Cost of Living Comparison Between Birmingham and London 
| Indices Difference |  |
|---|---|
| Cost of Living in London is 29.5% higher than in Birmingham (excluding rent) | |
| Cost of Living Including Rent in London is 56.0% higher than in Birmingham | |
| Rent Prices in London are 128.4% higher than in Birmingham | |
| Restaurant Prices in London are 20.6% higher than in Birmingham | |
| Groceries Prices in London are 11.5% higher than in Birmingham | |
| Local Purchasing Power in London is 13.4% lower than in Birmingham | |
Restaurants | Birmingham Edit |
London Edit | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Meal at an Inexpensive Restaurant | 15.00 £ | 20.00 £ | +33.3 % |
| Meal for Two at a Mid-Range Restaurant (Three Courses, Without Drinks) | 70.00 £ | 80.00 £ | +14.3 % |
| Combo Meal at McDonald's (or Equivalent Fast-Food Meal) | 7.00 £ | 8.25 £ | +17.9 % |
| Domestic Draft Beer (1 Pint) | 5.00 £ | 6.50 £ | +30.0 % |
| Imported Beer (12 oz Small Bottle) | 5.00 £ | 6.00 £ | +20.0 % |
| Cappuccino (Regular Size) | 3.71 £ | 3.98 £ | +7.2 % |
| Soft Drink (Coca-Cola or Pepsi, 12 oz Small Bottle) | 1.82 £ | 2.32 £ | +27.4 % |
| Bottled Water (12 oz) | 1.29 £ | 1.62 £ | +25.6 % |
Markets | Birmingham Edit |
London Edit | |
| Milk (Regular, 1 Liter) | 1.34 £ | 1.35 £ | +0.4 % |
| Fresh White Bread (1 lb Loaf) | 1.16 £ | 1.49 £ | +29.3 % |
| White Rice (1 lb) | 0.86 £ | 0.80 £ | -6.6 % |
| Eggs (12, Large Size) | 2.71 £ | 3.70 £ | +36.5 % |
| Local Cheese (1 lb) | 3.88 £ | 3.77 £ | -2.7 % |
| Chicken Fillets (1 lb) | 2.85 £ | 3.17 £ | +11.4 % |
| Beef Round or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat (1 lb) | 5.03 £ | 6.24 £ | +24.1 % |
| Apples (1 lb) | 0.88 £ | 1.12 £ | +27.9 % |
| Bananas (1 lb) | 0.62 £ | 0.55 £ | -12.0 % |
| Oranges (1 lb) | 0.89 £ | 0.99 £ | +11.3 % |
| Tomatoes (1 lb) | 1.23 £ | 1.15 £ | -6.6 % |
| Potatoes (1 lb) | 0.55 £ | 0.53 £ | -2.6 % |
| Onions (1 lb) | 0.61 £ | 0.61 £ | -0.2 % |
| Lettuce (1 Head) | 1.03 £ | 1.13 £ | +9.9 % |
| Bottled Water (50 oz) | 1.16 £ | 1.29 £ | +11.2 % |
| Bottle of Wine (Mid-Range) | 8.66 £ | 9.50 £ | +9.7 % |
| Domestic Beer (16.9 oz Bottle) | 2.67 £ | 2.55 £ | -4.5 % |
| Imported Beer (12 oz Small Bottle) | 2.51 £ | 3.03 £ | +20.7 % |
| Cigarettes (Pack of 20, Marlboro) | 16.00 £ | 17.75 £ | +10.9 % |
Transportation | Birmingham Edit |
London Edit | |
| One-Way Ticket (Local Transport) | 3.00 £ | 3.50 £ | +16.7 % |
| Monthly Public Transport Pass (Regular Price) | 68.00 £ | 200.00 £ | +194.1 % |
| Taxi Start (Standard Tariff) | 3.80 £ | 4.20 £ | +10.5 % |
| Taxi 1 mile (Standard Tariff) | 2.90 £ | 4.00 £ | +38.1 % |
| Taxi 1 Hour Waiting (Standard Tariff) | 18.00 £ | 36.50 £ | +102.8 % |
| Gasoline (1 Liter) | 1.48 £ | 1.39 £ | -6.1 % |
