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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,017 per month in St Helens vs $3,916 in London, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,087 per month in St Helens vs $5,631 in London, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,157 per month in St Helens vs $7,345 in London, rent included.

St Helens is about 48% cheaper than London, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both St Helens and London sit above the global median – St Helens by 51%, London by 193%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.14 £14.98

$27.47 £20.43

-26.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$81.4 £60.5

$111 £82.4

-26.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.08 £8.24

$10.67 £7.94

3.84%

Cappuccino

$3.67 £2.73

$5.30 £3.94

-30.75%

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

$2.80 £2.08

$2.74 £2.04

2.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.00 £1.48

$1.79 £1.33

11.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.00 £2.98

$9.00 £6.69

-55.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.22 £3.88

$8.12 £6.04

-35.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 £1.03

$1.72 £1.28

-19.77%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 £1.41

$2.11 £1.57

-10.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.07 £1.54

$2.47 £1.84

-16.19%

Eggs

$4.24 £3.16

$4.98 £3.71

-14.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.30 £9.15

$11.11 £8.26

10.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.62 £6.41

$9.13 £6.79

-5.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 £7.95

$14.41 £10.72

-25.88%

Apples (1kg)

$3.19 £2.37

$3.36 £2.50

-5.06%

Banana (1kg)

$1.39 £1.04

$2.03 £1.51

-31.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.72 £2.77

$3.27 £2.44

13.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.68 £2.74

$3.63 £2.70

1.38%

Potato (1kg)

$1.88 £1.40

$1.68 £1.25

11.90%

Onion (1kg)

$2.10 £1.56

$1.77 £1.32

18.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.35 £1.00

$1.33 £0.99

1.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 £1.03

$1.91 £1.42

-27.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$20.37 £15.15

$22.79 £16.95

-10.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.22 £8.34

$13.62 £10.13

-17.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.74 £2.04

$3.20 £2.38

-14.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 £2.02

$4.07 £3.03

-33.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.81 £2.09

$3.82 £2.84

-26.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$103 £76.4

$249 £185

-58.69%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.45 £2.57

$5.89 £4.38

-41.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 £1.42

$3.32 £2.47

-42.47%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.58 £12.33

$40.47 £30.10

-59.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.95 £1.45

$1.90 £1.41

2.63%

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

$26.8K £19.9K

$38.9K £29.0K

-31.18%

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

$33.8K £25.1K

$39.4K £29.3K

-14.33%

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

$342 £254

$328 £244

4.04%

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

$15.62 £11.62

$19.61 £14.58

-20.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.86 £29.65

$42.68 £31.75

-6.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$26.77 £19.91

$63.2 £47.04

-57.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.19 £3.12

$22.39 £16.65

-81.29%

Cinema Ticket

$16.34 £12.15

$20.69 £15.39

-21.02%

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

$815 £606

$2,474 £1,841

-67.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,885 £5,121

$27.9K £20.8K

-75.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.6 £50.3

$119 £88.8

-43.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.8 £40.79

$50.1 £37.26

9.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.4 £64.3

$131 £97.3

-33.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 £89.6

$158 £118

-23.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$828 £616

$2,937 £2,184

-71.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$665 £494

$2,229 £1,658

-70.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,542 £1,147

$5,569 £4,142

-72.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,308 £973

$3,707 £2,757

-64.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,297 £3,940

$20.1K £15.0K

-73.66%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,331 £1,734

$8,485 £6,311

-72.52%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,546 £1,894

$4,247 £3,159

-40.04%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.54

5.05

9.70%

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

Last update for St Helens: July 14, 2026

Last update for London: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $828 in St Helens versus $2,937 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 67% 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 $81.0 in St Helens versus $111 in London. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $301 vs $339 – making St Helens 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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $2,017 in St Helens, $3,916 in London – roughly 94% apart. London costs more across the board, with Getting Around showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,026 per month in St Helens and $5,874 in London. 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.

Groceries cost about 13% 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 $81.0 in St Helens and $111 in London. 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 $2,017, than in London at $3,916. In St Helens it covers expenses comfortably, while in London it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. London has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,017 in St Helens to $3,916 in London. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with St Helens. 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.