Cost of Living Comparison Between London and Edinburgh 
| Indices Difference |  |
|---|---|
| Cost of Living in Edinburgh is 15.6% lower than in London (excluding rent) | |
| Cost of Living Including Rent in Edinburgh is 27.6% lower than in London | |
| Rent Prices in Edinburgh are 46.1% lower than in London | |
| Restaurant Prices in Edinburgh are 5.9% lower than in London | |
| Groceries Prices in Edinburgh are 3.6% lower than in London | |
| Local Purchasing Power in Edinburgh is 7.7% higher than in London | |
Restaurants | London Edit |
Edinburgh Edit | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Meal at an Inexpensive Restaurant | 20.00 £ | 18.00 £ | -10.0 % |
| 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) | 8.25 £ | 7.21 £ | -12.6 % |
| Domestic Draft Beer (1 Pint) | 6.50 £ | 6.00 £ | -7.7 % |
| Imported Beer (12 oz Small Bottle) | 6.00 £ | 5.00 £ | -16.7 % |
| Cappuccino (Regular Size) | 4.02 £ | 3.92 £ | -2.6 % |
| Soft Drink (Coca-Cola or Pepsi, 12 oz Small Bottle) | 2.34 £ | 2.10 £ | -10.0 % |
| Bottled Water (12 oz) | 1.52 £ | 1.63 £ | +7.1 % |
Markets | London Edit |
Edinburgh Edit | |
| Milk (Regular, 1 Liter) | 1.28 £ | 1.26 £ | -1.7 % |
| Fresh White Bread (1 lb Loaf) | 1.42 £ | 1.18 £ | -17.0 % |
| White Rice (1 lb) | 0.88 £ | 0.67 £ | -23.5 % |
| Eggs (12, Large Size) | 3.71 £ | 3.35 £ | -9.6 % |
| Local Cheese (1 lb) | 3.81 £ | 3.15 £ | -17.3 % |
| Chicken Fillets (1 lb) | 3.02 £ | 3.37 £ | +11.3 % |
| Beef Round or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat (1 lb) | 5.56 £ | 5.90 £ | +6.0 % |
| Apples (1 lb) | 1.09 £ | 1.05 £ | -4.3 % |
| Bananas (1 lb) | 0.59 £ | 0.55 £ | -7.9 % |
| Oranges (1 lb) | 0.99 £ | 1.15 £ | +16.2 % |
| Tomatoes (1 lb) | 1.20 £ | 1.56 £ | +30.1 % |
| Potatoes (1 lb) | 0.56 £ | 0.61 £ | +9.3 % |
| Onions (1 lb) | 0.61 £ | 0.48 £ | -21.9 % |
| Lettuce (1 Head) | 1.08 £ | 0.90 £ | -16.7 % |
| Bottled Water (50 oz) | 1.36 £ | 1.19 £ | -12.6 % |
| Bottle of Wine (Mid-Range) | 8.70 £ | 8.00 £ | -8.0 % |
| Domestic Beer (16.9 oz Bottle) | 2.51 £ | 1.85 £ | -26.4 % |
| Imported Beer (12 oz Small Bottle) | 3.09 £ | 2.25 £ | -27.2 % |
| Cigarettes (Pack of 20, Marlboro) | 16.90 £ | 15.00 £ | -11.2 % |
Transportation | London Edit |
Edinburgh Edit | |
| One-Way Ticket (Local Transport) | 3.50 £ | 2.20 £ | -37.1 % |
| Monthly Public Transport Pass (Regular Price) | 180.00 £ | 68.00 £ | -62.2 % |
| Taxi Start (Standard Tariff) | 4.00 £ | 4.00 £ | 0.0 % |
| Taxi 1 mile (Standard Tariff) | 4.00 £ | 3.91 £ | -2.1 % |
| Taxi 1 Hour Waiting (Standard Tariff) | 30.00 £ | 31.50 £ | +5.0 % |
| Gasoline (1 Liter) | 1.40 £ | 1.41 £ | +0.6 % |
| Volkswagen Golf 1.5 (or Equivalent New Compact Car) | 28,285.00 £ | 28,285.00 £ | 0.0 % |
| Toyota Corolla Sedan 1.6 (or Equivalent New Mid-Size Car) | 29,735.44 £ | 28,874.40 £ | -2.9 % |
Utilities (Monthly) | London Edit |
Edinburgh Edit | |
| Basic Utilities for 915 Square Feet Apartment (Electricity, Heating, Cooling, Water, Garbage) | 266.12 £ | 259.49 £ | -2.5 % |
| Mobile Phone Plan (Monthly, with Calls and 10GB+ Data) | 14.89 £ | 13.14 £ | -11.8 % |
| Broadband Internet (Unlimited Data, 60 Mbps or Higher) | 32.67 £ | 31.14 £ | -4.7 % |
Sports And Leisure | London Edit |
Edinburgh Edit | |
| Monthly Fitness Club Membership | 52.83 £ | 38.96 £ | -26.3 % |
| Tennis Court Rental (1 Hour, Weekend) | 18.59 £ | 20.25 £ | +8.9 % |
| Cinema Ticket (International Release) | 15.00 £ | 12.00 £ | -20.0 % |
Childcare | London Edit |
Edinburgh Edit | |
| Private Full-Day Preschool or Kindergarten, Monthly Fee per Child | 1,903.89 £ | 1,502.00 £ | -21.1 % |
| International Primary School, Annual Tuition per Child | 21,336.46 £ | 17,400.00 £ | -18.4 % |
Clothing And Shoes | London Edit |
Edinburgh Edit | |
| Jeans (Levi's 501 or Similar) | 86.69 £ | 88.13 £ | +1.7 % |
| Summer Dress in a Chain Store (e.g. Zara or H&M) | 39.23 £ | 49.17 £ | +25.3 % |
| Nike Running Shoes (Mid-Range) | 93.83 £ | 97.50 £ | +3.9 % |
| Men's Leather Business Shoes | 110.91 £ | 103.62 £ | -6.6 % |
Rent Per Month | London Edit |
Edinburgh Edit | |
| 1 Bedroom Apartment in City Centre | 2,346.27 £ | 1,132.50 £ | -51.7 % |
| 1 Bedroom Apartment Outside of City Centre | 1,752.94 £ | 900.00 £ | -48.7 % |
| 3 Bedroom Apartment in City Centre | 3,817.65 £ | 2,145.24 £ | -43.8 % |
| 3 Bedroom Apartment Outside of City Centre | 2,764.83 £ | 1,578.95 £ | -42.9 % |
Buy Apartment Price | London Edit |
Edinburgh Edit | |
| Price per Square Feet to Buy Apartment in City Centre | 1,387.01 £ | 475.66 £ | -65.7 % |
| Price per Square Feet to Buy Apartment Outside of Centre | 758.88 £ | 334.63 £ | -55.9 % |
Salaries And Financing | London Edit |
Edinburgh Edit | |
| Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax) | 3,562.01 £ | 2,775.88 £ | -22.1 % |
| Annual Mortgage Interest Rate (20-Year Fixed, in %) | 4.74 | 5.05 | +6.5 % |
| Last update: | 18 November 2025 | 18 November 2025 | |
| Contributors in the past 12 months: | 641 | 193 |
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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 |
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 |