Living in London

In London, unemployment is 6.5% (2026).

In 2024, the city had 3,822,330 dwellings. A monthly estimate placed private kindergarten fees at €2,332 in July 2026.

Last checked 2026-10-1525 sources

Median gross salary (region)4,224EUR/month30 Apr 2025Official source · Office for National Statistics — ASHE Table 7.1a, 2025 provisional

Average rent2,724EUR/month31 Aug 2026Regional figureOfficial source · ONS Price Index of Private Rents, UK: monthly price statistics, Table 1, Rental price

Unemployment rate6.5%country median 3.4% — 91% aboveOfficial source · Office for National Statistics — Labour market in the regions of the UK: July 2026

Recorded crime10,184incidents per 100,00031 Dec 2025Regional figureOfficial source · Crime in England and Wales: Police Force Area data tables, year ending March 2026

PM2.5, annual mean7.12µg/m³country median 6.5 — 10% aboveOfficial source · DEFRA UK air quality statistics — annual mean PM2.5 station tables 2025

Higher unemployment than 96% of United Kingdom cities that publish it and dirtier air than 82% of United Kingdom cities that publish it.

Which United Kingdom-wide rules apply when you move to London?

National rules stay on the country page instead of being relabelled as city data.

Visa and entry rulesPassport-specific entry and national residence context.BenefitsCountry-wide eligibility and official application routes.Taxes in United KingdomNational rates and thresholds that apply in London.Healthcare eligibilityCountry-wide insurance and residence conditions.

Housing and cost

In 2024, the city had 3,822,330 homes.

No city-level rent figure is published for London. The available city-level cost figures remain below.

What recurs every month6 published recurring costs, € per month

€ / month

Private kindergarten€2332

Transport pass€370

Utilities, 85 m² flat€337

Internet, 60 Mbps€75

Fitness club€54

Mobile plan, 10 GB€12

Supplemental estimate lane, not official statistics: Utilities, 85 m² flat, Private kindergarten, Fitness club. The others are published prices.

Metric	Value	Period	Source
Fitness club membership, monthly	53.86 EUR/month	31 Jul 2026	Lebenshaltungskosten in London²⁴Commercial estimate · Supplemental context
Grocery basket, monthly	94.05 EUR/month	3 Aug 2026	Numbeo²³Supplemental estimate · Supplemental context
Internet, 60 Mbps unlimited	75.49 EUR/month	31 Dec 2026	BT Consumer Price Guide — Residential Broadband & Home Phone¹Official · national market
Private kindergarten, monthly	2,332 EUR/month	31 Jul 2026	Lebenshaltungskosten in London²⁴Commercial estimate · Supplemental context
Meal at an inexpensive restaurant	23.16 EUR	31 Jul 2026	Lebenshaltungskosten in London²⁴Commercial estimate · Supplemental context
Mobile plan, 10 GB	11.8 EUR/month	31 Dec 2026	Pay As You Go Data Only SIMs²¹Official · national market
Monthly transport pass	369.7 EUR/month	31 Dec 2026	Fares from 2 March 2025 — Travelcard prices frozen until 2027⁸Official
Basic utilities, 85 m² home	336.9 EUR/month	31 Jul 2026	Lebenshaltungskosten in London²⁴Commercial estimate · Supplemental context
Dwellings	3,822,330 dwellings	2024	Greater London dwelling stock / homes total⁹Official
Rent price index, mean	2,713 EUR/month	31 Jul 2026	Price Index of Private Rents (PIPR), UK: monthly price statistics²²Official
Average monthly rent (whole dwelling)	2,724 EUR/month	31 Aug 2026	ONS Price Index of Private Rents, UK: monthly price statistics, Table 1, Rental price¹⁸Official · regional context

Is London a good place to live?

There is no universal answer. The profile scores below show who the available published evidence may suit; they are a decision aid, not a personal recommendation.

Try your profile

Remote worker28%strong on work, weak on safety · range 19–37%

Skilled employee40%strong on work, weak on safety · range 32–48%

Student38%strong on education, weak on housing · range 29–47%

Family37%strong on family, weak on housing · range 28–46%

Retirement33%strong on legal route, weak on admin · range 22–44%

Work and income

The city employment rate was 74.3% in 2025. The unemployment rate was 6.5% from March to May 2026.

