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Cost of living in London: Food, transport, and more
Want to know what the cost of living in London is? Keep an eye on this post where we tell you how much money you will need to live here.
Thinking about moving to the UK capital? Without doubt, it’s the country’s most cosmopolitan place, welcoming many foreigners to study or work, thanks to great opportunities. In this article, we’ll give you information about the cost of living in London in different aspects such as housing, food, transport, healthcare, internet and leisure.
With all this data, in dollars and euros, you’ll calculate more accurately how much you need to live here and decide if it’s the right place for your future. Grab your calculator because we’re starting!
Average cost of accommodation in London
Housing is a key factor when valuing the cost of living in London, since you’ll spend the most here. Renting a flat is currently very expensive, so many newcomers choose cheaper and easier options, like a room or a coliving. Let’s see the differences and approximate expenses for each option:
- Mid-range hotels: For a few days, you can stay in a mid-range hotel like Premier Inn London City, offering double rooms with private bathroom and breakfast included at $144 (€137) per night.
- Furnished flats: Renting a one-bedroom flat in central areas like Kensington is expensive, especially for one person. Average rent is $2,400 (€2 296).
- Colivings: shared spaces for digital nomads or remote workers like The Collective Canary Wharf. You’ll have a private room with shared areas for $1,150 (€1,100) monthly.
- Airbnb: here you’ll find complete flats cheaper than hotels, in areas like Shoreditch from $96 (€91).
Cost of food in London
How much does it cost to eat in the capital? Food costs in London take a big part of your budget. Whether you shop at supermarkets or eat in restaurants, you’ll notice prices increased during recent months.
If you had to buy essential products in a popular supermarket chain like Tesco, remember these prices are approximate and may vary depending on location. This is an example of a weekly shop:
- Bread: one loaf for $1.15 (€1.10).
- Milk: one litre for $0.96 (€0.92).
- Eggs: pack of 12 for $2.40 (€2.30).
- Pasta: 500 grams for $1.44 (€1.38).
- Rice: one kilo for $1.92 (€1.84).
- Chicken breast: one kilo costs $7.68 (€7.35).
- Beef: one kilo for $11.52 (€11.00).
- Apples: one kilo for $2.11 (€2.00).
- Bananas: one kilo costs $1.44 (€1.38).
- Cheese: 500 grams for $3.84 (€3.67).
- Coffee: 250 grams for $3.36 (€3.22).
- Chocolate: 100 grams for $1.44 (€1.38).
If you choose to eat out, here’s an example of a daily menu with medium prices for breakfast, lunch and dinner. To save money, it’s better to organise your week, shop at supermarkets and cook at home. Of course, you can go to a restaurant sometimes. This is the approximate cost in a mid-range place:
| Type of Meal | Food | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Breakfast | Fried egg, bacon, toast and coffee or tea | $7.68 (€7.35) |
| Food | Fish and chips: fried battered fish with chips and tartar sauce | $14.40 (€13.78) |
| Dinner | Bangers and mash: pork sausages with mashed potatoes and gravy. | $24.00 (€22.97) |
Example of food costs in a London restaurant.
Transport prices in London
If you don’t own a car, you’ll move around by public transport. London’s transport costs are among Europe’s highest. Compared with Paris, Dublin or Amsterdam, metro or taxi fares almost double in the UK capital. Let’s check the details.
Public transport
Since March 2024, tube and train fares increased by 4.6%. For example, a single tube journey in zones 1–3 costs $5.93 (€5.67). Bus and tram fares remain frozen at $2.21 (€2.11) per trip. You also get unlimited transfers for free within the first hour of using the ticket.
Taxi and Uber
London taxi fares are set by local authorities, based on distance and time. Because of traffic reduction policies, CO2 emissions limits and high fuel prices, taxis in this city rank among the most expensive in Europe. These are their fares:
- Day base fare: $4.78 (€4.58).
- Fare per kilometre up to 10 km: $2.94 (€2.82).
- Additional kilometre (over 10 km): $3.57 (€3.43).
Regarding Uber, they added an extra $0.19 (€0.18) per trip to make their entire fleet electric by 2025.
