Cost of Living Comparison Between Rugby and Merthyr Tydfil Cost of Living Comparison Between Rugby and Merthyr Tydfil

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,344 per month in Rugby vs $2,373 in Merthyr Tydfil, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,491 per month in Rugby vs $3,184 in Merthyr Tydfil, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,637 per month in Rugby vs $3,995 in Merthyr Tydfil, rent included.

Rugby is about 1% cheaper than Merthyr Tydfil, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Rugby and Merthyr Tydfil sit above the global median – Rugby by 71%, Merthyr Tydfil by 73%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.60 £15.22

$21.13 £15.62

-2.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$81.1 £60.0

$63.0 £46.55

28.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.55 £7.06

$10.74 £7.94

-11.08%

Cappuccino

$5.01 £3.71

$4.53 £3.35

10.60%

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

$2.09 £1.54

$2.58 £1.91

-18.99%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.56 £1.16

$1.72 £1.27

-9.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.15 £4.55

$5.85 £4.32

5.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.32 £4.68

$4.82 £3.56

31.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.76 £1.30

$1.41 £1.04

24.82%

White Bread (500g)

$1.79 £1.32

$0.66 £0.48

171.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.54 £1.88

$1.66 £1.22

53.01%

Eggs

$3.91 £2.89

$4.10 £3.03

-4.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.67 £8.63

$9.61 £7.10

21.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.21 £6.07

$9.15 £6.76

-10.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.61 £11.54

$14.36 £10.62

8.70%

Apples (1kg)

$2.55 £1.88

$2.63 £1.95

-3.04%

Banana (1kg)

$1.83 £1.35

$2.58 £1.91

-29.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.52 £1.86

$4.11 £3.03

-38.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.14 £2.32

$3.28 £2.43

-4.27%

Potato (1kg)

$1.70 £1.26

$1.20 £0.89

41.67%

Onion (1kg)

$1.79 £1.33

$1.32 £0.97

35.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.21 £0.89

$1.17 £0.87

3.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.60 £1.18

$1.10 £0.81

45.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$22.55 £16.67

$23.68 £17.51

-4.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.39 £9.16

$14.54 £10.74

-14.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.66 £2.70

$3.95 £2.92

-7.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.44 £2.55

$4.08 £3.01

-15.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.66 £1.97

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$102 £75.5

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.50 £3.33

$6.93 £5.12

-35.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.89 £1.40

$1.64 £1.21

15.24%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.82 £18.35

$21.98 £16.25

12.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.97 £1.46

$2.01 £1.49

-1.99%

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

$39.4K £29.1K

$38.3K £28.3K

2.80%

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

$41.0K £30.3K

$41.5K £30.7K

-1.27%

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

$270 £200

$631 £466

-57.19%

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

$20.59 £15.22

$13.38 £9.89

53.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$48.03 £35.50

$38.36 £28.36

25.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$58.7 £43.38

$41.14 £30.41

42.63%

Cinema Ticket

$14.77 £10.92

$8.07 £5.96

83.02%

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

$1,622 £1,199

$1,226 £906

32.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.5K £11.5K

$5,558 £4,108

179.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$107 £79.3

$89.1 £65.9

20.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.05 £28.13

$44.68 £33.03

-14.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$119 £87.8

$84.8 £62.7

40.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 £84.3

$88.0 £65.1

29.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,159 £857

$817 £604

41.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,056 £781

$787 £582

34.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,819 £1,344

$1,164 £861

56.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,882 £1,391

$1,020 £754

84.58%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,066 £3,745

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,346 £3,212

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,234 £3,130

$1,656 £1,224

155.70%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.09

5.59

-8.94%

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

Last update for Rugby: August 31, 2026

Last update for Merthyr Tydfil: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,159 in Rugby versus $817 in Merthyr Tydfil. 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 156% higher in Rugby, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $81.0 in Rugby versus $63.0 in Merthyr Tydfil. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $316 vs $304 – making Merthyr Tydfil 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

Rugby vs Merthyr Tydfil: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,344 in Rugby, $2,373 in Merthyr Tydfil – roughly 1% apart. Merthyr Tydfil costs more across the board, with Getting Around showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,516 per month in Rugby and $3,559 in Merthyr Tydfil. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,344 in Rugby and $2,373 in Merthyr Tydfil. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $1,622 per month in Rugby and $1,226 in Merthyr Tydfil. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Rugby, where all-in costs run around $2,344, than in Merthyr Tydfil at $2,373. In Rugby it covers expenses comfortably, while in Merthyr Tydfil it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Rugby – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Rugby. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Merthyr Tydfil makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.