I’ve always been fascinated by how much food costs and whether people can afford it. Can a family of four afford to eat out? Where can they go, and how often? Have the prices of groceries gone up, and how has that affected the kind of meals people cook at home? How is it possible that an average office worker can afford to drink a Starbucks coffee every single day and not feel the pinch? Or have they decided that Starbucks is a must-have and scrimp on other things like cutting breakfast or raiding the office pantry for lunch?
As the cost of living increases around the world, some other intelligent people have written and talked about why the cost of living has gone up exponentially. From the war in Ukraine causing energy prices to skyrocket, to supply chain disruption across the world, extreme weather impact etc., there’s multiple reasons people are feeling the dent in their wallets.
But how are they adapting and living to this reality? After all, no matter what the prices are, people have to eat. How much do people have to spend per month on food in order to survive?
Admittedly as a single person, the food formula is different from say, a family of 5. But you can make an estimation and extrapolate based on how much one person needs to spend, an average, on eating. Second, this is by no means survival in terms of scraping by, which lots of people find themselves in. Having to only buy from the ‘reduced’ section, having to skip a meal or two a day in order to make ends meet, going to bed hungry and the uncertainty of where the next day’s meal will come from. I’m still pretty privileged and lucky to have a job at this point that pays me an average salary, and am writing from that perspective.
I’m in London for the next week or so, and will be sharing what I eat this week, how much the meals cost, how they taste, the nutrition they provide (if at all), and how they make me feel. Where I can, I’m curious to find out how much these meals used to cost in the last couple of years, how much they’ve gone up, and whether the portions have changed.
According to The Sunday Times, the average gross annual salary of a Londoner in 2023 is 44, 370 GBP, which equates to around 3,700 GBP per month. By the end of this mini experiment, I’m keen to estimate how much an average London worker would spend on food in a month, and what percentage of their income it takes up. Can one afford to spend more on food, or should be more cautious the next time they have a craving for an iced matcha latte? Stripping away the average amount people spend on rent, transport, tax etc., how much can one reasonably save working in London?
So here goes.
Monday, 5 August
Having taken a train into London after visiting some friends nearby, I spent 95p on a terrible cup of burnt coffee from Pret. I then did some grocery shopping at Tescos and bought: a pint of milk for 90p, 4 pots of yogurt for 3.85 pounds, and 6 apples for 1.85 pounds. I then sauntered over to another cafe for a cup of much tastier but way-too-sweet lemonade for 3.85 pounds.
Dinner was a chicken and cheese wrap from Pure for 5.95 pounds. Was slightly shocked, then pleasantly surprised when I bit into a pickle. Was not expecting the toasted wrap to come with pickles for some reason but the tart pops worked really well.
Total Cost: 16.40 pounds
Tuesday, 6 August
Woke up early for a series of work calls and had a walnut and oat yoghurt for breakfast, followed by a flat white a friend I was bunking with for this trip kindly made for me. Went to the archives for a full day of research and stopped midway for lunch. My friend had also wisely given me a little cooler pack to store my lunch – a meal deal I got from Tesco. On the plus side, the egg mayo sandwich I bought was made from free range eggs. That’s about as much praise for the sandwich I could give. It was tasteless, in desperate need of more mayo, salt, pepper, and just general flavour. Even the free range egg bearer would have been disappointed. But then again for 3.40 pounds, I couldn’t complain. The Walker cheddar and chilli chutney chips plus Diet Coke saved the meal, but this was one of those eat-to-get-on-with-work situation.
Dinner was a homemade, or rather, home assembled, pan fried halloumi on flatbread. My friend had made it for us using ingredients already in her fridge, but with the help of reverse engineering it wouldn’t be difficult to estimate the costs – lettuce, tomato and onion (50p), halloumi (2.50 pounds), flatbread (1.85 pounds for 4, we had 2), lemon greek yoghurt (65p). The meal for 2 cost us around 4.60 pounds, so 2.30 pounds each. Today’s spending was a steal compared to yesterday. For comparison, my lunch and dinner today was equivalent to a single Pure toastie, and it wasn’t even that filling.
