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Bern vs London cost of living 2026
Which is cheaper, what exactly is cheaper, and how it feels on your money ยท Updated October 2026
๐จ๐ญ Bern
๐ฌ๐ง London
At a glance
- Where London is clearly cheaper: Laundry (66%โ), Transit (61%โ), SIM card (54%โ)
- Where Bern is clearly cheaper: Entry ticket (51%โ), Half-day tour (48%โ), Studio rent (month) (31%โ)
By category
Salary equivalence
Travel difficulty
Both cities are about equally easy to travel. Biggest gap: rip-offs & haggling โ Bern 1 vs London 2. Closer to 1 is easier. Difficulty ranking โบ
Item by item
| Item | Bern | London | Cheaper |
|---|---|---|---|
| Local mealper person | CHF 22$25.9 | ยฃ 17$23 | London โ11% |
| Street food1 item | CHF 10$11.8 | ยฃ 10$13.5 | Bern โ13% |
| Restaurant dinnerper person | CHF 50$58.8 | ยฃ 38$51.4 | London โ13% |
| Coffeeone cup | CHF 5.5$6.47 | ยฃ 3.7$5 | London โ23% |
| Beerone bottle | CHF 7$8.24 | ยฃ 6.8$9.19 | Bern โ10% |
| Cocktail & wineone cup | CHF 14$16.5 | ยฃ 13$17.6 | Bern โ6% |
| Bottled water | CHF 1.2$1.41 | ยฃ 1.3$1.76 | Bern โ20% |
| Convenience store1 snack or drink | CHF 2.5$2.94 | ยฃ 2$2.7 | London โ8% |
| Taxi5 km in town | CHF 27$31.8 | ยฃ 16$21.6 | London โ32% |
| Tuk-tuk / moto taxishort hop | CHF 16$18.8 | ยฃ 9$12.2 | London โ35% |
| Transitone ride | CHF 5.2$6.12 | ยฃ 1.75$2.36 | London โ61% |
| Scooter rentalper day | CHF 30$35.3 | ยฃ 25$33.8 | similar |
| Hotel night3-star | CHF 190$224 | ยฃ 180$243 | Bern โ8% |
| Studio rent (month) | CHF 1,500$1,765 | ยฃ 1,900$2,568 | Bern โ31% |
| Laundry | CHF 10$11.8 | ยฃ 3$4.05 | London โ66% |
| SIM card1 week data | CHF 25$29.4 | ยฃ 10$13.5 | London โ54% |
| Haircutcut | CHF 40$47.1 | ยฃ 25$33.8 | London โ28% |
| Massage1 hour | CHF 120$141 | ยฃ 65$87.8 | London โ38% |
| Half-day tourper person | CHF 30$35.3 | ยฃ 50$67.6 | Bern โ48% |
| Entry ticketTourist town | CHF 18$21.2 | ยฃ 32$43.2 | Bern โ51% |
Reference prices start as estimates from published price levels; items with 3+ traveler reports use the median of real reports. Hostels and local eateries cut both by 30%+.
FAQ
Which is cheaper, Bern or London?
Bern is 5% cheaper than London. Daily budget $463 vs $438; a month $7,430 vs $8,616.
Which is easier to travel, Bern or London?
About the same: Bern 1.2/5, London 1.4/5 (average of rip-offs, language, transport, payments and safety).
How do monthly costs compare between Bern and London?
With a short-term studio and living costs, Bern is about $7,430 and London about $8,616 per month.
Where do the numbers come from?
They start as estimates informed by published price levels; any item with 3+ traveler reports switches to the median of real reports. Live reports are in the app.