Unemployment across cities in United KingdomUnemployment in London is 6.5%. Of 999 cities with data, 652 have unemployment of 2 to under 4%.

652

263

0–22–44–66–88–1010–1216–18

London 6.5%

Unemployment rate (%)

Metric	Value	Period	Source
Employment rate	74.3 %	2025	ONS mid-year population estimate for London¹⁶Official
Median gross salary (regional)	4,224 EUR/month	30 Apr 2025	Office for National Statistics — ASHE Table 7.1a, 2025 provisional¹²Official · regional context
Average net monthly salary	3,987 EUR/month	30 Sept 2026	Numbeo city cost-of-living page — /cities/uk/london/²⁴Community estimate · Supplemental context
Unemployment rate	6.5 %country median 3.4%	31 May 2026	Office for National Statistics — Labour market in the regions of the UK: July 2026¹³Official

Unemployment rate over time8 published observations, 1996–2026

4.5%

6.9%

9.3%

11.7%

7.4%1996200420162026

Unemployment rate fell 34.1% between 1996 and 2026, from 11.2% to 7.4%.

What does a salary buy in London?

Take-home pay after tax, minus rent and the everyday bills this city publishes. Each line names its source.

Left over each month€137of €3,381 take-home

Rent
Utilities
Transport
Internet
Mobile
Left over

Line-by-line breakdown and sources

Each month	€
Take-home payOECD Taxing Wages 2025, single, no children. Includes central and local income tax and employee social contributions; euro amounts at the ECB average for 2026-08.	€3,381
Rentaverage rent of a whole dwelling · official · ONS Price Index of Private Rents, UK: monthly price statistics, Table 1, Rental price · 2026-08-31	− €2,724
Public transport pass€370 · official · Fares from 2 March 2025 · 2026-12-31	− €370
Utilities, 85 m²€337 · market price · Lebenshaltungskosten in London · 2026-07-31	− €337
Internet€75 · official · BT Consumer Price Guide · 2026-12-31	− €75
Mobile plan€12 · official · Pay As You Go Data Only SIMs · 2026-12-31	− €12
Left over	-€137

Take-home pay for other salaries and households Compare with another city Check a job offer in London Salary needed to live in London

Public employment service

No exact public employment office is currently linked to London. The verified national service may still offer online registration, job search or an official office finder.

Country-level information

Jobcentre Plus — Public employment service

Department for Work and Pensions

Job SearchUnemployment Claim

Open official service

Open the United Kingdom service overview

Country-level service information is not treated as proof of a physical office in London. Sources checked through 10 Aug 2026.

Family and education

Metric	Value	Period	Source
Public language course providers	1 count	31 Dec 2026	ESOL Beginners for Everyday Life (Entry 1) — Golden Lane⁵Official
Primary schools	993 count	3 Aug 2026	Department for Education (GIAS)⁴Official
Schools	1,843 count	3 Aug 2026	Department for Education (GIAS)⁴Official

School for children who move here. School is compulsory from age 5 to 16, and public school is free.

A country-wide rule for United Kingdom; London's school authority applies it locally.

Sources: legislation.gov.uk · 1996–2026.

Healthcare

Metric	Value	Period	Source
GP practices	1,120 count	30 Sept 2026	ODS GP Practices report (epraccur)¹⁰Official
Pharmacies	1,075 count	30 Sept 2026	ODS Pharmacy/Dispensaries report (edispensary)¹¹Official

Yes — migrants can receive medical care in London under the national coverage rules.

Healthcare access follows the country-wide insurance rules; local capacity facts remain city data and are not used as proof of eligibility.

Open the official coverage guide

Country rule verified 2026-08-03.

