Cost of Living Comparison Between London and Cambridge 
| Indices Difference |  |
|---|---|
| Cost of Living in Cambridge is 17.3% lower than in London (excluding rent) | |
| Cost of Living Including Rent in Cambridge is 23.8% lower than in London | |
| Rent Prices in Cambridge are 33.9% lower than in London | |
| Restaurant Prices in Cambridge are 12.9% lower than in London | |
| Groceries Prices in Cambridge are 5.2% lower than in London | |
| Local Purchasing Power in Cambridge is 13.5% higher than in London | |
Restaurants | London Edit |
Cambridge Edit | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Meal at an Inexpensive Restaurant | 20.00 £ | 17.00 £ | -15.0 % |
| Meal for Two at a Mid-Range Restaurant (Three Courses, Without Drinks) | 80.00 £ | 70.00 £ | -12.5 % |
| Combo Meal at McDonald's (or Equivalent Fast-Food Meal) | 8.50 £ | 8.00 £ | -5.9 % |
| Domestic Draft Beer (1 Pint) | 6.50 £ | 5.50 £ | -15.4 % |
| Imported Beer (12 oz Small Bottle) | 6.00 £ | 5.00 £ | -16.7 % |
| Cappuccino (Regular Size) | 3.95 £ | 3.46 £ | -12.4 % |
| Soft Drink (Coca-Cola or Pepsi, 12 oz Small Bottle) | 2.30 £ | 1.93 £ | -16.3 % |
| Bottled Water (12 oz) | 1.55 £ | 1.38 £ | -10.9 % |
Markets | London Edit |
Cambridge Edit | |
| Milk (Regular, 1 Liter) | 1.38 £ | 1.28 £ | -7.5 % |
| Fresh White Bread (1 lb Loaf) | 1.46 £ | 1.32 £ | -9.4 % |
| White Rice (1 lb) | 0.81 £ | 0.88 £ | +8.1 % |
| Eggs (12, Large Size) | 3.73 £ | 3.39 £ | -9.1 % |
| Local Cheese (1 lb) | 3.84 £ | 3.41 £ | -11.2 % |
| Chicken Fillets (1 lb) | 3.06 £ | 3.24 £ | +5.9 % |
| Beef Round or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat (1 lb) | 6.24 £ | 5.16 £ | -17.4 % |
| Apples (1 lb) | 1.12 £ | 1.02 £ | -8.6 % |
| Bananas (1 lb) | 0.53 £ | 0.58 £ | +10.3 % |
| Oranges (1 lb) | 0.99 £ | 1.24 £ | +25.3 % |
| Tomatoes (1 lb) | 1.21 £ | 1.19 £ | -2.0 % |
| Potatoes (1 lb) | 0.54 £ | 0.61 £ | +14.4 % |
| Onions (1 lb) | 0.61 £ | 0.63 £ | +2.6 % |
| Lettuce (1 Head) | 1.19 £ | 0.95 £ | -19.9 % |
| Bottled Water (50 oz) | 1.31 £ | 1.50 £ | +14.2 % |
| Bottle of Wine (Mid-Range) | 10.00 £ | 8.32 £ | -16.8 % |
| Domestic Beer (16.9 oz Bottle) | 2.67 £ | 2.47 £ | -7.5 % |
| Imported Beer (12 oz Small Bottle) | 3.13 £ | 3.05 £ | -2.5 % |
| Cigarettes (Pack of 20, Marlboro) | 17.75 £ | 16.30 £ | -8.2 % |
Transportation | London Edit |
Cambridge Edit | |
| One-Way Ticket (Local Transport) | 3.50 £ | 2.50 £ | -28.6 % |
| Monthly Public Transport Pass (Regular Price) | 180.00 £ | 64.00 £ | -64.4 % |
| Taxi Start (Standard Tariff) | 4.20 £ | 5.00 £ | +19.0 % |
| Taxi 1 mile (Standard Tariff) | 4.00 £ | 3.22 £ | -19.5 % |
| Taxi 1 Hour Waiting (Standard Tariff) | 36.50 £ | 40.00 £ | +9.6 % |
| Gasoline (1 Liter) | 1.40 £ | 1.41 £ | +0.2 % |
| Volkswagen Golf 1.5 (or Equivalent New Compact Car) | 28,895.00 £ | 28,895.00 £ | 0.0 % |
| Toyota Corolla Sedan 1.6 (or Equivalent New Mid-Size Car) | 30,546.35 £ | 30,610.00 £ | +0.2 % |
Utilities (Monthly) | London Edit |
Cambridge Edit | |