| 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) | 30,598.33 £ | 30,546.35 £ | -0.2 % |
Utilities (Monthly) | Birmingham Edit |
London Edit | |
| Basic Utilities for 915 Square Feet Apartment (Electricity, Heating, Cooling, Water, Garbage) | 241.81 £ | 285.57 £ | +18.1 % |
| Mobile Phone Plan (Monthly, with Calls and 10GB+ Data) | 16.15 £ | 12.57 £ | -22.2 % |
| Broadband Internet (Unlimited Data, 60 Mbps or Higher) | 34.00 £ | 32.11 £ | -5.6 % |
Sports And Leisure | Birmingham Edit |
London Edit | |
| Monthly Fitness Club Membership | 26.61 £ | 60.29 £ | +126.5 % |
| Tennis Court Rental (1 Hour, Weekend) | 22.34 £ | 19.25 £ | -13.8 % |
| Cinema Ticket (International Release) | 13.00 £ | 15.00 £ | +15.4 % |
Childcare | Birmingham Edit |
London Edit | |
| Private Full-Day Preschool or Kindergarten, Monthly Fee per Child | 1,208.50 £ | 1,833.38 £ | +51.7 % |
| International Primary School, Annual Tuition per Child | 18,139.88 £ | 22,596.71 £ | +24.6 % |
Clothing And Shoes | Birmingham Edit |
London Edit | |
| Jeans (Levi's 501 or Similar) | 72.22 £ | 88.11 £ | +22.0 % |
| Summer Dress in a Chain Store (e.g. Zara or H&M) | 36.29 £ | 40.62 £ | +12.0 % |
| Nike Running Shoes (Mid-Range) | 83.94 £ | 91.09 £ | +8.5 % |
| Men's Leather Business Shoes | 106.87 £ | 106.67 £ | -0.2 % |
Rent Per Month | Birmingham Edit |
London Edit | |
| 1 Bedroom Apartment in City Centre | 1,044.12 £ | 2,367.24 £ | +126.7 % |
| 1 Bedroom Apartment Outside of City Centre | 824.75 £ | 1,757.14 £ | +113.1 % |
| 3 Bedroom Apartment in City Centre | 1,650.00 £ | 3,809.52 £ | +130.9 % |
| 3 Bedroom Apartment Outside of City Centre | 1,242.00 £ | 2,941.30 £ | +136.8 % |
Buy Apartment Price | Birmingham Edit |
London Edit | |
| Price per Square Feet to Buy Apartment in City Centre | 378.11 £ | 1,398.49 £ | +269.9 % |
| Price per Square Feet to Buy Apartment Outside of Centre | 291.71 £ | 745.11 £ | +155.4 % |
Salaries And Financing | Birmingham Edit |
London Edit | |
| Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax) | 2,704.48 £ | 3,652.30 £ | +35.0 % |
| Annual Mortgage Interest Rate (20-Year Fixed, in %) | 4.99 | 4.68 | -6.2 % |
| Last update: | 8 March 2026 | 16 March 2026 | |
| Contributors in the past 12 months: | 55 | 463 | |
Moving to London? Explore:
Cities near Birmingham: | Cost of Living in Solihull | 8.65 miles |
| Cost of Living in Dudley | 10.20 miles |
| Cost of Living in Wolverhampton | 17.68 miles |
| Cost of Living in Coventry | 21.69 miles |
| Cost of Living in Worcester | 30.73 miles |
| Cost of Living in Telford | 33.58 miles |
| Cost of Living in Leicester | 43.46 miles |
| Cost of Living in Stoke-on-Trent | 45.98 miles |
| Cost of Living in Cheltenham | 50.45 miles |
| Cost of Living in Nottingham | 51.63 miles |
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 |