Total cost: 5.70 pounds
Wednesday, 7 August
Same walnut and oat yoghurt for breakfast today. Then off to the Kew Gardens archive for more research. At the station, I spotted a Tesco Express and scooted in to pick up my meal deal for 3.90 pounds. This time round it’s a falafel and hummus wrap, baked cheese and onion chips, and a mixed juice. By 12 noon I was both starving and freezing in the archive (I think they keep the temperature at an arctic level to preserve the documents and specimens. Or at least I hope that’s what I’m rapidly losing my body temperature for). Popped out to a bench on a green for lunch, trying to thaw myself. The wrap was a tad too sweet, but definitely better than the egg mayo saga. If they cut down on the sweetness from the pickled vegetables and sauce, it would actually be a pretty tasty wrap. The juice was nice and thick, and chips good as usual. Although the fried ones are crispier and much more sinfully enjoyable than the baked ones.
Had planned to pop to Poppie’s Fish and Chips as a dinner treat but learnt that some protests and riots had been planned, so decided to head home for shelter instead. Which turned out to be a brilliant decision. Friends and I made fresh Tagliatelle pasta from scratch – my first – and a delicious carbonara with the full works. We had a bottle of red to go with it. Full cost of the meal for 3? Flour (1 pound), 5 eggs (1 pound), 1 pack of parmesan cheese (2.50 pounds), I pack of guanciale/ smoked pancetta (4 pounds), and a bottle of red (16 pounds), added up to 24.50 pounds, or 8 pounds each. I’ve learnt that fresh pasta tastes so much different than dried ones, and not that hard to make. Time to buy a pasta maker…
How to make fresh pasta –
(For 3 pax)
The pasta
300g of pasta flour
3 eggs
Create a circle of flour with an empty middle, like a donut
Crack eggs in
Slowly whisky the flour into the eggs so it stays consistently and without clumps
Knead the dough until completely smooth
Place in fridge for 15 to 20 mins
When time is up, remove from fridge
Using pasta maker, spread and thin the dough out
Using a knife, slice the pasta based on the length you want it
Using the pasta maker again, cut the pasta up into strands
Boil water and put in salt, lots of it. The pot needs to be big enough with sufficient water so the water doesn’t get starchy.
Boil pasta till al dente.
The carbonara sauce
Crack 3 eggs
Throw a pack of finely grated parmesan in (100g)
Add some of the pasta water in, a cup or so
Whisk
Throw the pasta in and mix
Serve with grated pepper and parmesan
Total Cost: 11.90 pounds
8 August, Thursday
Had breakfast at the lovely and historic Kew Greenhouse Cafe right outside the station.
Treated myself to a croissant with jam and americano for 6.50 pounds while watching the upper crust of London society go by.
Kew Gardens is a posh neighbourhood by the looks of the gorgeous brownstone houses and fancy cars, pretty people in expensive clothes standing out from the tourists getting to the Gardens. The croissant was nothing to shout about, and coffee was average. But a nice treat nonetheless.
Was rushing for an online meeting and didn’t have time to pick up my Tesco meal deal. For lunch I headed out to a food truck plonked right outside the Kew Garden archive, and ordered an egg roll for 3 pounds.
It was so simple and delicious. Bread, sunny side up egg, caramelised onions, mustard, mayo and voila.
It was even more interesting hearing the food truck owner lament about the good old days. Years ago, he used to only sell ice cream and drinks, with 2 proper ice cream machines, and made good living, with long snaking queues of customers. These days, he’s had to resort to selling burgers, hotdogs and savoury items on top of ice cream and drinks. And even then, money’s tight. A 3 pound ice cream has now become a luxury as rents rise, electricity bills skyrocket, forcing people to tighten their wallets.
Dinner was takeaway, we ordered from wahaca, a Mexican chain restaurant. The grilled chorizo and cheese quesadillas (7.50 pounds) was smoky and incredibly tasty, the chicken club quesadillas (7.75 pounds) was pretty solid too – you can’t go wrong with chicken, cheese, avocado, and mayo – but nowhere near the chorizo. I also shared a Sweet Potato & Feta Taquito, which was a blue corn tortilla with mash sweet potato and onion, crumbled feta on top, and served with mayo and salsa (6.95 pounds). It was delicious. Couldn’t resist ordering a crispy sweet potato chips on the side (6.50 pounds). Dinner added up to 36 pounds, we got 20% off as it was Tasty Thursdays.