Safety

Recorded crime across major citiesLondon highlighted among comparable cities

recorded incidents per 100k residents

Manchester14,267

Bristol13,099

Liverpool12,409

Leeds11,462

Birmingham11,416

Leicester11,001

Sheffield9,693

Cardiff9,379

Belfast9,156

Coventry8,836

Glasgow757

Edinburgh549

Metric	Value	Period	Source
Recorded incidents per 100,000 residents	10,184 incidents per 100,000	31 Dec 2025	Crime in England and Wales: Police Force Area data tables, year ending March 2026²Official · regional context

Mobility and administration

Metric	Value	Period	Source
Destinations from nearest airport	35 count	3 Aug 2026	OpenFlights¹⁹Official
Nearest airport	LCY	3 Aug 2026	OurAirports²⁰Official
Distance to nearest airport	13 km	3 Aug 2026	OurAirports²⁰Official
Public transport monthly pass	233.6 EUR/month	3 Aug 2026	Numbeo²³Supplemental estimate · Supplemental context

Language courses and integration in London

1 exact private or nonprofit provider record is linked to this city as supplemental evidence. Check the linked source for dates, availability and enrolment.

Provider-supplied information

1publicly funded course provider

1provider-supplied leads

Private and nonprofit providers

Provider-supplied records stay separate from government-verified services.

Provider-supplied record · supplemental The London School of English — Holland Park

15 Holland Park Gardens, Kensington, London W14 8DZ

+44 (0)20 7605 4123

Open provider website

Check courses in London How the country programme works

Exact city-linked records checked 2026-08-10. Provider-supplied records are supplemental and are not presented as official accreditation.

Climate and air quality

Monthly mean temperature moved from 6°C in January to 19.2°C in July. Monthly precipitation ranged from 37 mm in March to 66.9 mm in October. Annual PM2.5 was 11.2 µg/m³ in 2019. Average July highs reached 23.6°C.

Temperature through the yearAverage daytime high and night-time low, °C

9°3°

12°5°

15°7°

18°10°

21°12°

24°15°

23°15°

20°12°

16°9°

12°6°

9°4°

JFMAMJJASOND

Night-time low to daytime high

Rainfall through the yearAverage monthly precipitation, mm

JFMAMJJASOND

Air quality vs health guidelinesAnnual means against WHO 2021 guidelines and EU legal limits

Within WHO 2021 guidelineAbove WHO, within EU limitAbove EU legal limitCity annual mean · µg/m³

PM2.57.1WHO 5 · EU 25

NO₂36.7WHO 10 · EU 40

City values from the published air-quality observations. WHO 2021 guidelines and EU limit values are published constants.

PM2.5 across cities in United KingdomAnnual PM2.5 in London is 7.1 µg/m³. Of 941 cities with data, 487 have annual PM2.5 of 6 to under 7 µg/m³.

211

487

200

3–44–55–66–77–88–99–1013–14

London 7.1

Annual PM2.5 (µg/m³)

Metric	Value	Period	Source
NO₂ — annual mean	36.7 µg/m³country median 7.2	31 Dec 2013	Eurostat⁶Official
PM2.5 — annual mean	7.12 µg/m³country median 6.5	31 Dec 2024	DEFRA UK air quality statistics — annual mean PM2.5 station tables 2025³Official
Average daytime high by month	Jan 8.6 · Feb 9.1 · Mar 11.9 · Apr 15.1 · May 18.4 · Jun 21.4 · Jul 23.6 · Aug 23.3 · Sep 20.2 · Oct 15.9 · Nov 11.6 · Dec 9 °C	1991–2020	WMO Climatological Normals 1991-2020 station CSV²⁵Independent
Average night-time low by month	Jan 3.5 · Feb 3.5 · Mar 5.1 · Apr 6.9 · May 9.7 · Jun 12.5 · Jul 14.7 · Aug 14.6 · Sep 12.3 · Oct 9.5 · Nov 6.1 · Dec 3.9 °C	1991–2020	WMO Climatological Normals 1991-2020 station CSV²⁵Independent
Average temperature by month	Jan 6 · Feb 6.3 · Mar 8.5 · Apr 11 · May 14 · Jun 17 · Jul 19.2 · Aug 18.9 · Sep 16.2 · Oct 12.7 · Nov 8.8 · Dec 6.4 °C	1991–2020	WMO Climatological Normals 1991-2020 station CSV²⁵Independent
Average precipitation by month	Jan 58.1 · Feb 43.6 · Mar 37 · Apr 42.5 · May 44.7 · Jun 50.5 · Jul 43.1 · Aug 54.9 · Sep 49.8 · Oct 66.9 · Nov 65.7 · Dec 58.6 mm	1991–2020	WMO Climatological Normals 1991-2020 station CSV²⁵Independent

Annual PM2.5 over time7 published observations, 2013–2024

6.1

11.1

16.1

21.0

7.12013201520172024

Annual PM2.5 fell 64.4% between 2013 and 2024, from 20.0 to 7.1.

