What is the estimated monthly cost of living in London?

The latest single-person Market Basket Measure is about CAD 2,281 per month. Advertised rent is shown separately when published.

What salary is typically needed in London?

A balanced planning estimate is around CAD 45,800 gross per year.

Are these exact prices?

No. These are planning baselines and should be adjusted to your neighborhood and lifestyle.

City snapshot

Cost of living in London

London offers affordable living, excellent healthcare, and strong education sectors in Southwestern Ontario.

Planning baseline refreshed: May 2026London CMA

3-category planning baseline

$1,886

Total annual: $22,632

Balanced salary needed

$45,800

Balanced

Population

633,002

2025 · London (CMA), Ontario · Statistics Canada

Crime Severity Index

61.2

London CMA

Official Basic-Needs Budgets

1 person$2,281

2 people$3,226

Family of 4$4,562

Market Basket Measure totals and advertised rent answer different questions. Rent is not added to the budget total because the MBM already includes a shelter component.

Data coverage: 100% (A) · 2025

Advertised Rent

Bachelor apartment$1,220

2026-01 · London, Census metropolitan area (CMA)

1-bedroom apartment$1,560

2026-01 · London, Census metropolitan area (CMA)

2-bedroom apartment$1,930

2026-01 · London, Census metropolitan area (CMA)

3+ bedroom apartment$2,400

2026-01 · London, Census metropolitan area (CMA)

Full-time centre-based childcare$545

2025 · Ontario

Local Indicators

Employed people328,100

Median after-tax income$79,500

Crime Severity Index61.2

London, Census metropolitan area (CMA)

3-category planning baseline

Planning rent estimate (1bd)$1,371

Groceries$405

Transport$110

Total monthly$1,886

Compact estimated baseline for cross-city planning. The observed advertised rent above is the canonical market-rent value.

Move-in costs

First month of rent$1,560

Generic deposit assumption (1x rent)$1,560

Furniture for a 1-bedroom$2,500

Basic household setup$600

Estimated setup total$6,220

Generic planning assumption only. Provincial rules and your lease may permit a different deposit.

Plan the next step

Run income calculator See salary needed Rent affordability Mortgage affordability Compare cities Car costs Province tax calculator After-tax income guide

City profile

GeographyLondon CMA

Common languagesEnglish, Arabic, Spanish

Community contextArab, South Asian, Black

Housing and rent

University and health-sector demand shape rental availability and neighbourhood pricing.

Planning rent estimate (1bd): $1,371 · Total monthly: $1,886

Commute and daily life

Bus network and regional car commuting

Safety context

London's safety snapshot uses the Crime Severity Index for London CMA. CSI compares police-reported crime volume and seriousness; it is not a neighbourhood-level risk score.

Crime Severity Index: 61.2
Violent CSI: 76.2
Non-violent CSI: 55.8

How this city compares

London ranks #34 of 47 tracked cities by the 3-category planning baseline and is -$278 versus the cross-city average.

Average city baseline$2,164

Largest cost driverPlanning rent estimate (1bd)

Salary guide for this city

Use these gross salary ranges as planning targets before running a detailed after-tax scenario for London.

Essentials$35,100

Balanced$45,800

Comfortable$57,300

Best for

London is strongest for affordable ontario living and a lower baseline than the tracked-city average.

Watch out for

Planning rent estimate (1bd) is the largest cost driver in the baseline. Plan around $1,886 per month before discretionary spending, plus about $6,220 for a basic move-in setup.

Local reality check

Rent represents about 73% of the baseline essentials shown here. Compared with the tracked-city average, this city is -$278.

Living in London: what to budget for

Use this page as a starting point for London: monthly essentials, move-in cash, salary targets, local population context, housing notes and safety data are shown together so you can move from research to a concrete budget.

London is a mid-sized city in Southwestern Ontario with a major university and thriving healthcare sector.

The city provides affordable housing and lower living costs compared to larger Ontario cities.

Major employers include hospitals, Western University, and manufacturing companies.

The city provides a balanced lifestyle with urban amenities and accessible natural areas.

Highlights

Affordable Ontario living
Western University presence
Major healthcare employers
Family-friendly community
Rich cultural amenities

Common questions

What is included in London's monthly baseline?: The baseline includes a 1-bedroom rent estimate, groceries and transport for one adult. It is a planning baseline, not a quote.
Why do some metrics use a CMA or province?: National public datasets often publish city data by census metropolitan area, census agglomeration, province or territory. The geography is shown beside each metric.
How should I use the London salary estimate?: Use it as a gross-income target, then run the income calculator with your province, city and real costs.

Sources and methodology

Population: Statistics Canada table 17-10-0148-01, latest annual estimate; Census Profile fallback when noted.
Crime Severity Index: Statistics Canada table 35-10-0026-01, latest published year.
Basic-needs budgets: MBM tables 11-10-0066-01 and 11-10-0104-01. Advertised rent: Quarterly Rent Statistics table 46-10-0092-01.

Sources and methodology

Cost transparency

Data used on this page

Advertised rent, basic-needs budgets, and local indicators each retain their own period, geography, and method.

Advertised rent

January 2026 · London, Census metropolitan area (CMA)

Planning baseline

Estimated rent + groceries + local transport

Not used

Tax rules and mortgage rates do not determine these costs

Advertised rent and the MBM answer different questions and are not added together.

Sources and methodology