Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Stafford and London

For one person, living is cheaper in Stafford: $2,202 a month against $3,986 in London, rent and utilities included – about $21,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Stafford
🇬🇧 United Kingdom
$2,202
/mo nomad
London
🇬🇧 United Kingdom
$3,986
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Stafford and in London

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Stafford and in London actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,202 per month in Stafford vs $3,986 in London, rent included.

  • Stafford $2,202
  • London $3,986

A couple spends around $3,277 per month in Stafford vs $5,791 in London, rent included.

  • Stafford $3,277
  • London $5,791

A family of three spends $4,352 per month in Stafford vs $7,595 in London, rent included.

  • Stafford $4,352
  • London $7,595

Stafford is about 45% cheaper than London, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Stafford and London sit above the global median – Stafford by 63%, London by 195%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Stafford
London
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$20.11 £15.08
$25.93 £19.45
-22.45%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$73.4 £55.1
$107 £79.9
-31.07%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.63 £7.98
$10.71 £8.03
-0.75%
Cappuccino
$4.61 £3.46
$5.47 £4.11
-15.72%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.12 £1.59
$2.97 £2.23
-28.62%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.73 £1.30
$2.20 £1.65
-21.36%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$6.70 £5.03
$9.13 £6.85
-26.62%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.13 £3.85
$7.94 £5.96
-35.39%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Stafford
London
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.74 £1.31
$1.86 £1.40
-6.45%
White Bread (500g)
$1.54 £1.16
$2.07 £1.55
-25.60%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.12 £1.59
$2.42 £1.81
-12.40%
Eggs
$3.39 £2.54
$5.09 £3.82
-33.40%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.99 £7.49
$12.87 £9.66
-22.38%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.85 £6.64
$10.43 £7.82
-15.15%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.71 £9.53
$16.87 £12.66
-24.66%
Apples (1kg)
$2.84 £2.13
$3.11 £2.33
-8.68%
Banana (1kg)
$1.68 £1.26
$1.40 £1.05
20.00%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.69 £2.77
$3.08 £2.31
19.81%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.48 £2.61
$3.27 £2.45
6.42%
Potato (1kg)
$2.10 £1.57
$1.58 £1.19
32.91%
Onion (1kg)
$1.69 £1.27
$1.74 £1.31
-2.87%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.17 £0.88
$1.40 £1.05
-16.43%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.64 £1.23
$1.80 £1.35
-8.89%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$20.87 £15.65
$23.28 £17.46
-10.35%
Wine (Bottle)
$9.18 £6.89
$13.03 £9.77
-29.55%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$3.31 £2.48
$3.17 £2.38
4.42%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.79 £2.84
$4.42 £3.32
-14.25%
🚌 Getting Around
Stafford
London
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$4.54 £3.41
$4.07 £3.05
11.55%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$93.5 £70.2
$247 £185
-62.10%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.61 £1.96
$5.58 £4.18
-53.23%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.31 £0.98
$3.36 £2.52
-61.01%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$24.60 £18.46
$56.8 £42.58
-56.65%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.07 £1.55
$2.13 £1.60
-2.82%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$37.8K £28.4K
$38.2K £28.6K
-1.04%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$40.8K £30.6K
$40.9K £30.7K
-0.24%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Stafford
London
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$290 £217
$372 £279
-22.20%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$19.89 £14.92
$17.82 £13.37
11.62%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$40.75 £30.57
$40.37 £30.29
0.94%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Stafford
London
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$40.40 £30.31
$60.0 £44.99
-32.63%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.50 £14.63
$21.29 £15.97
-8.41%
Cinema Ticket
$15.62 £11.71
$17.74 £13.31
-11.95%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Stafford
London
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$908 £681
$2,864 £2,149
-68.30%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$26.8K £20.1K
$35.3K £26.5K
-24.24%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Stafford
London
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$74.5 £55.9
$114 £85.5
-34.69%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$45.40 £34.06
$54.3 £40.71
-16.34%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$84.4 £63.4
$124 £93.2
-32.03%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$96.9 £72.7
$163 £122
-40.58%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Stafford
London
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,120 £840
$2,869 £2,152
-60.97%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$917 £688
$2,233 £1,675
-58.95%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,584 £1,189
$5,266 £3,951
-69.91%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,591 £1,194
$3,778 £2,835
-57.88%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,886 £2,915
$18.3K £13.8K
-78.80%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,356 £2,518
$8,024 £6,020
-58.17%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Stafford
London
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$2,978 £2,234
$5,037 £3,779
-40.87%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.37
4.74
13.29%

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

Last update for Stafford: October 11, 2026

Last update for London: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Stafford
$917
London
$2.2K 144% $1.3K
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Stafford
$350
London
$430 22.9% $80
Eating Out
Stafford
$307
London
$388 26.1% $80
Groceries & Markets
Stafford
$300
London
$349 16.5% $49
Clothing & Footwear
Stafford
$136
London
$205 51.3% $69
Getting Around
Stafford
$121
London
$285 136% $165
Sport & Entertainment
Stafford
$72
London
$95 33.3% $24

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,120 in Stafford versus $2,869 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 69% 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 $73.0 in Stafford versus $107 in London. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $300 vs $349 – making Stafford the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇬🇧 Stafford
🇬🇧 London
🕒 Local time
19:53 7:53 PM
19:53 7:53 PM
Same time as Stafford
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
71,673
8,908,083 Capital
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to GBP – British Pound Converter

British Pound exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 0.75 GBP (1 GBP = 1.33 USD). 1 EUR = 0.843 GBP (1 GBP = 1.19 EUR).

On the map
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  • Stafford London 200 km
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  • Stafford
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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
Stafford vs London: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Stafford and in London compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $2,202 in Stafford, $3,986 in London – roughly 81% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in transport.
What salary covers living expenses in Stafford compared to London?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,303 per month in Stafford and $5,979 in London. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Stafford and London?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Stafford, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Groceries cost about 16% more in London, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $73.0 in Stafford and $107 in London. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Stafford, where all-in costs run around $2,202, than in London at $3,986. In Stafford it covers expenses comfortably, while in London it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
How does quality of life compare between Stafford and London?
It depends on your priorities. London has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,202 in Stafford to $3,986 in London. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Is Stafford 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 Stafford and London?
If budget matters most, go with Stafford. 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.

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