Population and city profile

Who lives hereResidents by nationality, % of population

By nationality

National passport60.7%
Foreign residents39.3%

Calculated from the population and foreign-resident facts on this page.

Metric	Value	Period	Source
Foreign-resident share	21.6 %	31 Dec 2011	Eurostat⁷Official
Foreign residents	3,575,719 people	21 Mar 2021	ONS Census 2021 TS012 country of birth, London local authorities¹⁵Official · Greater London
Population	9,089,736 people	30 Jun 2024	ONS population count, Local Statistics API¹⁷Official · regional figure

Additional context

Metric	Value	Period	Source
Residents born abroad	41 %	2021 Census	ONS mid-year population estimate for London¹⁶Official · Greater London; residents
Median age	35.7 years	2024	ONS mid-year population estimate for London¹⁶Official · Greater London
Universities	21 count	3 Aug 2026	Office for Students¹⁴Official

Alternatives for people set on London

Three places for the three reasons people leave a city on the shortlist: stay in the region, stay in the country, or keep the budget and change the country. A percentage appears only where both cities publish that metric from the same source, period and grain. Distances are straight lines — travel times are not collected yet.

Prague as a London alternative in another country

Better on 3 of 3 metrics measured the same way, worse on 0. Median gross pay, region and recorded crime, per 100k cannot be compared like for like.

Transport pass: €23 Prague vs €234 London−90%
Median gross pay, region: €2,138 Prague vs €4,224 Londonno percentage
A meal out: €10 Prague vs €23 London−59%
Recorded crime, per 100k: 2,477 Prague vs 10,184 Londonno percentage
Basic utilities, 85 m²: €272 Prague vs €337 London−19%

Full comparison More about Prague

How does London compare?

Pick a city. The answer appears here and the address bar keeps it, so the comparison can be shared; the page stays London's.

Open the full comparison

Put London's key facts on your site — a card with this page's figures and a link back, free under CC BY 4.0.

Common questions

Answered from the published values on this page, each with its source and date.

What is the typical salary around London?

The median gross salary is 4,224 EUR/month. Source: Office for National Statistics — ASHE Table 7.1a, 2025 provisional.

What is the unemployment rate in London?

The unemployment rate is 6.5 %. Source: Office for National Statistics — Labour market in the regions of the UK: July 2026.

Is the air quality good in London?

The annual PM2.5 mean is 7.12 µg/m³. The WHO 2021 guideline is 5 µg/m³ and the EU limit value is 25 µg/m³, so this reading is above the WHO guideline but within the EU limit. Source: DEFRA UK air quality statistics — annual mean PM2.5 station tables 2025.

How safe is London?

Police recorded 10,184 incidents per 100,000. This counts all offences, so it is not comparable with a violent-crime-only rate from another source. Source: Crime in England and Wales: Police Force Area data tables, year ending March 2026.

How many foreign residents live in London?

3,575,719 residents hold a foreign nationality. Source: ONS Census 2021 TS012 country of birth, London local authorities.

How much is public transport in London?

A monthly transport pass is 369.7 EUR/month. Source: Fares from 2 March 2025 — Travelcard prices frozen until 2027.

Is London a good place to live?

London may suit different people for different reasons. The page's profile scores compare published cost, work, housing, safety, healthcare and other available factors; they are a decision aid, not a universal recommendation.

Cite this page

Open a format to select or copy this ImmigrationDB compilation citation. The native disclosure and text fallback work without JavaScript.

