London vs San Francisco Cost of Living
London (United Kingdom) · Overall index 83.4 — San Francisco (United States) · Overall index 95.1
Summary
- Overall, San Francisco is 14% more expensive than London.
- Transport in San Francisco is 22% more expensive than in London.
- Dining out in San Francisco is 16% more expensive than in London.
| Item | London | San Francisco | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rent | +15% | ||
| 1-bedroom apartment, city centre (monthly) | $2,992 | $3,208 | +7% |
| 1-bedroom apartment, outside centre (monthly) | $2,223 | $2,609 | +17% |
| 3-bedroom apartment, city centre (monthly) | $6,498 | $7,487 | +15% |
| 3-bedroom apartment, outside centre (monthly) | $4,097 | $4,864 | +19% |
| Groceries | +8% | ||
| Milk (1L) | $1.21 | $1.31 | +8% |
| White bread (500g) | $4.07 | $4.2 | +3% |
| Rice (1kg) | $4.67 | $5.82 | +25% |
| Eggs (12) | $4.37 | $4.57 | +5% |
| Local cheese (1kg) | $14.3 | $16.3 | +14% |
| Chicken fillets (1kg) | $11 | $12.6 | +15% |
| Beef round (1kg) | $17.4 | $22.3 | +28% |
| Apples (1kg) | $5.26 | $5.88 | +12% |
| Bananas (1kg) | $1.98 | $2.46 | +24% |
| Oranges (1kg) | $4.45 | $4.54 | +2% |
| Tomatoes (1kg) | $5.8 | $5.5 | -5% |
| Potatoes (1kg) | $2.72 | $3.06 | +12% |
| Onions (1kg) | $2.83 | $2.72 | -4% |
| Lettuce (1 head) | $2.51 | $2.75 | +10% |
| Water (1.5L bottle) | $2.52 | $2.41 | -4% |
| Bottle of wine (mid-range) | $15.9 | $15.4 | -3% |
| Transport | +22% | ||
| Public transport, one-way ticket | $2.53 | $3.1 | +23% |
| Public transport, monthly pass | $113 | $139 | +23% |
| Taxi, base fare | $3.64 | $4.48 | +23% |
| Taxi, per km | $1.7 | $1.91 | +12% |
| Gasoline (1L) | $0.78 | $0.99 | +27% |
| New compact car (e.g., VW Golf) | $22,721 | $27,640 | +22% |
| Dining out | +16% | ||
| Meal, inexpensive restaurant | $21.7 | $21.5 | -1% |
| Meal for 2, mid-range restaurant (3 courses) | $106 | $115 | +8% |
| Fast food combo meal | $9.63 | $11.6 | +20% |
| Cappuccino | $4.39 | $5.52 | +26% |
| Coke/Pepsi (0.33L, restaurant) | $2.43 | $3.04 | +25% |
| Domestic beer (0.5L, restaurant) | $7.39 | $8.59 | +16% |
| Imported beer (0.33L, restaurant) | $7.95 | $8.71 | +10% |
| Water (0.33L, restaurant) | $1.76 | $2.32 | +32% |
| Telecom | +16% | ||
| Mobile plan, calls + 10GB+ data (monthly) | $51.7 | $68.5 | +32% |
| Broadband internet 60Mbps+ (monthly) | $63.5 | $71.8 | +13% |
| Prepaid mobile tariff (1 min) | $0.33 | $0.37 | +12% |
| Video streaming subscription (monthly) | $14.4 | $15.8 | +10% |
| Utilities & household | +14% | ||
| Basic utilities, 85m² apartment (monthly) | $155 | $176 | +14% |
| Electricity (1 kWh) | $0.22 | $0.23 | +5% |
| Tap water (1m³) | $4.47 | $5.1 | +14% |
| Natural gas (1m³) | $1.5 | $1.47 | -2% |
| Waste collection (monthly) | $20.8 | $25.8 | +24% |
| Fitness club (monthly) | $85.7 | $94.8 | +11% |
| Cinema ticket (1 seat) | $16 | $17.5 | +9% |
| Men's haircut | $27 | $33.2 | +23% |
| Domestic cleaning (1 hour) | $24 | $29.6 | +23% |
| Private kindergarten (monthly) | $1,856 | $2,199 | +18% |
3,134 total data points · Price data as of 2026-07-01 · Exchange rates as of 2026-07-15
Keep your standard of living
Estimates for reference only — not official statistics.
Compare other cities
vs