RAF Lakenheath & Mildenhall housing and COLA at a glance
Lakenheath/Mildenhall (E), United Kingdom (DoD locality GB352). DTMO files these places under the same locality, so the same rates apply: Mildenhall, RAF Honington, RAF Marham, RAF Wattisham.
An E-5 with dependents can rent up to $2,328 a month (1,685 GBP) and receives $1,148 for utilities and maintenance, $3,476 a month in total OHA at the ceiling. With two dependents and 6 years of service, COLA adds about $704 a month. Both are tax-free.
OHA rent ceilings for every grade
OHA reimburses your actual rent up to the ceiling for your grade, so renting below it means a smaller payment, not money kept. Without dependents, the ceiling is 90% of the with-dependents figure.
| Grade | With deps | Without deps | Ceiling (GBP) |
|---|---|---|---|
| E-1 | $1,919 | $1,727 | 1,389 GBP |
| E-2 | $1,919 | $1,727 | 1,389 GBP |
| E-3 | $1,919 | $1,727 | 1,389 GBP |
| E-4 | $1,919 | $1,727 | 1,389 GBP |
| E-5 | $2,328 | $2,095 | 1,685 GBP |
| E-6 | $2,667 | $2,401 | 1,931 GBP |
| E-7 | $2,667 | $2,401 | 1,931 GBP |
| E-8 | $2,667 | $2,401 | 1,931 GBP |
| E-9 | $3,246 | $2,922 | 2,350 GBP |
| W-1 | $2,328 | $2,095 | 1,685 GBP |
| W-2 | $2,667 | $2,401 | 1,931 GBP |
| W-3 | $3,246 | $2,922 | 2,350 GBP |
| W-4 | $3,246 | $2,922 | 2,350 GBP |
| W-5 | $3,592 | $3,232 | 2,600 GBP |
| O-1E | $2,667 | $2,401 | 1,931 GBP |
| O-2E | $2,667 | $2,401 | 1,931 GBP |
| O-3E | $3,246 | $2,922 | 2,350 GBP |
| O-1 | $2,328 | $2,095 | 1,685 GBP |
| O-2 | $2,328 | $2,095 | 1,685 GBP |
| O-3 | $2,667 | $2,401 | 1,931 GBP |
| O-4 | $3,246 | $2,922 | 2,350 GBP |
| O-5 | $3,592 | $3,232 | 2,600 GBP |
| O-6 | $4,144 | $3,730 | 3,000 GBP |
Utilities and move-in
- Utility/recurring maintenance allowance: $1,148 a month with dependents, $861 without (831 GBP with dependents).
- Move-in housing allowance (MIHA) miscellaneous: $693, paid once when you sign a lease (502 GBP).
Rent ceilings effective 16 July 2026. Converted at DTMO's pay-system rate of 1 GBP = $1.381406 (October 1, 2026). DTMO revises it on the 1st and 16th of each month, so the dollar amount moves even when the ceiling does not.
COLA in RAF Lakenheath & Mildenhall
The COLA index here is 124 (effective July 1, 2026), meaning goods and services cost about 24% more than in the U.S. COLA is paid on top of base pay and OHA. Estimated monthly COLA by grade and number of dependents:
| Grade (YOS) | No deps | 1 dep | 2 deps | 3 deps | 4 deps |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| E-3 (2 yrs) | $634 | $669 | $704 | $739 | $774 |
| E-4 (4 yrs) | $634 | $669 | $704 | $739 | $774 |
| E-5 (6 yrs) | $634 | $669 | $704 | $739 | $774 |
| E-6 (10 yrs) | $634 | $669 | $704 | $739 | $774 |
| E-7 (14 yrs) | $634 | $669 | $704 | $739 | $774 |
| E-8 (18 yrs) | $679 | $716 | $754 | $792 | $829 |
| E-9 (22 yrs) | $765 | $808 | $850 | $893 | $935 |
| W-2 (8 yrs) | $634 | $669 | $704 | $739 | $774 |
| O-2 (3 yrs) | $657 | $694 | $730 | $767 | $803 |
| O-3 (6 yrs) | $722 | $762 | $802 | $842 | $882 |
| O-4 (12 yrs) | $826 | $872 | $918 | $964 | $1,010 |
| O-5 (18 yrs) | $923 | $975 | $1,026 | $1,077 | $1,129 |
| O-6 (22 yrs) | $1,012 | $1,068 | $1,124 | $1,180 | $1,236 |
Estimates use 2026 base pay at the years of service shown and DTMO's spendable-income table (CY2026 tables (effective Feb 1, 2026)). COLA = spendable income × (index − 100) ÷ 100 ÷ 12. Members without dependents living in government quarters receive a reduced rate. Run your exact grade, years of service and dependents in the OCONUS COLA calculator.