APA citation

ImmigrationDB. (2026, October 16). London, United Kingdom: population, rent, salary, jobs [ImmigrationDB compilation; version 32f3aeb18d4f2768a5285c3dc0aaedab]. ImmigrationDB. https://immigrationdb.com/cities/uk/london/ Retrieved 2026-10-16. Compilation license: CC BY 4.0, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

BibTeX citation

@misc{immigrationdb_immigrationdb_london-united-kingdom-population-rent-salary-jobs_37400d147171,
  author = {ImmigrationDB},
  title = {London, United Kingdom: population, rent, salary, jobs},
  publisher = {ImmigrationDB},
  year = {2026},
  date = {2026-10-16},
  version = {32f3aeb18d4f2768a5285c3dc0aaedab},
  url = {https://immigrationdb.com/cities/uk/london/},
  note = {Retrieved 2026-10-16. ImmigrationDB compilation. Compilation license: CC BY 4.0, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/},
}

Markdown citation

[London, United Kingdom: population, rent, salary, jobs](https://immigrationdb.com/cities/uk/london/) — ImmigrationDB; ImmigrationDB; version 32f3aeb18d4f2768a5285c3dc0aaedab; retrieved 2026-10-16; built 2026-10-16.

This citation identifies the ImmigrationDB compilation/page. Underlying source publishers and datasets retain their own terms; inspect the Sources section and cite those records separately. View the underlying source records.

Sources

JSON Markdown

BT Consumer Price Guide — Residential Broadband & Home Phone BT Consumer Price Guide · bt.com · checked 2026-10-11
Crime in England and Wales: Police Force Area data tables, year ending March 2026 ons.gov.uk · checked 2026-09-28
DEFRA UK air quality statistics — annual mean PM2.5 station tables 2025 DEFRA UK air quality statistics · assets.publishing.service.gov.uk · checked 2026-09-28
Department for Education (GIAS) get-information-schools.service.gov.uk · checked 2026-08-03
ESOL Beginners for Everyday Life (Entry 1) — Golden Lane ESOL Beginners for Everyday Life (Entry 1) · newsite.cityoflondon.gov.uk · checked 2026-09-15
Eurostat ec.europa.eu · checked 2026-08-03
Eurostat ec.europa.eu · checked 2026-08-02
Fares from 2 March 2025 — Travelcard prices frozen until 2027 Fares from 2 March 2025 · tfl.gov.uk · checked 2026-10-11
Greater London dwelling stock / homes total data.london.gov.uk · checked 2026-07-16
ODS GP Practices report (epraccur) odsdatasearchandexport.nhs.uk · checked 2026-09-15

Show 15 more sources

ODS Pharmacy/Dispensaries report (edispensary) odsdatasearchandexport.nhs.uk · checked 2026-09-15
Office for National Statistics — ASHE Table 7.1a, 2025 provisional Office for National Statistics · ons.gov.uk · checked 2026-07-29
Office for National Statistics — Labour market in the regions of the UK: July 2026 Office for National Statistics · ons.gov.uk · checked 2026-07-29
Office for Students officeforstudents.org.uk · checked 2026-08-03
ONS Census 2021 TS012 country of birth, London local authorities static.ons.gov.uk · checked 2026-07-29
ONS mid-year population estimate for London apps.london.gov.uk · checked 2026-07-16
ONS population count, Local Statistics API ons.gov.uk · checked 2026-09-11
ONS Price Index of Private Rents, UK: monthly price statistics, Table 1, Rental price ons.gov.uk · checked 2026-09-24
OpenFlights raw.githubusercontent.com · checked 2026-08-03
OurAirports davidmegginson.github.io · checked 2026-08-03
Pay As You Go Data Only SIMs three.co.uk · checked 2026-10-11
Price Index of Private Rents (PIPR), UK: monthly price statistics ons.gov.uk · checked 2026-09-12
Numbeo numbeo.com · checked 2026-08-03
Numbeo city cost-of-living page — /cities/uk/london/ Numbeo city cost-of-living page · de.numbeo.com · checked 2026-09-05
WMO Climatological Normals 1991-2020 station CSV ncei.noaa.gov · checked 2026-07-26

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