Fuel and energy
Petrol in London costs about $2.01 (€1.93) per litre, competitive compared with other European cities. For electric cars, public charging costs $0.38 (€0.36) per kWh at normal speed and up to $1.01 (€0.97) with fast charging, making it twice as expensive.
Bike rentals
In London, bike rentals are common. Santander Cycles offers shared bikes at $2.52 (€2.42) per 30 minutes. They also provide annual memberships for $113.20 (€108.73) with unlimited 45-minute trips.
Buying a new car and insurance cost
One of the city’s most popular cars is the Ford Fiesta, with a price of around $20,124 (€19,328). Depending on extras, the price increases. London’s government aims to reduce electric vehicle costs to encourage their use.
Calculating driving insurance requires age, car model, year and mileage. Average cost is about $800 (€768).
Healthcare costs in Denmark
The National Health Service (NHS) provides free care for London residents and free emergency care for foreigners. However, surgeries, specialist visits, hospital stays or other services are expensive without health insurance.
Health policies like Allianz Care start at $50 (€48) monthly for basic plans, covering emergencies and hospital stays, up to $300 (€288) for full coverage, including dental and chronic conditions. Here are some healthcare prices without insurance:
| Medical service | Prices |
|---|---|
| General medical consultation (GP) | $100 – $150 (€96 – €144) |
| Consultation with a specialist | $200 – $300 (€192 – €288) |
| X-ray | $200 – $300 (€192 – €288) |
| Hospitalisation per day (without surgery) | $1.500 – $3.000 (€1,440 – €2,880) |
| Hospitalisation per day (with surgery) | $5.000 – $15.000 (€4,800 – €14,400) |
| Ambulance | $300 – $500 (€288 – €480) |
| Basic dental treatment | $100 – $300 (€96 – €288) |
| Common medicines (painkillers or antihistamines) | €1.92-€11.54 ($2.00-$12.00) |
Healthcare costs in London.
Internet and call plan prices
Your home internet connection must also be included in London’s living costs. Prices offered by providers are moderate. However, we recommend checking coverage in your area. Here are some operators:
- Virgin Media: fibre optic up to 100 MB for $30.00 (€28.80).
- Community Fibre: 1 GB fibre for $34.00 (€32.66).
- Three: 4 GB home broadband for $26.00 (€24.97).
The best way to get mobile internet is with Holafly monthly plans. They include unlimited data, quick activation via the app and a global eSIM that lets you travel without changing cards. Choose your subscription:
- 25 GB plan: extra capacity gives more flexibility for $49.90 (€45.41).
- Unlimited plan: the most complete, for remote workers needing constant multi-device connection, at $67.90 (€64.87).
Important: If you are a frequent traveler and want to stay connected without worrying about expensive roaming or looking for a new SIM at every destination, Holafly’s subscription plans are for you. With a single eSIM, enjoy internet in more than 160 countries for a fixed price and no surprises on your bill. Travel without limits and connect easily and securely! 🚀🌍
Cost of leisure activities in London
London’s living cost also includes leisure. This cosmopolitan city offers countless cultural activities. The best musicals, operas, concerts, museums and cinemas. Do you want to know the cost of having fun in London?
- Cinema: general ticket costs $15.00 (€14.41).
- Theatre: depending on production and seat location, tickets range from $25.00 to $125 (€31 – €157).
- Streaming platforms: services like Netflix cost around $7.99 (€7.70) monthly.
- TV subscription: television channels start at $30 (€28.81) monthly.
- Tower of London: $43.00 (€41.30) per person.
- Westminster Abbey: $34.00 (€32.66) per person.
- Hop On-Hop Off bus: $46.00 (€44.18) per person for a one-day tour.
- Thames cruise with Thames Clippers: River Roamer one-day ticket $29.56 (€28.39).
- The Shard viewpoint: $46.54 (€44.70) per person.
With all this information, you can now estimate London’s cost of living across different aspects of daily life. As we’ve explained throughout this post, London is a city with high prices reflected in daily expenses.
On the other hand, it’s a destination full of opportunities for staying as a digital nomad or student. It’s an economic investment that will surely bring significant benefits for your professional future.
