Cost of Living Comparison Between St Helens and Ilford Cost of Living Comparison Between St Helens and Ilford

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,025 per month in St Helens vs $3,005 in Ilford, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,045 per month in St Helens vs $3,949 in Ilford, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,064 per month in St Helens vs $4,893 in Ilford, rent included.

St Helens is about 33% cheaper than Ilford, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both St Helens and Ilford sit above the global median – St Helens by 51%, Ilford by 124%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.64 £15.34

$20.59 £15.30

0.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$81.4 £60.5

$88.3 £65.7

-7.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.03 £8.20

$10.70 £7.96

3.08%

Cappuccino

$3.69 £2.75

$4.68 £3.48

-21.15%

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

$2.93 £2.18

$1.51 £1.13

94.04%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 £1.46

$1.09 £0.81

79.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.11 £3.06

$5.29 £3.93

-22.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.95 £3.68

$6.28 £4.67

-21.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.33 £0.99

$1.41 £1.05

-5.67%

White Bread (500g)

$1.81 £1.34

$1.41 £1.05

28.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.03 £1.51

$2.17 £1.61

-6.45%

Eggs

$4.27 £3.17

$3.62 £2.69

17.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.31 £9.15

$8.34 £6.20

47.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.09 £6.76

$8.44 £6.27

7.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.96 £8.15

$13.32 £9.90

-17.72%

Apples (1kg)

$3.27 £2.43

$3.23 £2.40

1.24%

Banana (1kg)

$1.33 £0.99

$1.56 £1.16

-14.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.57 £2.65

$2.87 £2.13

24.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.65 £2.72

$2.91 £2.16

25.43%

Potato (1kg)

$1.93 £1.43

$1.74 £1.29

10.92%

Onion (1kg)

$2.06 £1.53

$1.51 £1.12

36.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.38 £1.02

$1.29 £0.96

6.98%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.34 £0.99

$1.40 £1.04

-4.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$20.19 £15.01

$20.45 £15.20

-1.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.35 £8.44

$9.04 £6.72

25.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.66 £1.98

$2.73 £2.03

-2.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.69 £2.00

$2.44 £1.81

10.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.88 £2.14

$3.48 £2.59

-17.24%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$104 £77.2

$89.4 £66.4

16.16%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.36 £2.50

$6.14 £4.57

-45.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 £1.43

$2.12 £1.58

-9.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.28 £12.10

$29.52 £21.94

-44.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.99 £1.48

$1.93 £1.44

3.11%

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

$26.7K £19.8K

$38.3K £28.5K

-30.42%

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

$34.0K £25.2K

$38.6K £28.7K

-11.94%

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

$338 £251

$318 £236

6.35%

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

$15.92 £11.84

$16.22 £12.05

-1.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.63 £29.45

$35.41 £26.32

11.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$27.46 £20.41

$28.63 £21.28

-4.09%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.96 £2.94

Cinema Ticket

$16.49 £12.26

$20.71 £15.39

-20.38%

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

$814 £605

$1,880 £1,397

-56.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,810 £5,062

$22.6K £16.8K

-69.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.6 £49.52

$103 £76.3

-35.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.2 £40.99

$41.29 £30.69

33.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.1 £64.0

$90.1 £66.9

-4.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 £90.5

$98.8 £73.4

23.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$810 £602

$1,387 £1,031

-41.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$674 £501

$1,747 £1,299

-61.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,534 £1,140

$3,015 £2,241

-49.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,290 £959

$2,191 £1,628

-41.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,129 £3,812

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,372 £1,763

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,507 £1,863

$3,566 £2,651

-29.71%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.54

5.45

1.65%

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

Last update for St Helens: May 30, 2026

Last update for Ilford: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $810 in St Helens versus $1,387 in Ilford. 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 Ilford, 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 $81.0 in St Helens versus $88.0 in Ilford. Groceries tell a different story – $302 in St Helens vs $277 in Ilford – so Ilford wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

St Helens vs Ilford: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ilford costs about 48% more than St Helens, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,038 per month in St Helens and $4,508 in Ilford. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Interestingly, groceries are about 9% cheaper in Ilford – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $81.0 in St Helens and $88.0 in Ilford. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in St Helens, where all-in costs run around $2,025, than in Ilford at $3,005. In St Helens it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ilford it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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

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.

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