Bath vs London

Which is better to live in? (2026)

62

Bath

South West

Grade C
71

London

London

Grade BHigher Overall
Bath: 0 wins|London: 8 wins

Bath (South West) and London (London) are two UK areas home buyers and renters frequently weigh against each other. On our overall Area Score, Bath rates 62/100 (grade C) and London rates 71/100 (grade B). London is the safer of the two on crime (56/100 versus 48/100). London has the stronger schools, with 67% of nearby schools rated Good or Outstanding by Ofsted. London works out cheaper for typical monthly household bills (~£322 versus ~£440). The full side-by-side breakdown of crime, schools, transport, affordability, broadband, environment and healthcare is below, followed by our verdict on which area fits which kind of buyer.

Bath vs London: Category Comparison

Bath
Category
London
62/100
🏆Overall Score
BETTER71/100
48/100
🔒Crime Safety
BETTER56/100
60% Good/Outstanding
🎓Schools
BETTER67% Good/Outstanding
88/100
🚆Transport
BETTER97/100
72/100
💷Affordability
BETTER87/100
~£440/mo
🧾Monthly Bills
BETTER~£322/mo
65/100
📶Broadband
BETTER80/100
25/100
🌿Environment
25/100
64/100
🏥Healthcare
BETTER87/100

Our Verdict

London leads in 6 of 8 categories, scoring higher for crime safety, schools, transport. That said, Bath has the edge in energy efficiency, making it a strong option depending on what matters most to you.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Bath or London better to live in?

London leads in 6 of 8 categories, scoring higher for crime safety, schools, transport. That said, Bath has the edge in energy efficiency, making it a strong option depending on what matters most to you.

Is Bath safer than London?

London scores higher for crime safety (56/100) compared to Bath (48/100). Scores are based on the Index of Multiple Deprivation crime domain.

Which has better schools, Bath or London?

Bath has 15 schools within 3km, with 60% rated Good or Outstanding by Ofsted. London has 15 schools nearby, with 67% rated Good or Outstanding.

Is it cheaper to live in Bath or London?

Estimated monthly bills are lower in London (~£322/month) compared to Bath (~£440/month). Bills include council tax, energy, water, broadband, and insurance estimates.

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Data sources: Scores are estimated using pre-loaded data from MHCLG Indices of Deprivation, Ofsted/GIAS school ratings, DfT Transport Connectivity 2025, MHCLG council tax data, Ofgem energy price cap, and regional averages. For full live data from 20+ government sources, view the individual town reports. Data provided under the Open Government Licence v3.0.