98 cities compared · 2026

🇺🇸 United States vs 🇬🇧 United Kingdom

United Kingdom is 4.3% cheaper — but purchasing power is 12.5% weaker. Lower prices help, but you'll likely take home less overall.

-4.3%
Cost of Living
-21.1%
Rent
-18%
Groceries
+0.3%
Restaurants
-12.5%
Purchasing Power

Compared to United States. Green = cheaper or better in United Kingdom. All indices relative to NYC = 100.

Every Category, Side by Side

United States vs United Kingdom

Averaged across 98 cities. All indices relative to NYC = 100.

Category 🇺🇸 🇬🇧 Diff
Cost of Living 75.2 72 -4.3%
Rent 43.6 34.4 -21.1%
Groceries 83.9 68.8 -18%
Restaurants 77.4 77.6 +0.3%
Purchasing Power 136.1 119.1 -12.5%

What You Actually Keep After Taxes

New York vs London

Same gross salary, different tax systems. Annual take-home pay in New York vs London.

Gross 🇺🇸 Net in United States 🇬🇧 Net in United Kingdom Diff
€40,000 €32,557 €32,320 -€237
€60,000 €47,447 €45,358 -€2,089
€80,000 €60,987 €56,958 -€4,029
€100,000 €73,820 €68,558 -€5,262

Single person, no children. Tax rates for New York and London (2026). Try the full calculator

Tax Calculators

See detailed income tax brackets and net salary calculations for United States and United Kingdom.

🇺🇸
United States Tax Calculator
Income tax rates, brackets & net salary
 🇬🇧
United Kingdom Tax Calculator
Income tax rates, brackets & net salary

These are averages. What about your salary?

Enter your exact numbers and see your real take-home pay in both countries.

Calculate Your Take-Home Pay

Top Cities in Each Country

United States & United Kingdom

National averages hide a lot. These are the cities most people actually move to.

🇺🇸

United States

City CoL Rent PP
New York 100 100 100
San Francisco 95.1 82.9 154
Los Angeles 86 67.2 105.4
Chicago 77.1 55 135.8
Honolulu 107.7 64.6 86
🇬🇧

United Kingdom

City CoL Rent PP
London 90 66.9 98.7
Manchester 69.1 38.4 105
Edinburgh 75.3 36.9 110.8
Birmingham 72.1 30.5 142.7
Guildford 78.5 41.4 109.7

City-to-City Comparisons

United States ↔ United Kingdom

See exact take-home pay for specific cities between United States and United Kingdom.

New York → London
New York → Manchester
New York → Edinburgh
San Francisco → London
San Francisco → Manchester
San Francisco → Edinburgh

FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

Is United Kingdom more expensive than United States?
United Kingdom is 4.3% cheaper than United States overall. Rent is 21.1% lower, and groceries are 18.0% cheaper. These figures are averages across 23 cities in United Kingdom and 75 cities in United States.
Which country has better purchasing power, United States or United Kingdom?
United States has an average purchasing power index of 136.1 while United Kingdom has 119.1 (NYC = 100). United States offers better purchasing power, meaning your salary goes further relative to local prices.
Is rent cheaper in United States or United Kingdom?
Average rent in United States has an index of 43.6 vs 34.4 in United Kingdom (NYC = 100). Rent in United Kingdom is 21.1% lower than in United States.
How many cities are compared between United States and United Kingdom?
Our comparison covers 75 cities in United States and 23 cities in United Kingdom, with data on cost of living, rent, groceries, restaurants, and purchasing power.

Related Country Comparisons

Related Country Comparisons

France vs United Kingdom Germany vs United Kingdom United States vs Germany Canada vs United States Australia vs United Kingdom

These are averages. What about your salary?

Enter your exact numbers and see your real take-home pay in both countries.

Calculate Your Take-Home Pay Compare Other Countries