Living in London: cost of living, rent and salary
Updated 3 October 2026
In London, a one-bedroom home costs about £2,550 (≈ €2,980) a month. To keep the lifestyle of someone living in Paris, you need about £3,660 (≈ €4,280) net a month. Here is the rent by type of home, the month’s budget line by line, and the sources.
Figures are for the borough of Westminster, in central London: outer boroughs are much cheaper.
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, 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, i.e. 3.3 times the National Living Wage.
Calculated on 3 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.
Rent in London
| Type of home | Outside sought-after areas | Outside sought-after areas, in euros |
|---|---|---|
| Studio | £2,550 | €2,980 |
| 1 bedroom | £2,550 | €2,980 |
| 2 bedrooms | £3,310 | €3,870 |
| 3-bedroom house | £3,900 | €4,560 |
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).
A month’s budget in London, line by line
For a single person renting a one-bedroom home and keeping the average habits of a household in Paris, here is what each line would cost in London.
| Item | Paris | London | London (GBP) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Housing | €1,590 | €2,980 | £2,550 |
| Housing tax | €0 | €60 | £50 |
| Electricity, water, gas | €230 | €270 | £230 |
| Groceries | €270 | €260 | £220 |
| Restaurants and outings | €150 | €140 | £120 |
| Transport | €100 | €200 | £170 |
| Health | €70 | €100 | £90 |
| Phone and internet | €50 | €60 | £50 |
| Sport | €30 | €40 | £30 |
| Clothes | €80 | €80 | £60 |
| Hairdresser and beauty | €50 | €70 | £60 |
| Trips back to Paris | €0 | €30 | £20 |
| Total per month | €2,620 | €4,280 | £3,660 |
Estimate: lines without an answer take the official average of the departure city, then the destination’s prices. The calculator starts from your real amounts.
Visa, healthcare, school, electricity
These rules are the same across the country: find them on the page Living in the United Kingdom.
Frequently asked questions
What salary do you need to live in London?
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?
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.
Is it expensive to live in London?
In Paris, a single person spends about €2,620 a month; with the same life in London, it would be about €4,280 (+63%).