Cost of Living Comparison Between Edinburgh and London 
| Indices Difference |  |
|---|---|
| Cost of Living in London is 20.3% higher than in Edinburgh (excluding rent) | |
| Cost of Living Including Rent in London is 38.9% higher than in Edinburgh | |
| Rent Prices in London are 82.6% higher than in Edinburgh | |
| Restaurant Prices in London are 6.7% higher than in Edinburgh | |
| Groceries Prices in London are 4.7% higher than in Edinburgh | |
| Local Purchasing Power in London is 4.1% lower than in Edinburgh | |
Restaurants | Edinburgh Edit |
London Edit | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Meal at an Inexpensive Restaurant | 18.00 £ | 20.00 £ | +11.1 % |
| Meal for Two at a Mid-Range Restaurant (Three Courses, Without Drinks) | 80.00 £ | 80.00 £ | 0.0 % |
| Combo Meal at McDonald's (or Equivalent Fast-Food Meal) | 7.22 £ | 8.50 £ | +17.7 % |
| Domestic Draft Beer (1 Pint) | 6.00 £ | 6.50 £ | +8.3 % |
| Imported Beer (12 oz Small Bottle) | 5.00 £ | 6.00 £ | +20.0 % |
| Cappuccino (Regular Size) | 3.92 £ | 4.06 £ | +3.7 % |
| Soft Drink (Coca-Cola or Pepsi, 12 oz Small Bottle) | 2.13 £ | 2.35 £ | +10.3 % |
| Bottled Water (12 oz) | 1.63 £ | 1.51 £ | -7.1 % |
Markets | Edinburgh Edit |
London Edit | |
| Milk (Regular, 1 Liter) | 1.28 £ | 1.30 £ | +1.5 % |
| Fresh White Bread (1 lb Loaf) | 1.21 £ | 1.46 £ | +20.2 % |
| White Rice (1 lb) | 0.70 £ | 0.85 £ | +21.2 % |
| Eggs (12, Large Size) | 3.41 £ | 3.69 £ | +8.3 % |
| Local Cheese (1 lb) | 3.17 £ | 3.94 £ | +24.4 % |
| Chicken Fillets (1 lb) | 3.39 £ | 3.03 £ | -10.9 % |
| Beef Round or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat (1 lb) | 5.57 £ | 5.63 £ | +1.1 % |
| Apples (1 lb) | 1.05 £ | 1.10 £ | +5.2 % |
| Bananas (1 lb) | 0.57 £ | 0.55 £ | -3.3 % |
| Oranges (1 lb) | 1.11 £ | 0.99 £ | -10.8 % |
| Tomatoes (1 lb) | 1.28 £ | 1.14 £ | -11.0 % |
| Potatoes (1 lb) | 0.63 £ | 0.57 £ | -8.8 % |
| Onions (1 lb) | 0.50 £ | 0.60 £ | +21.5 % |
| Lettuce (1 Head) | 0.93 £ | 1.09 £ | +16.7 % |
| Bottled Water (50 oz) | 1.21 £ | 1.33 £ | +9.2 % |
| Bottle of Wine (Mid-Range) | 8.00 £ | 9.00 £ | +12.5 % |
| Domestic Beer (16.9 oz Bottle) | 1.97 £ | 2.51 £ | +27.4 % |
| Imported Beer (12 oz Small Bottle) | 2.46 £ | 3.09 £ | +25.8 % |
| Cigarettes (Pack of 20, Marlboro) | 15.60 £ | 17.00 £ | +9.0 % |
Transportation | Edinburgh Edit |
London Edit | |
| One-Way Ticket (Local Transport) | 2.20 £ | 3.50 £ | +59.1 % |
| Monthly Public Transport Pass (Regular Price) | 70.00 £ | 180.00 £ | +157.1 % |
| Taxi Start (Standard Tariff) | 4.00 £ | 4.20 £ | +5.0 % |
| Taxi 1 mile (Standard Tariff) | 2.41 £ | 3.99 £ | +65.3 % |
| Taxi 1 Hour Waiting (Standard Tariff) | 28.00 £ | 38.00 £ | +35.7 % |
| Gasoline (1 Liter) | 1.40 £ | 1.39 £ | -0.8 % |
| Volkswagen Golf 1.5 (or Equivalent New Compact Car) | 28,895.00 £ | 28,590.00 £ | -1.1 % |
| Toyota Corolla Sedan 1.6 (or Equivalent New Mid-Size Car) | 30,023.86 £ | 29,864.82 £ | -0.5 % |
Utilities (Monthly) | Edinburgh Edit |
London Edit | |