Total Cost: 21.50 pounds
9 August, Friday
Breakfast was good ol’ walnut and oats yoghurt again. Worked away in the morning and then had plans to meet up with some friends in the afternoon.
Before that, headed to Camden to explore the area. It’s changed quite a bit, looking less alternative and punk now with commercial brands like Shake Shack entering the fray. I’d been up for a fish and chips – I always feel obliged to have one whenever I’m in London – but we walked past this Korean restaurant Bunsik that looked pretty good (perhaps it was the enticing yellow and blue colours, plus the general poppy youthfulness of the place. Gen Zs insta-worthy must be an accurate stamp of approval right)? Wrong. We ordered a sweet and spicy chicken bun and the original, which came with chips. The chicken was dry. The batter was thick. The bun didn’t taste fresh. It was a 19 pounds not well spent.
After larking around we headed to Hampstead Heath for beers at Freemasons Arms Hampstead (15 pounds) with friends. It’s glorious to be out in a beer garden in Summer.
Then headed to The Boot and Flogger and shared a bottle of Portuguese white wine with another group of friends (35 pounds). The wine was average, the conversation was more stimulating.
Dinner was at BAO just round the corner at Borough Market. I’d been slightly hesitant – the menu looked predictable, and overly expensive for what they were offering. But I’m glad I gave it a shot. Not that we had much a choice as every restaurant was practically over spilling on a Friday night.
We got the signature pork bun, beef short rib bun, chargrilled cabbage, house pickles, wagyu beef with rice, fried chicken, smoked aubergine with seaweed and they were all extremely delicious (85 pounds for 2). The smoked aubergine deserved a shoutout. It was unlike anything I’ve had before.
Total cost: 88 pounds
10 August, Saturday
Picked up from Warburton Crumpets and butter from Iceland mart next to our house (2 pounds) for breakfast. Crumpets are one of the best things to have. Especially when you overload it with butter that they seep through and drench your crumpets with salty creamy goodness.
We checked out Broadway Market which was delightful, it had such diverse food offerings and stores selling various crafts and wares. I love a good farmer’s market and this one didn’t disappoint. Picked up a chocolate fudge brownie while we walked (3 pounds) from a German bakery pop up, and as I was walking away, clocked a strange pastry called a Bienenstich. It had custard, cake, and almonds. All the things I liked. I tried it and it was insanely good. Not too sweet, fresh custard, crunchy almonds and a light airy cake. It might just be my new favourite dessert.
After walking a few rounds and agonising what to have (plus burn some calories), we decided to have Ghanaian food (11 pounds). It’s something I don’t get to eat at all.
The lunch box came with Jollof rice, fried plantains, chicken and peanut stew, beef and bell pepper, butter bean and coconut curry, spinach stew. It was packed full of flavours, spices and packed some heat which I’ve been missing. Loved it.
We were catching a musical that evening near Covent Garden so decided to wander around and do some shopping. Pre-musical dinner was at Maison Bertaux for scones and eclairs (10 pounds). Their clotted cream was on a whole new level. The scone was really just a medium to shove cream into my mouth.
Total cost: 33 pounds
11 August, Sunday
Crumpets for breakfast again, and we went to South Bank to walk along the riverfront. Chanced upon and open air market and decided to grab a polish hot dog baguette for lunch, with the full works (9.50 pounds). The sausage was grilled to perfection, charred on the outside, meaty and juicy on the inside, and paired well with the array of pickles served on top.
Could not resist a Mr Whippy Ice Cream from the van (4 pounds). The price was eye popping for a single cone with flake, and too melty to be enjoyable but oh well. Love an ice cream van.
Watched another musical in the afternoon and joined some friends for drinks at a pub. We then pub hopped next door for more drinks and a packet of crisps (15 pounds).
Been hearing lots of people recommending Dishoom for dinner and when we arrived at the Covent Garden outlet there was a snaking queue. But the restaurant was cavernous and we got a table pretty quickly. The four of us ordered the house dahl, chicken ruby curry, spicy lamb chops, chicken biryani, paneer tikka, raita, naans and roti, and al the dishes were excellent. The house dahl in particular was rich and flavourful – I could have eaten that with the breads on my own. Paired well with a glass of delicious rose and cardamom lassi. For dessert we had a chocolate lava cake. Total meal came up to 135 pounds. A thoroughly satisfying dinner, I now understand what the fuss is all about.
