Cost of Living Comparison Between United Kingdom and Eritrea Cost of Living Comparison Between United Kingdom and Eritrea

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,401 per month in United Kingdom vs $688 in Eritrea, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,517 per month in United Kingdom vs $1,076 in Eritrea, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,632 per month in United Kingdom vs $1,464 in Eritrea, rent included.

The cost of living in United Kingdom is about 249% higher than in Eritrea on average – the gap runs across housing, groceries, transport, and services.

United Kingdom sits 76% above the global median, while Eritrea is 50% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
United Kingdom
Eritrea
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$21.78 £16.28
$21.40 ERN 321
1.78%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$86.7 £64.8
$33.88 ERN 509
155.79%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.00 £8.22
$5.42 ERN 81.3
102.95%
Cappuccino
$4.79 £3.58
$0.69 ERN 10.33
594.20%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.60 £1.94
$1.01 ERN 15.24
157.43%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.83 £1.37
$0.98 ERN 14.72
86.73%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$6.60 £4.93
$0.95 ERN 14.22
594.74%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$6.83 £5.10
-
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
United Kingdom
Eritrea
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.73 £1.30
$1.62 ERN 24.36
6.79%
White Bread (500g)
$1.73 £1.29
-
-
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.26 £1.69
$2.37 ERN 35.57
-4.64%
Eggs
$4.12 £3.08
$4.42 ERN 66.4
-6.79%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.52 £7.11
$2.93 ERN 44.06
224.91%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.42 £7.04
$27.22 ERN 409
-65.39%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$14.83 £11.08
$9.90 ERN 149
49.80%
Apples (1kg)
$3.10 £2.32
$12.00 ERN 180
-74.17%
Banana (1kg)
$1.69 £1.26
$1.24 ERN 18.67
36.29%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.88 £2.15
$1.96 ERN 29.50
46.94%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.36 £2.51
$1.14 ERN 17.17
194.74%
Potato (1kg)
$1.85 £1.38
$1.82 ERN 27.26
1.65%
Onion (1kg)
$1.57 £1.17
$0.96 ERN 14.37
63.54%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.26 £0.94
-
-
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.70 £1.27
$2.20 ERN 33.02
-22.73%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$23.75 £17.75
-
-
Wine (Bottle)
$10.95 £8.18
$12.19 ERN 183
-10.17%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.95 £2.21
$0.97 ERN 14.61
204.12%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.46 £2.58
$1.03 ERN 15.46
235.92%
🚌 Getting Around
United Kingdom
Eritrea
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$3.34 £2.50
$0.15 ERN 2.20
2126.67%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$106 £78.9
$8.14 ERN 122
1196.68%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$5.44 £4.06
-
-
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.29 £1.71
$0.58 ERN 8.64
294.83%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$26.80 £20.03
$9.90 ERN 149
170.71%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.96 £1.47
$2.55 ERN 38.37
-23.14%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$39.2K £29.3K
$65.7K ERN 987.2K
-40.39%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$40.9K £30.6K
$69.2K ERN 1.0M
-40.91%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
United Kingdom
Eritrea
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$328 £245
$24.77 ERN 372
1223.70%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$18.19 £13.60
$67.7 ERN 1,017
-73.13%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$43.01 £32.14
$199 ERN 2,990
-78.40%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
United Kingdom
Eritrea
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$46.44 £34.70
$26.96 ERN 405
72.26%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.15 £13.56
$5.13 ERN 77.1
253.80%
Cinema Ticket
$13.61 £10.17
$1.21 ERN 18.19
1024.79%
🧸 Childcare & Education
United Kingdom
Eritrea
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,773 £1,325
$25.05 ERN 376
6976.85%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$23.4K £17.5K
$2,571 ERN 38.6K
810.36%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
United Kingdom
Eritrea
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$92.7 £69.3
$137 ERN 2,059
-32.40%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$46.67 £34.88
$121 ERN 1,819
-61.47%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$103 £76.9
$203 ERN 3,042
-49.22%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$101 £75.7
$151 ERN 2,268
-32.96%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
United Kingdom
Eritrea
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,372 £1,025
$250 ERN 3,755
448.83%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,111 £830
$197 ERN 2,955
464.61%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,206 £1,648
$458 ERN 6,884
381.26%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,808 £1,351
$424 ERN 6,375
325.85%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$5,687 £4,250
$1,285 ERN 19.3K
342.50%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$4,425 £3,307
$2,248 ERN 33.8K
96.90%
💵 Salaries & Financials
United Kingdom
Eritrea
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,419 £2,555
$505 ERN 7,584
577.09%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.33
18.5
-71.19%

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

Last update for United Kingdom: September 13, 2026

Last update for Eritrea: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $1,274 in United Kingdom vs $123 in Eritrea. For reference, capital cities sit at $2,976 in London and $246 in Asmara.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 936% higher in United Kingdom.

Dining out costs 394% more in United Kingdom.

Public transport is 2050% more expensive in United Kingdom.

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
United Kingdom vs Eritrea: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which country is cheaper: Eritrea or United Kingdom?
Eritrea is the cheaper option – living costs run roughly 280% lower on average. The gap is consistent across housing, groceries, transport, and entertainment.
Is rent more expensive in Eritrea or in United Kingdom?
Housing costs more in United Kingdom, and the gap is biggest in capital cities. Regional towns show less difference, but United Kingdom consistently has higher rents.
How do daily expenses compare in Eritrea vs United Kingdom?
Groceries, transport, and utilities all cost less in Eritrea, contributing to the overall 280% price gap. The savings show up everywhere – from supermarket receipts to monthly bills.
Can you live in both Eritrea and United Kingdom on $1,000 per month?
$1,000 buys a comfortable lifestyle in Eritrea, but in United Kingdom it only works with careful planning outside the capital. Same money, very different lives.
Which country is better for expats: Eritrea or United Kingdom?
Eritrea is the budget-friendly choice for expats – lower housing and daily costs. But cost isn't everything: visa policies, language, healthcare quality, and job markets all weigh in too.

United Kingdom vs other spots: cost of living compared

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