🇬🇧 Living in London for 2 Months with a 6-Year-Old – Real Family Costs

I may be shy with people, but I’ve always been curious about the world.
I’m Emma from a World School Family.

 

Wondering about the real cost of living in London with a child?
We spent two months living in London as a family of three, including a 6-year-old attending summer camp. This post shares a detailed breakdown of housing, food, transport, summer camp, and lifestyle costs — with both GBP and KRW estimates — to show what everyday life in London actually costs.

 

“London feels expensive — until you see what real family life actually costs.”

“London is too expensive for families.”
That’s what we thought too — until we actually lived there.

London isn’t cheap, but with the right housing and lifestyle choices, it becomes surprisingly manageable — even with a child.

Last June, our family of three spent two months in London during the summer school season. Our child attends an international school, so this wasn’t just tourism. It was real daily life.

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🏡 Accommodation (Biggest Cost Factor)

We stayed about 1 hour 30 minutes from central London.

• 2-story house
• Backyard garden
• Quiet residential neighborhood

Monthly rent:
£2,600–2,700
2 months total:
£5,200–5,400

Since it was our first UK stay, we prioritized safety, privacy, and outdoor space for our child.

💡 Housing choice changes everything

The UK is expensive mainly because of housing.
If you reduce housing costs, overall living costs drop dramatically.

Families comfortable with shared housing can rent:

• A shared house
• But use an entire floor privately

Estimated cost:

~£2,000 per month

That one decision can save about £2,000 per month.

London living is not about reducing life quality — it’s about choosing housing smartly.

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🎒 Summer Camp

• £1,200 (1 month)
• Lunch + snacks included
• Special activities: ~£30

A very affordable alternative to private programs.

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🚆 Transportation

• Train + bus
• Central London visits: about 3 times per week

Estimated 2-month transport cost:
£350–550

Most days were spent locally because parks and playgrounds nearby were excellent.

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🏛 Culture & Museums

Major London museums are free.

We focused on free exhibitions and cultural spaces with advance booking, which kept cultural spending very low.

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🍽 Food

First 1–2 weeks: eating out
After settling: mostly home cooking

We often packed homemade lunches and brought them to parks, which helped control spending.

Estimated 2-month food cost:
£1,200–1,500

Food costs depended more on habits than the city itself.

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🏊 Leisure & Lifestyle

We paid to use:

• Swimming pools
• Gyms

But entry fees were reasonable:

£6–12 per visit

In addition, London neighborhoods offer:

• Large parks
• Walking paths
• Outdoor fitness equipment in playgrounds

So many days of exercise and activity were completely free.

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💰 Total Cost (2 Months, Family of 3)

Category	Cost
Accommodation	£5,200–5,400
Summer Camp	£1200
Transport	£350–550
Food	£1,200–1,500
Leisure	£300–480

🔹 Grand Total:

£8,600–9,500

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📌 What This Means in Real Life

👉 About £4,300–4,750 per month for a family of three

 

This included:

✔ Private house
✔ Backyard
✔ Summer camp
✔ Museums
✔ Swimming & gym
✔ City trips

London is expensive as a tourist city — but as a lifestyle city, it becomes surprisingly doable.

 

“Worldschooling — Learning from the World, the Introvert Family Way”
_Emma

 

 

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