UK Cost of Living Calculator
See how far your income goes across the UK — compare living costs between cities and estimate the equivalent salary in GBP.
UK Cost of Living Calculator
Pre-filled with UK averages — adjust any field to see the impact
Summary breakdown
Monthly Budget Summary
For a single person in London on £3,200/month net, with standard housing in a 1-bed flat (£1,800/mo). Total expenses: £2,969. Monthly savings: +£231 (7.2% savings rate). Rent is 56.3% of net income — above the 30% housing-stress threshold.
Accommodation in London
Standard-tier rent estimates from ONS Price Index of Private Rents (March 2026 release) and Zoopla data. UK average private rent rose 3.4% YoY to £1,377/month in March 2026 — the joint-lowest annual inflation rate since 2021. The Renters' Rights Act 2025 came into effect in May 2026, abolishing Section 21 no-fault evictions.
| Type | Budget | Standard | Premium | % of Median Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Room (House Share) | £675 | £900 | £1,440 | 22.8% of gross |
| Studio Flat | £1,050 | £1,400 | £2,240 | 35.4% of gross |
| 1-Bed Flat | £1,350 | £1,800 | £2,880 | 45.5% of gross |
| 2-Bed Flat | £1,875 | £2,500 | £4,000 | 63.2% of gross |
| 3-Bed House | £2,100 | £2,800 | £4,480 | 70.8% of gross |
Food & Dining in the UK
Typical monthly grocery spend, plus average prices at Tesco, Sainsbury's, Aldi UK and Lidl.
| Common item | Avg price |
|---|---|
| Bread (800g white loaf) | £1.20 – £1.60 |
| Eggs (12 free range) | £2.80 – £4.00 |
| Full fat milk (4 pints) | £1.25 – £1.80 |
| Chicken breast (400g) | £3.50 – £5.00 |
| Beef mince (500g) | £4.00 – £6.00 |
| Basmati rice (1kg) | £1.50 – £2.50 |
| Bananas (5 pack) | £0.75 – £1.00 |
| Mature cheddar (400g) | £3.00 – £4.50 |
Dining out
| Venue / item | London | Other cities |
|---|---|---|
| Flat white / coffee | £4.50 – £6.50 | £3.20 – £4.50 |
| Meal deal (lunch) | £4.00 – £5.00 | £3.50 – £4.50 |
| Pub meal / Sunday roast | £18 – £25 | £12 – £18 |
| Casual restaurant (p/p) | £25 – £45 | £18 – £30 |
| Pint of beer (pub) | £6 – £8 | £4 – £6 |
| Takeaway curry (for one) | £14 – £20 | £10 – £15 |
Public Transport by City
UK public transport is expensive in London but affordable elsewhere. Bus and tram fares were frozen across London until July 2026 by the Mayor's seventh fare freeze; only Tube and TfL Rail fares rose from 1 March 2026.
| City | System | Monthly | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| London | TfL (Oyster / contactless) | £152 | Zone 1-2 monthly Travelcard. Daily cap £8.90. Bus £1.75 flat fare (frozen until July 2026). |
| Birmingham | West Midlands Network | £75 | Swift card covers bus, rail and Metro tram. |
| Manchester | Bee Network (TfGM) | £85 | Integrated bus, Metrolink tram and rail. Bee card for contactless. |
| Leeds | West Yorkshire Metro | £70 | MCard for multi-operator use. |
| Glasgow | SPT Zonecard | £70 | Covers subway, bus and ScotRail. |
| Sheffield | South Yorkshire MCA | £65 | Supertram and bus services. |
| Liverpool | Merseytravel | £75 | Network One covers Merseyrail, bus and ferry. |
| Edinburgh | Lothian Buses / ScotRail | £70 | Edinburgh Trams connect airport to city centre. |
| Bristol | First Bus / WoE | £70 | Metrobus BRT services. |
| Cardiff | Cardiff Bus / TfW | £65 | Cardiff Bus covers the city; TfW covers wider Wales rail. |
| Nottingham | NCT / NET tram | £65 | Robin Hood Card for unlimited NCT travel. |
| Leicester | Arriva / First | £60 | Bus-only network. Monthly passes per operator. |
| Newcastle | Tyne & Wear Metro | £65 | Pop card for Metro, bus and ferry. |
| Belfast | Translink (Metro & Glider) | £60 | iLink smartcard for all services. |
| Brighton | Brighton & Hove Buses | £70 | Southern rail commuters to London face additional season ticket costs. |
City-by-City Comparison
Rent, energy (Ofgem Q2 2026), council tax, transport and median income across all 15 major UK cities
Includes HMRC 2026-27, Ofgem Q2 2026 & ONS PIPR March 2026 data · Updated May 2026How Much Is Left After Paying Rent?
