Living in the United Kingdom: cost of living, rents and the salary you need

Updated 2 October 2026

How much do you need to earn to live in the United Kingdom? Here are rents in the main cities, the minimum wage, healthcare, residence permits and moving costs, with the official source of every figure. For your own case, the calculator starts from your real budget, in your city, and moves it to the United Kingdom.

Work out my budget in the United Kingdom

Example: the same life, elsewhere

A single person living in Paris in a one-bedroom home, with the average spending of a similar household, spends about €2,620 a month. To keep the same life in London (Westminster), they would need about £3,660 (≈ €4,280) net a month locally (+63%), i.e. 2.1 times the National Living Wage.

For a couple with two children in a two-bedroom home (state school), it would take about £5,820 (≈ €6,810) net a month in London (Westminster), i.e. 3.3 times the National Living Wage.

Calculated on 2 October 2026 with the official averages of Paris and the destination’s prices. Yours depends on your city, home and habits: the calculator works it out in a few minutes, no sign-up.

Rents in the United Kingdom

City	Studio	1 bedroom	2 bedrooms	3-bedroom house	1 bedroom in euros
London (Westminster)	£2,550	£2,550	£3,310	£3,900	€2,980
London (Tower Hamlets)	£1,990	£1,990	£2,420	£2,750	€2,330
Manchester	£1,000	£1,000	£1,230	£1,430	€1,170
Birmingham	£830	£830	£1,000	£1,130	€970
Leeds	£780	£780	£980	£1,140	€920
Liverpool	£690	£690	£840	£960	€800
Bristol, City of	£1,230	£1,230	£1,540	£1,760	€1,430
Sheffield	£690	£690	£840	£970	€810
Newcastle upon Tyne	£810	£810	£1,010	£1,190	€950
Nottingham	£740	£740	£910	£1,050	€860
Cardiff	£910	£910	£1,090	£1,210	€1,060
Greater Glasgow	£840	£840	£1,090	£1,340	€990
Oxford	£1,350	£1,350	£1,670	£2,030	€1,580
Cambridge	£1,260	£1,260	£1,610	£1,910	€1,470

Monthly rent in GBP, outside the most sought-after areas. Studio 28 m², 1 bedroom 45 m², 2 bedrooms 65 m², house 95 m² where rent is known per m². ONS — Price Index of Private Rents: average monthly rent by area and number of bedrooms (August 2026).

Wages

The National Living Wage is £1,780 (≈ €2,080) net a month (£2,070 gross).

Median wage: £39,000 (≈ €45,700) gross a year.

Healthcare

£1,035 a year per adult, £776 per child, paid with the visa.

In the example above: the NHS is free, but each visa holder pays the health surcharge: €100 a month for your household.

Visa and residence permit

You need an offer from a licensed employer for the Skilled Worker visa.

Cost: £820 (≈ €960) per person.

Skilled Worker visa.

There is no visa to live on income from abroad: you need a local job, unless your nationality is exempt.

Moving in and everyday life

Deposit: 5 weeks’ rent
Agency fees: No fees for the tenant
School: Free state school
Electricity: £0.26 per kWh
Getting around without a car: Travelcard: £170 a month per adult
Home cleaning: £20 an hour

Frequently asked questions

What salary do you need to live in London (Westminster)?

For a single person keeping the same life as in Paris: about £3,660 (≈ €4,280) net a month, i.e. 2.1 times the National Living Wage.

How much is rent in London (Westminster)?

About £2,550 (≈ €2,980) a month for a one-bedroom home and £3,310 for a two-bedroom home, according to ONS — Price Index of Private Rents.

Do you need a residence permit to live in the United Kingdom?

You need an offer from a licensed employer for the Skilled Worker visa. Cost: £820 (≈ €960) per person.