Cologne vs London Cost of Living
Cologne (Germany) · Overall index 55.9 — London (United Kingdom) · Overall index 83.4
Summary
- Overall, London is 49% more expensive than Cologne.
- Rent in London is 115% more expensive than in Cologne.
- Transport in London is 39% more expensive than in Cologne.
| Item | Cologne | London | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rent | +115% | ||
| 1-bedroom apartment, city centre (monthly) | $1,510 | $2,992 | +98% |
| 1-bedroom apartment, outside centre (monthly) | $1,059 | $2,223 | +110% |
| 3-bedroom apartment, city centre (monthly) | $2,908 | $6,498 | +123% |
| 3-bedroom apartment, outside centre (monthly) | $1,793 | $4,097 | +128% |
| Groceries | +37% | ||
| Milk (1L) | $0.92 | $1.21 | +32% |
| White bread (500g) | $2.89 | $4.07 | +41% |
| Rice (1kg) | $3.59 | $4.67 | +30% |
| Eggs (12) | $3.82 | $4.37 | +14% |
| Local cheese (1kg) | $9.26 | $14.3 | +54% |
| Chicken fillets (1kg) | $9.63 | $11 | +14% |
| Beef round (1kg) | $14.5 | $17.4 | +20% |
| Apples (1kg) | $3.8 | $5.26 | +38% |
| Bananas (1kg) | $1.46 | $1.98 | +36% |
| Oranges (1kg) | $2.95 | $4.45 | +51% |
| Tomatoes (1kg) | $3.75 | $5.8 | +55% |
| Potatoes (1kg) | $2.16 | $2.72 | +26% |
| Onions (1kg) | $1.86 | $2.83 | +52% |
| Lettuce (1 head) | $1.88 | $2.51 | +34% |
| Water (1.5L bottle) | $1.63 | $2.52 | +55% |
| Bottle of wine (mid-range) | $10.8 | $15.9 | +47% |
| Transport | +39% | ||
| Public transport, one-way ticket | $1.62 | $2.53 | +56% |
| Public transport, monthly pass | $80.4 | $113 | +41% |
| Taxi, base fare | $2.3 | $3.64 | +58% |
| Taxi, per km | $1.24 | $1.7 | +37% |
| Gasoline (1L) | $0.63 | $0.78 | +24% |
| New compact car (e.g., VW Golf) | $18,256 | $22,721 | +24% |
| Dining out | +33% | ||
| Meal, inexpensive restaurant | $13.6 | $21.7 | +60% |
| Meal for 2, mid-range restaurant (3 courses) | $79.5 | $106 | +33% |
| Fast food combo meal | $8.72 | $9.63 | +10% |
| Cappuccino | $3.9 | $4.39 | +13% |
| Coke/Pepsi (0.33L, restaurant) | $1.96 | $2.43 | +24% |
| Domestic beer (0.5L, restaurant) | $4.65 | $7.39 | +59% |
| Imported beer (0.33L, restaurant) | $5.27 | $7.95 | +51% |
| Water (0.33L, restaurant) | $1.42 | $1.76 | +24% |
| Telecom | +20% | ||
| Mobile plan, calls + 10GB+ data (monthly) | $48 | $51.7 | +8% |
| Broadband internet 60Mbps+ (monthly) | $44.5 | $63.5 | +43% |
| Prepaid mobile tariff (1 min) | $0.28 | $0.33 | +18% |
| Video streaming subscription (monthly) | $12.6 | $14.4 | +14% |
| Utilities & household | +34% | ||
| Basic utilities, 85m² apartment (monthly) | $120 | $155 | +29% |
| Electricity (1 kWh) | $0.15 | $0.22 | +47% |
| Tap water (1m³) | $3.26 | $4.47 | +37% |
| Natural gas (1m³) | $1.06 | $1.5 | +42% |
| Waste collection (monthly) | $17.7 | $20.8 | +18% |
| Fitness club (monthly) | $61.3 | $85.7 | +40% |
| Cinema ticket (1 seat) | $10.5 | $16 | +52% |
| Men's haircut | $24.3 | $27 | +11% |
| Domestic cleaning (1 hour) | $16.7 | $24 | +44% |
| Private kindergarten (monthly) | $1,506 | $1,856 | +23% |
3,079 total data points · Price data as of 2026-07-01 · Exchange rates as of 2026-07-15
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Estimates for reference only — not official statistics.
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