| Basic Utilities for 915 Square Feet Apartment (Electricity, Heating, Cooling, Water, Garbage) | 287.19 £ | 257.89 £ | -10.2 % |
| Mobile Phone Plan (Monthly, with Calls and 10GB+ Data) | 12.37 £ | 12.82 £ | +3.7 % |
| Broadband Internet (Unlimited Data, 60 Mbps or Higher) | 31.86 £ | 33.61 £ | +5.5 % |
Sports And Leisure | London Edit |
Cambridge Edit | |
| Monthly Fitness Club Membership | 56.28 £ | 49.25 £ | -12.5 % |
| Tennis Court Rental (1 Hour, Weekend) | 19.25 £ | 15.52 £ | -19.4 % |
| Cinema Ticket (International Release) | 15.00 £ | 10.00 £ | -33.3 % |
Childcare | London Edit |
Cambridge Edit | |
| Private Full-Day Preschool or Kindergarten, Monthly Fee per Child | 1,914.15 £ | 1,930.57 £ | +0.9 % |
| International Primary School, Annual Tuition per Child | 22,596.71 £ | 21,969.00 £ | -2.8 % |
Clothing And Shoes | London Edit |
Cambridge Edit | |
| Jeans (Levi's 501 or Similar) | 89.48 £ | 71.63 £ | -19.9 % |
| Summer Dress in a Chain Store (e.g. Zara or H&M) | 40.00 £ | 36.47 £ | -8.8 % |
| Nike Running Shoes (Mid-Range) | 89.42 £ | 69.50 £ | -22.3 % |
| Men's Leather Business Shoes | 106.67 £ | 95.95 £ | -10.1 % |
Rent Per Month | London Edit |
Cambridge Edit | |
| 1 Bedroom Apartment in City Centre | 2,336.67 £ | 1,468.93 £ | -37.1 % |
| 1 Bedroom Apartment Outside of City Centre | 1,733.87 £ | 1,289.09 £ | -25.7 % |
| 3 Bedroom Apartment in City Centre | 3,840.91 £ | 2,464.44 £ | -35.8 % |
| 3 Bedroom Apartment Outside of City Centre | 2,965.91 £ | 1,967.27 £ | -33.7 % |
Buy Apartment Price | London Edit |
Cambridge Edit | |
| Price per Square Feet to Buy Apartment in City Centre | 1,398.49 £ | 633.72 £ | -54.7 % |
| Price per Square Feet to Buy Apartment Outside of Centre | 745.11 £ | 425.68 £ | -42.9 % |
Salaries And Financing | London Edit |
Cambridge Edit | |
| Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax) | 3,615.84 £ | 3,125.51 £ | -13.6 % |
| Annual Mortgage Interest Rate (20-Year Fixed, in %) | 4.71 | 5.06 | +7.4 % |
| Last update: | 13 February 2026 | 13 February 2026 | |
| Contributors in the past 12 months: | 462 | 35 | |
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Cities near London: | Cost of Living in Westminster | 2.09 miles |
| Cost of Living in Southwark | 3.41 miles |
| Cost of Living in Ealing | 10.41 miles |
| Cost of Living in Croydon | 11.15 miles |
| Cost of Living in Kingston upon Thames | 11.19 miles |
| Cost of Living in Barnet | 16.17 miles |
| Cost of Living in Watford | 20.33 miles |
| Cost of Living in Slough | 22.72 miles |
| Cost of Living in Harlow | 24.88 miles |
| Cost of Living in Welwyn Garden City | 25.71 miles |
Cities near Cambridge: | Cost of Living in Bishops Stortford | 27.33 miles |
| Cost of Living in Bedford | 32.97 miles |
| Cost of Living in Welwyn Garden City | 35.92 miles |
| Cost of Living in Harlow | 36.19 miles |
| Cost of Living in Luton | 37.87 miles |
| Cost of Living in Peterborough | 39.56 miles |
| Cost of Living in Barnet | 47.08 miles |
| Cost of Living in Colchester | 47.28 miles |
| Cost of Living in Corby | 47.82 miles |
| Cost of Living in Milton Keynes | 50.73 miles |