Cost of Living Comparison Between Southampton and London Cost of Living Comparison Between Southampton and London

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,713 per month in Southampton vs $3,892 in London, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,808 per month in Southampton vs $5,638 in London, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,902 per month in Southampton vs $7,385 in London, rent included.

Southampton is about 30% cheaper than London, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Southampton and London sit above the global median – Southampton by 102%, London by 190%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$27.36 £20.33

$26.92 £20.01

1.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$78.2 £58.1

$110 £81.5

-28.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.62 £8.64

$10.83 £8.05

7.29%

Cappuccino

$4.92 £3.65

$5.10 £3.79

-3.53%

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

$2.57 £1.91

$2.77 £2.06

-7.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.27 £1.69

$1.78 £1.33

27.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.04 £5.23

$8.93 £6.64

-21.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.77 £5.03

$8.03 £5.97

-15.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.47 £1.09

$1.77 £1.32

-16.95%

White Bread (500g)

$1.37 £1.02

$2.08 £1.55

-34.13%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.59 £2.67

$2.57 £1.91

39.69%

Eggs

$5.44 £4.05

$4.75 £3.53

14.53%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.22 £6.85

$11.16 £8.30

-17.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.36 £6.95

$9.00 £6.69

4.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.73 £10.95

$14.83 £11.02

-0.67%

Apples (1kg)

$2.40 £1.79

$3.33 £2.47

-27.93%

Banana (1kg)

$1.65 £1.23

$1.96 £1.46

-15.82%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.47 £1.83

$3.25 £2.42

-24.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.97 £2.21

$3.60 £2.67

-17.50%

Potato (1kg)

$1.76 £1.31

$1.68 £1.25

4.76%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 £0.87

$1.87 £1.39

-37.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 £0.73

$1.32 £0.98

-25.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.24 £1.67

$1.95 £1.45

14.87%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$17.42 £12.95

$22.81 £16.96

-23.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.30 £8.40

$13.71 £10.19

-17.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.13 £3.07

$3.31 £2.46

24.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 £2.48

$3.93 £2.92

-15.01%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.89 £2.15

$3.95 £2.94

-26.84%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$86.4 £64.2

$240 £179

-64.08%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.34 £3.22

$6.04 £4.49

-28.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.98 £1.47

$3.31 £2.46

-40.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$32.46 £24.12

$40.84 £30.36

-20.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.97 £1.47

$1.88 £1.40

4.79%

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

$38.5K £28.6K

$38.9K £28.9K

-0.98%

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

$40.4K £30.1K

$40.0K £29.8K

1.02%

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

$343 £255

$326 £243

5.01%

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

$18.38 £13.66

$20.23 £15.04

-9.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.9 £40.05

$42.59 £31.66

26.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.51 £30.85

$64.4 £47.86

-35.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.22 £13.55

$22.34 £16.61

-18.44%

Cinema Ticket

$12.46 £9.26

$20.19 £15.00

-38.29%

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

$1,500 £1,115

$2,525 £1,876

-40.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.5K £13.8K

$28.0K £20.8K

-33.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$117 £86.9

$119 £88.6

-1.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.6 £39.86

$49.83 £37.04

7.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$116 £86.1

$127 £94.4

-8.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$146 £109

$159 £118

-8.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,370 £1,018

$3,019 £2,244

-54.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,206 £897

$2,274 £1,690

-46.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,438 £1,812

$5,543 £4,120

-56.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,774 £1,319

$3,737 £2,778

-52.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,101 £4,535

$19.4K £14.4K

-68.54%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,587 £4,153

$9,516 £7,073

-41.29%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,394 £2,523

$4,820 £3,583

-29.58%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.62

5.05

11.29%

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

Last update for Southampton: May 31, 2026

Last update for London: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,370 in Southampton 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 42% 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 $78.0 in Southampton versus $110 in London. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $318 vs $340 – making Southampton 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

Southampton vs London: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,713 in Southampton, $3,892 in London – roughly 43% apart. London costs more across the board, with Getting Around showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,070 per month in Southampton 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 Southampton, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 7% 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 $78.0 in Southampton 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 $2,713 in Southampton and $3,892 in London. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

It depends on your priorities. Southampton has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,713 in Southampton to $3,892 in London. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Southampton. 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.