For one person, living is cheaper in Sal: $857 a month against $4,086 in London, rent and utilities included – about $38,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.
Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Sal and in London actually costs, broken down by who's living it.
A single person spends $857 per month in Sal vs $4,086 in London, rent included.
Sal $857
London $4,086
A couple spends around $1,347 per month in Sal vs $5,816 in London, rent included.
Sal $1,347
London $5,816
A family of three spends $1,836 per month in Sal vs $7,546 in London, rent included.
Sal $1,836
London $7,546
🙂
Sal is about 79% cheaper than London, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.
📊
Sal sits 36% below the global median, while London is 205% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.
Currency
No currencies found
🍽 Eating Out
Sal
London
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$5.71CVE 562
$26.62£20.12
-78.55%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.45CVE 4,571
$108£81.3
-56.83%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$11.40CVE 1,122
$10.39£7.86
9.72%
Cappuccino
$2.27CVE 223
$5.79£4.38
-60.79%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.69CVE 265
$3.01£2.27
-10.63%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.15CVE 113
$2.15£1.63
-46.51%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$4.50CVE 443
$9.35£7.07
-51.87%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.14CVE 309
$7.84£5.93
-59.95%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Sal
London
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.61CVE 159
$1.79£1.35
-10.06%
White Bread(500g)
$2.21CVE 218
$2.06£1.56
7.28%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.21CVE 119
$2.31£1.74
-47.62%
Eggs
$2.98CVE 293
$5.05£3.82
-40.99%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$9.52CVE 936
$12.57£9.50
-24.26%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$7.63CVE 751
$10.66£8.05
-28.42%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$16.54CVE 1,628
$17.13£12.95
-3.44%
Apples(1kg)
$3.27CVE 322
$3.03£2.29
7.92%
Banana(1kg)
$2.42CVE 238
$1.41£1.07
71.63%
Oranges(1kg)
$3.26CVE 321
$3.05£2.31
6.89%
Tomato(1kg)
$4.03CVE 396
$3.38£2.56
19.23%
Potato(1kg)
$1.74CVE 172
$1.67£1.26
4.19%
Onion(1kg)
$1.89CVE 186
$1.73£1.31
9.25%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.57CVE 155
$1.41£1.07
11.35%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.16CVE 114
$1.79£1.35
-35.20%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.54CVE 447
$23.22£17.55
-80.45%
Wine(Bottle)
$6.82CVE 671
$12.99£9.82
-47.50%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$4.01CVE 395
$3.18£2.41
26.10%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.86CVE 183
$4.41£3.34
-57.82%
🚌 Getting Around
Sal
London
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.05CVE 103
$3.87£2.93
-72.87%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
-
$250£189
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$2.09CVE 206
$5.71£4.31
-63.40%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$3.17CVE 312
$3.33£2.51
-4.80%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$12.72CVE 1,252
$57.9£43.77
-78.03%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.34CVE 132
$2.04£1.54
-34.31%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
-
$37.5K£28.4K
-
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
-
$40.9K£30.9K
-
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Sal
London
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$62.3CVE 6,132
$376£284
-83.43%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
-
$17.88£13.51
-
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$50.3CVE 4,945
$40.01£30.25
25.62%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Sal
London
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$28.27CVE 2,782
$61.2£46.23
-53.78%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$21.07£15.93
-
Cinema Ticket
-
$17.95£13.57
-
🧸 Childcare & Education
Sal
London
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$115CVE 11.3K
$2,865£2,166
-95.99%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
-
$35.3K£26.7K
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Sal
London
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$30.89CVE 3,040
$116£87.7
-73.37%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
-
$54.1£40.88
-
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
-
$127£95.7
-
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$144CVE 14.2K
$159£120
-9.65%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Sal
London
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$260CVE 25.6K
$2,853£2,157
-90.90%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$172CVE 17.0K
$2,301£1,740
-92.51%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$304CVE 29.9K
$5,201£3,932
-94.16%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$208CVE 20.5K
$3,723£2,814
-94.41%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$672CVE 66.1K
$19.0K£14.4K
-96.47%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$341CVE 33.5K
$7,881£5,957
-95.67%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Sal
London
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$254CVE 25.0K
$4,818£3,642
-94.73%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.25
4.65
12.90%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Sal: October 4, 2026
Last update for London: October 4, 2026
Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Share of the monthly basket for a family of three, rent included.
🛒Groceries & Markets
Sal
$302 34.8%
London
$349 8.6% ↑ 15.7%$47
🏠Accommodation & Living
Sal
$172 19.9%
London
$2.3K 56.5% ↑ 1235%$2.1K
🍽Eating Out
Sal
$151 17.4%
London
$397 9.7% ↑ 162%$245
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Sal
$113 * 13%
London
$434 10.7% ↑ 286%$321
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Sal
$79 * 9.1%
London
$205 5% ↑ 161%$127
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Sal
$28 * 3.3%
London
$97 2.4% ↑ 243%$69
🚌Getting Around
Sal
$22 * 2.6%
London
$288 7.1% ↑ 1201%$266
Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.
🛒Groceries & Markets
Sal
$700 38.5%
London
$802 10.6% ↑ 14.6%$102
🏠Accommodation & Living
Sal
$208 11.5%
London
$3.7K 49.1% ↑ 1690%$3.5K
🍽Eating Out
Sal
$518 28.5%
London
$1.3K 17.8% ↑ 160%$827
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Sal
$113 * 6.2%
London
$452 6% ↑ 301%$339
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Sal
$175 * 9.6%
London
$456 6% ↑ 161%$281
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Sal
$57 * 3.1%
London
$215 2.8% ↑ 281%$159
🚌Getting Around
Sal
$46 * 2.6%
London
$584 7.7% ↑ 1159%$537
Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $260 in Sal versus $2,853 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 1797% 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 $46.00 in Sal versus $108 in London. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $302 vs $349 – making Sal the more affordable choice for daily food spending.
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
Sal vs London: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Sal and in London compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $857 in Sal, $4,086 in London – roughly 377% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in transport.
What salary covers living expenses in Sal compared to London?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,286 per month in Sal and $6,129 in London. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Sal and London?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Sal, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Which city is more expensive overall: Sal or London?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $857 in Sal and $4,086 in London. That's a gap of about 377%.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Sal and London?
Kindergarten costs $115 per month in Sal and $2,865 in London. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Sal, where all-in costs run around $857, than in London at $4,086. In Sal it covers expenses comfortably, while in London it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
How does quality of life compare between Sal and London?
It depends on your priorities. London has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $857 in Sal to $4,086 in London. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Is Sal or London safer for residents?
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.
How do I decide between Sal and London?
If budget matters most, go with Sal. 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.