How RAF Lakenheath & Mildenhall compares
The COLA index of 124 is the 22nd-highest of 27 United Kingdom localities DTMO prices for OHA, and in the bottom 41% of the 624 locations worldwide that pay COLA.
Its E-5 rent ceiling ranks 10th of 27 in United Kingdom.
Where the ceiling steps up with rank (with dependents): enlisted $1,919 for E-1 to E-4, $2,328 at E-5 (+$409), $2,667 from E-6 to E-8 (+$339), and $3,246 at E-9 (+$579); officers $2,328 for O-1 to O-2, $2,667 at O-3 (+$339), $3,246 at O-4 (+$579), $3,592 at O-5 (+$346), and $4,144 at O-6 (+$552). A promotion that lands before you sign a lease raises what you can rent.
At the ceiling, an E-5 with two dependents draws about $4,180 a month here in OHA and COLA combined, tax-free. The same member receives $2,061 in BAH at the median U.S. housing area. Treat that as a rough guide: OHA pays your actual rent rather than a flat amount, and COLA exists because everyday prices here run higher.
How these rates have moved
The COLA index is 124 (June 1, 2026), the same as on January 1, 2026, though it ranged from 120 to 124 in the months between.
| Effective | COLA index | E-5, 2 deps* |
|---|---|---|
| June 1, 2026 | 124 | $704 |
| April 16, 2026 | 120 | $587 |
| January 1, 2026 | 124 | $704 |
*Monthly COLA at 2026 base pay (6 years of service), so the column isolates the effect of the index.
From DTMO's published COLA indices and OHA exchange rates as recorded by this site each pay period.
Other United Kingdom localities
E-5 with dependents. Your OHA follows the locality of your duty station, so these apply only if you are assigned there.
| Locality | OHA rent ceiling | COLA index |
|---|---|---|
| Aldermaston | $2,241 | 130 |
| Bath | $2,072 | 142 |
| Cambridge | $2,685 | 124 |
| Cheltenham | $2,341 | 130 |
| Fairford | $2,724 | 126 |
| Harrogate/Menwith Hill | $2,303 | 132 |
| Helston | $1,450 | 130 |
| High Wycombe/Daws Hill | $2,625 | 130 |
| London, United Kingdom | $4,451 | 144 |
| Other England (United Kingdom) | $2,680 | 130 |
| Oxford | $3,730 | 120 |
| Plymouth | $1,865 | 130 |
| Portland | $1,865 | 130 |
| Portsmouth | $1,841 | 130 |
| RAF Alconbury | $2,141 | 130 |
| RAF Croughton | $2,872 | 120 |
| RAF Digby | $2,003 | 130 |
| Rochester | $1,144 | 130 |
| Salisbury/Wilton MOD Housing (E) 16,19/ | $1,006 | 132 |
| Salisbury/Wilton Non-Mod Housing | $1,741 | 132 |
| Scotland | $3,166 | 132 |
| St Mawgan MOD Housing (E) 17,19/ | $967 | 118 |
| St Mawgan Non-Mod Housing | $1,264 | 118 |
| Wales | $1,450 | 132 |
| Welford | $2,210 | 130 |
Plus 1 more in the United Kingdom list.
Using these numbers
- Your exact OHA by grade and dependents: OHA calculator. Your exact COLA: OCONUS COLA calculator.
- Planning the move: PCS calculator for DLA, per diem and weight allowance.
- Coming home: COLA stops the day you leave. The COLA trap shows how to plan for it.
Sources: DTMO OHA rate tables and OCONUS COLA indices, refreshed each pay period. Estimates for planning; your finance office's figure is the one that pays.