Total cost: 70 pounds
12 August, Monday
It’s a work day but we still had some crumpets left so treated ourselves to them, alongside a cup of Yorkshire gold tea. Being in the UK makes you feel like drinking tea with milk for some reason.
Had a busy morning working so gulped down an instant Shin ramen (2.30 pounds) for lunch and leftover brownie. Then did a 1.5 hour commute to get to the Kew Gardens for researched.
Finished in the late afternoon and met a friend for dinner at Punch and Judy in Covent Garden. The alfresco area was charming but my fish and chips was not. The fish was not properly flavoured, needed a huge sprinkling of salt. The tartar sauce tasted thin and diluted, like it was bought off the shelf. And it was served with frozen peas. Didn’t finish half my meal and washed it down with a pint of beer (26 pounds).
Met up with some other friends round the corner at The Porterhouse pub for a couple more pints (15 pounds). It’s a lovely pub, and the interior is like a labyrinth, spanning a couple of floors. They brew their own beers, and both the lager and IPA were pretty good.
Total Cost: 43.30 pounds
13 August, Tuesday
Crumpets for breakfast again. Yes, maximising as much crumpet interfacing as possible while here in London.
It was another busy work day so our friend who is kindly putting us up made a Greek salad for lunch. It was simple – tomatoes, cucumbers, olive and feta cheese (6 pounds for 3) – but exactly what I wanted.
In the evening, headed into town to watch another musical and was running late. Grabbed a Chicken mayo burger (1.39 pounds) from McDonald’s and ate while I walked. Regretted I didn’t get two.
Total cost: 3.39 pounds
14 August, Wednesday
No prizes for guessing but it was Crumpets for breakfast again. Leaving London today so finished up work in the morning.
Had a lunch meeting at The Breakfast Club at Canary Wharf. Had a tasty Avocado, cheese and egg burger with harissa mayo and caramelized onions, plus a fresh orange juice (14.50 pounds). The burger was comforting, they were quite generous with their avocado, which kept spilling out onto my plate while I was trying to have a serious conversation. No complaints though.
Total cost: 14.50 pounds
That sums up my London trip.
In total I spent over 10 days in the city and it cost me 308 pounds thereabouts. I ate as much like an average Londoner as I could – affordable meals for lunch during work days, splurging more on the weekends, having drinks at pubs.
Yet by the end of the experiment I realised if I were to extrapolate this to the whole month, I’d be spending 3000 pounds on food alone per month. Considering that the average salary of a Londoner is 3,700 pounds a month, what I’ve spent on is completely untenable.
Based on chats with friends, they were paying around 1800 to 2000 pounds a month for rent for 2 people. That works out to 900 to 1000 pounds per person, not including utilities (which has been increasing rapidly).
With almost 25% of income spent on rent, and further costs:
- A 20% tax rate for incomes between £12,571 to £50,270 (740 pounds out of 3,700 pounds)
- Cost of utilities range from 100 to 150 pounds
- Transport is pricey in London, around 150 to 200 pounds
An individual is left with 1800 to 1710 pounds per month for food, entertainment, and savings. That’s not considering the fact that if you have kids, your costs will increase by a fair bit.
Assuming the 50 30 20 rule, one should set aside 20% – or 740 pounds in this case – for their savings.
That leaves one with 1000 pounds for food and entertainment, averaging 33 pounds per day. It’s not impossible if you stick to highly affordable foods e.g. meal deals, or cook at home. But it leaves little bandwidth to splurge. Considering that a pint of beer is now ~6.50 pounds and a trip to the theatres to watch a play or musical would set you back around 20 pounds, London feels like a city where one has to learn to cook (or at least assemble food) to survive.
In my conversations with friends from various industries, cost of living is a top of mind issue. Younger people no longer have enough to buy houses, and rents remain high. Having a meal out is becoming more and more of a luxury, even having a pint (which used to be quite accessible from what I understand) is now a treat.
Which city should we do a Cost of Living analysis next?