The real London numbers
Work out what London
actually costs you.
Free calculators for the questions everyone moving to London asks — what you'll really take home, what a month here costs, and which areas you can actually afford. Built from the same questions we kept asking ourselves.
The tools
Three calculators, one clear answer each.
Take-home pay
What actually lands in your account each month — after tax, National Insurance, pension and student loan.
Open the calculator →02Cost of living
What a real month in London adds up to — rent, council tax, travel, food and the rest — and what's left.
Open the calculator →03Area suggestion
Which of the 32 boroughs fit your salary and what you care about — ranked on open data, mapped live.
Open the calculator →All in one plan
Want the whole picture in one go?
The guided plan runs all three together — your take-home, a real monthly budget, and your best-match boroughs — into one result. It's free to explore. The full report, with every borough ranked and the upfront cost of moving in, is a one-off £29.
Guides
Reading, from the same questions.
How Much Rent Can You Afford in London? The 30% Rule
The 30% rule says rent is about a third of your take-home. We checked it against real one-bed rents in all 32 London boroughs — see why none fit a solo renter.
5 July 2026 · 10 min read
Is £50k Enough to Live in London? What It Really Leaves You
Is £50k enough to live in London? On £3,293 net a month you keep about £1,000 spare in a cheaper borough and around £450 in a pricier one. Real breakdown.
23 June 2026 · 9 min read
Is £2,700 a Month Enough Salary to Live in London?
A realistic look at living in London on £2,700 a month, what it means in salary terms, and who it actually works for.
20 January 2026 · 7 min read