MigrantoCost of living in the UK
Average monthly spending, by standard of living, by category, and against other countries
Monthly cost
£1,900
what a typical person spends
Spending by standard of living
£862richest 20%
£4,530
The UK is a country of expensive cities with a real gap between them — what life costs in London is a different conversation from a smaller town up north, but a home takes a serious share wherever you land. Pay is decent and prices match it, and housing above all sets the tone for the rest of the budget. The distance from comfortable to just-getting-by is real here — felt, without being a chasm.
Where people spend money in the UK
Housing is the cost that towers over the rest, and it's what decides how much room everything else gets. Getting around isn't cheap either — train fares especially have a reputation — and eating out adds up faster than you'd think. The meals out are yours to control; the rent and the daily commute are the parts that hold firm.
Living-cost calculator
What it costs to live in the UK
Tell us what you earn and spend today — we'll estimate what the same lifestyle would cost in the UK and how much you could have left each month
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Cost of living in the UK
£862/mo
vs £597 in your country
Take-home
£1,320
vs £895 in your country
Potential savings
£458
more than in your country
Standard of living
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How living costs in the UK compare
Against the wider world the UK ranks among the expensive places, though within Europe it isn't quite at the top — pricier neighbors sit above it. Much of the reason is property: in the places people actually want to live and work, homes cost a great deal, and that pulls the whole picture up. For a mover, where in the country you settle changes the math more than you'd expect.
Data source: household consumption 2023 (World Bank), International Comparison Program 2021 (World Bank), category breakdown 2024 (United Nations Statistics Division), adjusted to 2026 using IMF GDP-per-capita growth
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Frequently asked questions
What is the cost of living in the UK?
A typical person in the UK spends about £1,900 a month — around £22,800 a year — on housing, groceries, transport and other everyday costs. It's a nationwide average across different regions, cities and types of housing.
What is the cost of living in the UK in US dollars?
The cost of living in the UK is about $2,552 a month, or roughly $30,624 a year per person.
How much money do you need to live comfortably in the UK?
It all depends on your standard of living. A modest budget runs about £862 a month per person, a typical one around £1,900, and a comfortable life around £2,600. In big cities and for a family, costs are usually higher.
What do people spend the most on in the UK?
The biggest expense is housing, at about £503 a month (26% of spending). Then come transport (£242, 13%) and dining out (£204, 11%).
Is the average salary in the UK enough to live on?
In most cases yes, but without much of a cushion. Average spending is about £1,900 a month, while the average take-home pay in the UK is about £2,140. For more on incomes, see salaries in the UK.
Is the UK an expensive country to live in?
Yes. The UK is more expensive than 94% of countries worldwide and ranks 7th of 41 in Europe by cost of living.
Where to live?
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Living in the UK
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