Cost of Living: New York vs United Kingdom (London)
How expensive is the United Kingdom compared with New York City? The national price level of everyday spending versus the New York metro area, and the salary — in US dollars and GBP — that buys the same standard of living.
Salary converter
Before taxes. Income tax, sales tax and benefits differ a lot between places and aren’t included.
The numbers
- Cities
- London
- Price level vs US average
- 92.4 (New York metro: 112.6)
- Exchange rate (2025 avg.)
- 1 USD = 0.759 GBP
- Purchasing-power parity
- 1 USD of US-average spending ≈ 0.702 GBP
- Source
- World Bank, PPP conversion factor for private consumption ÷ exchange rate (2025); New York: BEA 2024
⚠️ This is the United Kingdom’s national average. Major cities — especially London — are usually more expensive, mostly because of rent, so treat this as a lower bound for big-city living.
Frequently asked questions
Is the United Kingdom cheaper than New York?
Yes. The United Kingdom is 18% cheaper than the New York metro area overall (index 82, New York = 100).
What salary in the United Kingdom equals $100,000 in New York?
About $82,061 a year (about £62,323 at purchasing-power parity) buys the same standard of living in the United Kingdom as $100,000 in the New York metro area, before taxes.
Is London more expensive than the United Kingdom’s national average?
Usually, yes. The comparison here uses the United Kingdom’s national average price level; large cities such as London typically cost more than the national figure, especially for rent.
Where does this data come from?
World Bank price levels of household consumption for 2025 (purchasing power parity conversion factor divided by the market exchange rate), compared with BEA’s 2024 figure for the New York metro area.