How much do you need to earn to live here, after U.K. takes its share?
Here's the gross monthly salary that covers rent, food, transport, and utilities once U.K.'s tax system has taken its cut. (2026)
The floor in London is roughly £2,692/month gross, on a lean budget.
For something that feels comfortable, think £4,300/month gross (£3,249 net after ~24% tax).
| Expense | Budget | Comfortable | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rent (1BR) | £1,100 Cheapest neighborhood (Barking) | £2,100 Median neighborhood | £3,350 Premium neighborhood (Notting Hill) |
| Groceries | £280 | £336 | £420 |
| Transport | £202 | £202 | £202 |
| Utilities | £323 | £323 | £323 |
| Dining & Entertainment | £240 | £288 | £360 |
| Total Monthly Expenses | £2,145 | £3,249 | £4,655 |
£2,692/month gross
£4,300/month gross
£6,699/month gross
Second-hand 1BR rents across 18 neighborhoods in London.
Barking
25 min by Tube
£1,100 - £1,300
Croydon
20 min by Train
£1,150 - £1,350
Tottenham
25 min by Overground
£1,250 - £1,450
Notting Hill
15 min by Tube
£3,100 - £3,600
Canary Wharf
20 min by DLR
£2,700 - £3,100
Islington
15 min by Tube
£2,600 - £3,000
All 18 neighborhoods, the full expense sheet, and what you could save.
Explore LondonPlug in what you'd really earn. Get your take-home pay, neighborhoods within reach, and monthly savings.
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We add up monthly expenses (rent, groceries, transport, utilities, dining out) for each lifestyle tier, then work backwards to find the gross salary that lands on that number after U.K.'s income tax and social contributions. Rent data reflects second-hand listings, which is what expats actually pay. All figures come from 2026 official government statistics. Full attribution lives on our data sources page.
On a budget lifestyle, you need at least £2,692/month gross salary to cover basic expenses in London. For a comfortable lifestyle, aim for £4,300/month gross. These figures include rent, food, transport, utilities, and dining out, with taxes calculated for U.K..
The average 1-bedroom rent across 18 neighborhoods in London is approximately £2,111/month. Rents range from £1,100 in Barking to £3,600 in Notting Hill.
Monthly groceries for a single person in London cost approximately £280. This covers basic home cooking. Dining out and premium food will add to this budget.
Tax rates in U.K. are progressive. At the budget salary level of £2,692/month, the effective tax rate is approximately 20%. At the comfortable level of £4,300/month, it rises to approximately 24%. This includes income tax and social contributions.