Cost of Living Comparison Between London and Birmingham 
| Indices Difference |  |
|---|---|
| Cost of Living in Birmingham is 22.2% lower than in London (excluding rent) | |
| Cost of Living Including Rent in Birmingham is 35.8% lower than in London | |
| Rent Prices in Birmingham are 56.6% lower than in London | |
| Restaurant Prices in Birmingham are 16.6% lower than in London | |
| Groceries Prices in Birmingham are 9.5% lower than in London | |
| Local Purchasing Power in Birmingham is 15.4% higher than in London | |
Restaurants | London Edit |
Birmingham Edit | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Meal at an Inexpensive Restaurant | 20.00 £ | 15.00 £ | -25.0 % |
| 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) | 9.00 £ | 8.00 £ | -11.1 % |
| Domestic Draft Beer (1 Pint) | 6.50 £ | 5.00 £ | -23.1 % |
| Imported Beer (12 oz Small Bottle) | 6.00 £ | 5.00 £ | -16.7 % |
| Cappuccino (Regular Size) | 3.95 £ | 3.70 £ | -6.4 % |
| Soft Drink (Coca-Cola or Pepsi, 12 oz Small Bottle) | 2.29 £ | 1.70 £ | -25.9 % |
| Bottled Water (12 oz) | 1.55 £ | 1.31 £ | -15.4 % |
Markets | London Edit |
Birmingham Edit | |
| Milk (Regular, 1 Liter) | 1.39 £ | 1.36 £ | -2.1 % |
| Fresh White Bread (1 lb Loaf) | 1.55 £ | 1.15 £ | -25.4 % |
| White Rice (1 lb) | 0.82 £ | 0.89 £ | +7.7 % |
| Eggs (12, Large Size) | 3.70 £ | 2.73 £ | -26.2 % |
| Local Cheese (1 lb) | 3.87 £ | 3.95 £ | +2.2 % |
| Chicken Fillets (1 lb) | 3.06 £ | 2.85 £ | -7.0 % |
| Beef Round or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat (1 lb) | 6.20 £ | 5.03 £ | -18.8 % |
| Apples (1 lb) | 1.10 £ | 0.85 £ | -22.2 % |
| Bananas (1 lb) | 0.56 £ | 0.64 £ | +13.9 % |
| Oranges (1 lb) | 0.99 £ | 0.89 £ | -10.3 % |
| Tomatoes (1 lb) | 1.17 £ | 1.26 £ | +7.7 % |
| Potatoes (1 lb) | 0.55 £ | 0.56 £ | +2.6 % |
| Onions (1 lb) | 0.62 £ | 0.58 £ | -6.0 % |
| Lettuce (1 Head) | 1.19 £ | 1.04 £ | -12.1 % |
| Bottled Water (50 oz) | 1.38 £ | 1.15 £ | -16.6 % |
| Bottle of Wine (Mid-Range) | 9.50 £ | 9.00 £ | -5.3 % |
| Domestic Beer (16.9 oz Bottle) | 2.72 £ | 2.71 £ | -0.4 % |
| Imported Beer (12 oz Small Bottle) | 3.14 £ | 2.83 £ | -10.1 % |
| Cigarettes (Pack of 20, Marlboro) | 17.75 £ | 16.60 £ | -6.5 % |
Transportation | London Edit |
Birmingham Edit | |
| One-Way Ticket (Local Transport) | 3.50 £ | 2.90 £ | -17.1 % |
| Monthly Public Transport Pass (Regular Price) | 190.00 £ | 69.00 £ | -63.7 % |
| Taxi Start (Standard Tariff) | 4.20 £ | 3.80 £ | -9.5 % |
| Taxi 1 mile (Standard Tariff) | 4.00 £ | 2.90 £ | -27.5 % |
| Taxi 1 Hour Waiting (Standard Tariff) | 36.50 £ | 18.00 £ | -50.7 % |
| Gasoline (1 Liter) | 1.40 £ | 1.45 £ | +3.2 % |
| 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) | 30,469.84 £ | 30,598.33 £ | +0.4 % |
Utilities (Monthly) | London Edit |
Birmingham Edit | |
| Basic Utilities for 915 Square Feet Apartment (Electricity, Heating, Cooling, Water, Garbage) | 284.39 £ | 241.81 £ | -15.0 % |
| Mobile Phone Plan (Monthly, with Calls and 10GB+ Data) | 12.86 £ | 16.66 £ | +29.6 % |
| Broadband Internet (Unlimited Data, 60 Mbps or Higher) | 32.00 £ | 33.00 £ | +3.1 % |
Sports And Leisure | London Edit |
Birmingham Edit | |
| Monthly Fitness Club Membership | 56.12 £ | 27.16 £ | -51.6 % |
| Tennis Court Rental (1 Hour, Weekend) | 19.73 £ | 22.34 £ | +13.2 % |
| Cinema Ticket (International Release) | 15.00 £ | 12.00 £ | -20.0 % |
Childcare | London Edit |
Birmingham Edit | |
| Private Full-Day Preschool or Kindergarten, Monthly Fee per Child | 1,914.15 £ | 1,208.50 £ | -36.9 % |
| International Primary School, Annual Tuition per Child | 22,596.71 £ | 18,139.88 £ | -19.7 % |
Clothing And Shoes | London Edit |
Birmingham Edit | |
| Jeans (Levi's 501 or Similar) | 88.95 £ | 71.05 £ | -20.1 % |
| Summer Dress in a Chain Store (e.g. Zara or H&M) | 40.00 £ | 36.29 £ | -9.3 % |
| Nike Running Shoes (Mid-Range) | 88.20 £ | 83.94 £ | -4.8 % |
| Men's Leather Business Shoes | 106.96 £ | 103.56 £ | -3.2 % |
Rent Per Month | London Edit |
Birmingham Edit | |
| 1 Bedroom Apartment in City Centre | 2,375.86 £ | 1,044.12 £ | -56.1 % |
| 1 Bedroom Apartment Outside of City Centre | 1,760.00 £ | 824.75 £ | -53.1 % |
| 3 Bedroom Apartment in City Centre | 3,880.95 £ | 1,650.00 £ | -57.5 % |
| 3 Bedroom Apartment Outside of City Centre | 2,961.36 £ | 1,242.00 £ | -58.1 % |
Buy Apartment Price | London Edit |
Birmingham Edit | |
| Price per Square Feet to Buy Apartment in City Centre | 1,398.49 £ | 375.33 £ | -73.2 % |
| Price per Square Feet to Buy Apartment Outside of Centre | 745.11 £ | 288.31 £ | -61.3 % |
Salaries And Financing | London Edit |
Birmingham Edit | |
| Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax) | 3,661.19 £ | 2,714.26 £ | -25.9 % |
| Annual Mortgage Interest Rate (20-Year Fixed, in %) | 4.71 | 4.99 | +6.0 % |
| Last update: | 9 February 2026 | 1 February 2026 | |
| Contributors in the past 12 months: | 460 | 50 | |
Moving to London? Explore:
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 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 |