1.79 £1.33

-12.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.70 £6.47

$9.03 £6.72

-3.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.66 £4.95

$8.21 £6.10

-18.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.80 £1.34

$1.78 £1.33

1.12%

White Bread (500g)

$2.09 £1.55

$2.18 £1.62

-4.13%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.53 £1.88

$2.55 £1.90

-0.78%

Eggs

$4.93 £3.66

$4.93 £3.67

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.40 £8.47

$11.26 £8.38

1.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.23 £6.86

$8.63 £6.42

6.95%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.73 £10.95

$14.48 £10.76

1.73%

Apples (1kg)

$3.24 £2.41

$3.47 £2.58

-6.63%

Banana (1kg)

$1.96 £1.45

$1.97 £1.46

-0.51%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.33 £2.47

$3.13 £2.33

6.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.48 £2.59

$3.60 £2.68

-3.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.75 £1.30

$1.74 £1.30

0.57%

Onion (1kg)

$1.96 £1.45

$1.80 £1.34

8.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.14 £0.84

$1.38 £1.02

-17.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.61 £1.20

$1.91 £1.42

-15.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$21.35 £15.88

$23.53 £17.50

-9.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.16 £9.78

$13.12 £9.75

0.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.69 £2.00

$3.20 £2.38

-15.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.95 £2.19

$3.97 £2.95

-25.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.69 £2.74

$4.01 £2.98

-7.98%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$272 £203

$245 £182

11.09%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.47 £3.32

$6.10 £4.53

-26.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.20 £1.64

$3.20 £2.38

-31.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$40.70 £30.26

$41.13 £30.58

-1.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.97 £1.46

$1.94 £1.44

1.55%

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

$39.1K £29.1K

$37.8K £28.1K

3.69%

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

$39.4K £29.3K

$39.9K £29.7K

-1.33%

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

$327 £243

$325 £241

0.67%

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

$19.86 £14.77

$19.51 £14.50

1.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.95 £31.93

$42.94 £31.93

0.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.99 £37.16

$64.4 £47.91

-22.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.99 £17.10

Cinema Ticket

$17.49 £13.01

$20.47 £15.22

-14.56%

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

$1,795 £1,335

$2,476 £1,841

-27.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.0K £14.1K

$28.7K £21.3K

-33.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$94.8 £70.5

$118 £87.9

-19.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.79 £31.82

$49.06 £36.47

-12.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$109 £80.8

$128 £95.2

-15.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.5 £65.8

$156 £116

-43.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,929 £1,434

$3,031 £2,253

-36.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,240 £922

$2,249 £1,672

-44.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,452 £2,566

$5,565 £4,138

-37.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,351 £1,748

$3,661 £2,722

-35.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$20.4K £15.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$9,765 £7,260

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,892 £2,150

$4,801 £3,570

-39.77%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.05

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

Last update for Romford: June 8, 2026

Last update for London: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,929 in Romford versus $3,031 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 66% 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 $108 in Romford versus $110 in London. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $331 vs $337 – making Romford 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

Romford vs London: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,809 in Romford, $3,930 in London – roughly 40% apart. London costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,214 per month in Romford and $5,895 in London. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 2% 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 $108 in Romford and $110 in London. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$3,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,809 in Romford and $3,930 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 $2,809 in Romford to $3,930 in London. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Romford. 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.