| Basic Utilities for 915 Square Feet Apartment (Electricity, Heating, Cooling, Water, Garbage) | 266.65 £ | 266.17 £ | -0.2 % |
| Mobile Phone Plan (Monthly, with Calls and 10GB+ Data) | 13.29 £ | 14.12 £ | +6.3 % |
| Broadband Internet (Unlimited Data, 60 Mbps or Higher) | 31.62 £ | 33.38 £ | +5.6 % |
Sports And Leisure | Edinburgh Edit |
London Edit | |
| Monthly Fitness Club Membership | 38.36 £ | 53.06 £ | +38.3 % |
| Tennis Court Rental (1 Hour, Weekend) | 14.88 £ | 18.59 £ | +24.9 % |
| Cinema Ticket (International Release) | 11.00 £ | 15.00 £ | +36.4 % |
Childcare | Edinburgh Edit |
London Edit | |
| Private Full-Day Preschool or Kindergarten, Monthly Fee per Child | 1,515.00 £ | 1,902.53 £ | +25.6 % |
| International Primary School, Annual Tuition per Child | 17,400.00 £ | 23,034.62 £ | +32.4 % |
Clothing And Shoes | Edinburgh Edit |
London Edit | |
| Jeans (Levi's 501 or Similar) | 81.29 £ | 88.42 £ | +8.8 % |
| Summer Dress in a Chain Store (e.g. Zara or H&M) | 40.05 £ | 39.07 £ | -2.4 % |
| Nike Running Shoes (Mid-Range) | 91.73 £ | 92.74 £ | +1.1 % |
| Men's Leather Business Shoes | 89.39 £ | 107.27 £ | +20.0 % |
Rent Per Month | Edinburgh Edit |
London Edit | |
| 1 Bedroom Apartment in City Centre | 1,149.09 £ | 2,299.13 £ | +100.1 % |
| 1 Bedroom Apartment Outside of City Centre | 900.95 £ | 1,716.18 £ | +90.5 % |
| 3 Bedroom Apartment in City Centre | 2,142.86 £ | 3,818.52 £ | +78.2 % |
| 3 Bedroom Apartment Outside of City Centre | 1,607.37 £ | 2,757.67 £ | +71.6 % |
Buy Apartment Price | Edinburgh Edit |
London Edit | |
| Price per Square Feet to Buy Apartment in City Centre | 457.08 £ | 1,360.43 £ | +197.6 % |
| Price per Square Feet to Buy Apartment Outside of Centre | 330.96 £ | 731.45 £ | +121.0 % |
Salaries And Financing | Edinburgh Edit |
London Edit | |
| Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax) | 2,643.91 £ | 3,520.02 £ | +33.1 % |
| Annual Mortgage Interest Rate (20-Year Fixed, in %) | 5.08 | 4.58 | -9.8 % |
| Last update: | 3 December 2025 | 4 December 2025 | |
| Contributors in the past 12 months: | 191 | 571 |
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Cities near Edinburgh: | Cost of Living in Stirling | 36.65 miles |
| Cost of Living in Airdrie | 41.68 miles |
| Cost of Living in Glasgow | 46.66 miles |
| Cost of Living in Dundee | 62.38 miles |
| Cost of Living in Newcastle upon Tyne | 103.72 miles |
| Cost of Living in Sunderland | 119.54 miles |
| Cost of Living in Durham | 121.65 miles |
| Cost of Living in Aberdeen | 126.59 miles |
| Cost of Living in Middlesbrough | 145.33 miles |
| Cost of Living in Inverness | 157.14 miles |
Cities near London: | Cost of Living in Westminster | 2.09 miles |
| Cost of Living in Southwark | 3.41 miles |
| Cost of Living in Ealing | 10.41 miles |
| Cost of Living in Croydon | 11.15 miles |
| Cost of Living in Kingston upon Thames | 11.19 miles |
| Cost of Living in Barnet | 16.17 miles |
| Cost of Living in Watford | 20.33 miles |
| Cost of Living in Slough | 22.72 miles |
| Cost of Living in Harlow | 24.88 miles |
| Cost of Living in Welwyn Garden City | 25.71 miles |