Cost of Living Comparison Between Birmingham and London 
| Indices Difference |  |
|---|---|
| Cost of Living in London is 26.2% higher than in Birmingham (excluding rent) | |
| Cost of Living Including Rent in London is 51.3% higher than in Birmingham | |
| Rent Prices in London are 120.1% higher than in Birmingham | |
| Restaurant Prices in London are 18.3% higher than in Birmingham | |
| Groceries Prices in London are 10.9% higher than in Birmingham | |
| Local Purchasing Power in London is 20.4% lower than in Birmingham | |
Restaurants | Birmingham Edit |
London Edit | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Meal at an Inexpensive Restaurant | £15.50 | £20.00 | +29.0 % |
| Meal for Two at a Mid-Range Restaurant (Three Courses, Without Drinks) | £71.00 | £80.00 | +12.7 % |
| Combo Meal at McDonald's (or Equivalent Fast-Food Meal) | £7.00 | £8.00 | +14.3 % |
| Domestic Draft Beer (1 Pint) | £5.00 | £7.00 | +40.0 % |
| Imported Beer (12 oz Small Bottle) | £5.00 | £6.00 | +20.0 % |
| Cappuccino (Regular Size) | £3.92 | £4.11 | +4.7 % |
| Soft Drink (Coca-Cola or Pepsi, 12 oz Small Bottle) | £1.80 | £2.24 | +24.6 % |
| Bottled Water (12 oz) | £1.31 | £1.61 | +22.5 % |
Markets | Birmingham Edit |
London Edit | |
| Milk (Regular, 1 Liter) | £1.41 | £1.42 | +0.9 % |
| Fresh White Bread (1 lb Loaf) | £1.24 | £1.59 | +28.2 % |
| White Rice (1 lb) | £0.83 | £0.83 | +0.3 % |
| Eggs (12, Large Size) | £2.86 | £3.78 | +32.2 % |
| Local Cheese (1 lb) | £3.98 | £3.97 | -0.2 % |
| Chicken Fillets (1 lb) | £3.03 | £3.48 | +14.8 % |
| Beef Round or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat (1 lb) | £5.17 | £5.78 | +11.8 % |
| Apples (1 lb) | £0.87 | £1.11 | +26.6 % |
| Bananas (1 lb) | £0.61 | £0.55 | -9.7 % |
| Oranges (1 lb) | £0.86 | £1.00 | +16.5 % |
| Tomatoes (1 lb) | £1.22 | £1.32 | +7.6 % |
| Potatoes (1 lb) | £0.53 | £0.54 | +2.7 % |
| Onions (1 lb) | £0.60 | £0.57 | -3.9 % |
| Lettuce (1 Head) | £1.00 | £1.07 | +6.7 % |
| Bottled Water (50 oz) | £1.18 | £1.38 | +17.1 % |
| Bottle of Wine (Mid-Range) | £8.66 | £10.00 | +15.5 % |
| Domestic Beer (16.9 oz Bottle) | £2.74 | £2.54 | -7.4 % |
| Imported Beer (12 oz Small Bottle) | £2.51 | £3.06 | +21.7 % |
| Cigarettes (Pack of 20, Marlboro) | £16.60 | £17.88 | +7.7 % |
Transportation | Birmingham Edit |
London Edit | |
| One-Way Ticket (Local Transport) | £3.00 | £3.00 | 0.0 % |
| Monthly Public Transport Pass (Regular Price) | £70.00 | £200.00 | +185.7 % |
| Taxi Start (Standard Tariff) | £3.80 | £4.20 | +10.5 % |
| Taxi 1 mile (Standard Tariff) | £2.90 | £4.00 | +37.9 % |
| Taxi 1 Hour Waiting (Standard Tariff) | £18.00 | £41.62 | +131.2 % |
| Gasoline (1 Liter) | £1.50 | £1.48 | -1.1 % |
| 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 | £30,525.12 | -0.2 % |
Utilities (Monthly) | Birmingham Edit |
London Edit | |
| Basic Utilities for 915 Square Feet Apartment (Electricity, Heating, Cooling, Water, Garbage) | £249.54 | £280.67 | +12.5 % |
| Mobile Phone Plan (Monthly, with Calls and 10GB+ Data) | £16.00 | £13.16 | -17.8 % |
| Broadband Internet (Unlimited Data, 60 Mbps or Higher) | £36.44 | £31.24 | -14.3 % |
Sports And Leisure | Birmingham Edit |
London Edit | |
| Monthly Fitness Club Membership | £26.54 | £53.81 | +102.7 % |
| Tennis Court Rental (1 Hour, Weekend) | £22.34 | £16.70 | -25.3 % |
| Cinema Ticket (International Release) | £12.00 | £15.00 | +25.0 % |
Childcare | Birmingham Edit |
London Edit | |
| Private Full-Day Preschool or Kindergarten, Monthly Fee per Child | £1,208.50 | £1,974.61 | +63.4 % |
| International Primary School, Annual Tuition per Child | £18,139.88 | £24,448.33 | +34.8 % |
Clothing And Shoes | Birmingham Edit |
London Edit | |
| Jeans (Levi's 501 or Similar) | £79.75 | £88.41 | +10.9 % |
| Summer Dress in a Chain Store (e.g. Zara or H&M) | £37.18 | £39.05 | +5.0 % |
| Nike Running Shoes (Mid-Range) | £83.94 | £91.20 | +8.7 % |
| Men's Leather Business Shoes | £110.95 | £106.63 | -3.9 % |
Rent Per Month | Birmingham Edit |
London Edit | |
| 1 Bedroom Apartment in City Centre | £1,050.78 | £2,317.19 | +120.5 % |
| 1 Bedroom Apartment Outside of City Centre | £831.50 | £1,720.37 | +106.9 % |
| 3 Bedroom Apartment in City Centre | £1,663.64 | £3,732.50 | +124.4 % |
| 3 Bedroom Apartment Outside of City Centre | £1,275.00 | £2,840.83 | +122.8 % |
Buy Apartment Price | Birmingham Edit |
London Edit | |
| Price per Square Feet to Buy Apartment in City Centre | £378.11 | £1,319.93 | +249.1 % |
| Price per Square Feet to Buy Apartment Outside of Centre | £291.71 | £666.12 | +128.3 % |
Salaries And Financing | Birmingham Edit |
London Edit | |
| Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax) | £2,962.47 | £3,566.00 | +20.4 % |
| Annual Mortgage Interest Rate (20-Year Fixed, in %) | 4.99 | 4.72 | -5.5 % |
| Last update: | 12 May 2026 | 21 May 2026 | |
| Contributors in the past 12 months: | 62 | 469 | |
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 |