Is London cheaper than New York?

Paul, it's you, you're back from New York.

Yes, but only for a few weeks. I'm visiting my family.

It's great to see you. How's life in the USA?

Great.

I bet it's cheaper than here in London.

Hmm, well, some things are cheaper and some are more expensive.

Really? So how much does an apartment cost in the city?

The rent for an apartment is higher than in London. I pay three thousand dollars a month for mine.

Oh, that's a lot more expensive than here in London. And flats in London are expensive.

Of course, rent outside the city is much cheaper.

What about other costs, food for example?

Food is more expensive in New York too.

Do you mean at a restaurant or at a supermarket?

Eating at a restaurant costs about the same, but supermarket groceries are more expensive in New York. Healthy food especially, that's a lot more expensive there than here in London.

Wow, is anything cheaper over there?

Oh yes, transport is a lot cheaper. The price of gasoline is much cheaper than here in the UK.

Oh, do you have a car there?

I nearly bought one. New cars are much cheaper over there, but in the end I decided I didn't need one. Taxis and public transport are much cheaper there too.

That's good, trains and petrol are so expensive here.

Yes, I know, and my bills, you know, electricity, water, gas, they are far cheaper too. My electricity bills here in London were more than double my bills in the USA.

Oh, lucky.

Of course, I have to pay medical insurance over there.

Oh yes, we are so lucky here in Britain, we don't have to pay for medical care. Is your medical insurance expensive?

Yes, it is.

So are you saving lots of money?

Of course not. There's so much to see and do in New York. I love going to bars, restaurants, and shows. I spend everything I earn.