105 cities compared · 2026

🇺🇸 United States vs 🇬🇧 United Kingdom

United Kingdom is 6.9% cheaper, but purchasing power is 10.4% weaker. Lower prices help, but you'll likely take home less overall.

-6.9%

Cost of Living

-19.4%

Rent

-17.6%

Groceries

-0.9%

Restaurants

-10.4%

Purchasing Power

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

Every Category, Side by Side

Averaged across 105 cities. All indices relative to NYC = 100.

Category	🇺🇸 United States	🇬🇧 United Kingdom	Diff
Cost of Living	57.7	53.7	-6.9%
Rent	41.3	33.3	-19.4%
Groceries	80	65.9	-17.6%
Restaurants	81.8	81.1	-0.9%
Purchasing Power	144.2	129.2	-10.4%

What You Actually Keep After Taxes

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 ≈ £30,000	$31,557	£25,120	+$1,719
$60,000 ≈ £45,000	$45,741	£35,920	+$1,842
$80,000 ≈ £60,000	$58,565	£45,358	+$1,520
$100,000 ≈ £75,000	$70,702	£54,058	+$908

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

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	84.1	75.9	153
Los Angeles	75.5	67.7	98.2
Chicago	67.7	52.6	141.4
San Jose	86.2	67.1	149.6

🇬🇧

United Kingdom

City	CoL	Rent	PP
London	78.9	65.4	118.2
Manchester	56	37.2	121.8
Edinburgh	55.3	35.3	123.2
Birmingham	52.3	28.9	169.9
Cambridge	61	44.4	140.8

City-to-City Comparisons

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

Frequently Asked Questions

Is United Kingdom more expensive than United States?

United Kingdom is 6.9% cheaper than United States overall. Rent is 19.4% lower, and groceries are 17.6% cheaper. These figures are averages across 23 cities in United Kingdom and 82 cities in United States.

Which country has better purchasing power, United States or United Kingdom?

United States has an average purchasing power index of 144.2 while United Kingdom has 129.2 (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 41.3 vs 33.3 in United Kingdom (NYC = 100). Rent in United Kingdom is 19.4% lower than in United States.

How many cities are compared between United States and United Kingdom?

Our comparison covers 82 cities in United States and 23 cities in United Kingdom, with data on cost of living, rent, groceries, restaurants, and purchasing power.