Monthly Expense Breakdown
Monthly Transport Cost by City
Monthly Energy Bill by City
| City | 1-Bed Flat | 3-Bed House | Energy | Council Tax | Transport | Groceries | Gross Income | Surplus |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| London England | GBP 1,800 | GBP 2,800 | GBP 137 | GBP 100 | GBP 152 | GBP 350 | GBP 3,955 | +GBP 2,155 |
| Birmingham England | GBP 950 | GBP 1,200 | GBP 137 | GBP 120 | GBP 75 | GBP 280 | GBP 2,833 | +GBP 1,883 |
| Manchester England | GBP 1,050 | GBP 1,400 | GBP 137 | GBP 120 | GBP 85 | GBP 290 | GBP 2,958 | +GBP 1,908 |
| Leeds England | GBP 950 | GBP 1,200 | GBP 137 | GBP 115 | GBP 70 | GBP 280 | GBP 2,850 | +GBP 1,900 |
| Glasgow Scotland | GBP 900 | GBP 1,100 | GBP 137 | GBP 90 | GBP 70 | GBP 290 | GBP 3,193 | +GBP 2,293 |
| Sheffield England | GBP 800 | GBP 1,000 | GBP 137 | GBP 115 | GBP 65 | GBP 270 | GBP 2,850 | +GBP 2,050 |
| Liverpool England | GBP 900 | GBP 1,100 | GBP 137 | GBP 115 | GBP 75 | GBP 280 | GBP 2,958 | +GBP 2,058 |
| Edinburgh Scotland | GBP 1,200 | GBP 1,500 | GBP 137 | GBP 90 | GBP 70 | GBP 300 | GBP 3,193 | +GBP 1,993 |
| Bristol England | GBP 1,200 | GBP 1,600 | GBP 137 | GBP 120 | GBP 70 | GBP 300 | GBP 3,000 | +GBP 1,800 |
| Cardiff Wales | GBP 900 | GBP 1,100 | GBP 137 | GBP 100 | GBP 65 | GBP 270 | GBP 2,750 | +GBP 1,850 |
| Nottingham England | GBP 800 | GBP 1,000 | GBP 137 | GBP 115 | GBP 65 | GBP 270 | GBP 2,792 | +GBP 1,992 |
| Leicester England | GBP 850 | GBP 1,000 | GBP 137 | GBP 115 | GBP 60 | GBP 270 | GBP 2,792 | +GBP 1,942 |
| Newcastle England | GBP 750 | GBP 950 | GBP 137 | GBP 110 | GBP 65 | GBP 265 | GBP 2,747 | +GBP 1,997 |
| Belfast N. Ireland | GBP 750 | GBP 950 | GBP 130 | GBP 100 | GBP 60 | GBP 270 | GBP 2,583 | +GBP 1,833 |
| Brighton England | GBP 1,400 | GBP 1,800 | GBP 137 | GBP 125 | GBP 70 | GBP 320 | GBP 3,253 | +GBP 1,853 |
Important Disclaimer
For educational purposes only. All figures are estimates. Rent data from ONS Price Index of Private Rents (March 2026 release) and Zoopla; UK average private rent rose 3.4% YoY to £1,377/month in March 2026, the joint-lowest annual inflation rate since 2021. Income tax uses HMRC 2026-27 rates for England, Wales and Northern Ireland: Personal Allowance £12,570 (frozen until April 2031), 20% to £50,270, 40% to £125,140, 45%+, with the Personal Allowance tapered by £1 for every £2 of income above £100,000 (zero at £125,140). Scotland sets its own income tax bands separately. National Insurance Class 1 (employees): 8% on £12,570–£50,270, 2% above £50,270. Ofgem energy price cap Q2 2026 (1 April – 30 June): £1,641/yr (£137/mo) for typical dual-fuel household paying by Direct Debit; Northern Ireland uses its own regulator (~£130/mo). Council tax shown with 25% single-person discount applied — actual amounts vary by local authority and property band. The Renters' Rights Act 2025 came into effect in May 2026, abolishing Section 21 no-fault evictions and strengthening tenant protections. Rent figures are city-wide medians; costs vary significantly by neighbourhood. Universal Credit, Housing Benefit, Council Tax Reduction, ISAs (£20,000/year tax-free), Lifetime ISAs and student loan repayments are not modelled. This is not financial or tax advice.
Official data sources
Last verified: May 2026