Cost of Living in Edinburgh
Summary of cost of living in Edinburgh, United Kingdom:
- The estimated monthly costs for a family of four are 4,202.5$ (3,106.8£), excluding rent (using our estimator).
- The estimated monthly costs for a single person are 1,204.8$ (890.7£), excluding rent.
- Edinburgh is 27.5% less expensive than New York (excluding rent, see our cost of living index).
- Rent in Edinburgh is, on average, 64.2% lower than in New York.
Restaurants |  Edit |
Range |
|---|---|---|
| Meal at an Inexpensive Restaurant | 18.00 £ | |
| Meal for Two at a Mid-Range Restaurant (Three Courses, Without Drinks) | 80.00 £ | |
| Combo Meal at McDonald's (or Equivalent Fast-Food Meal) | 7.50 £ | |
| Domestic Draft Beer (1 Pint) | 6.00 £ | |
| Imported Beer (12 oz Small Bottle) | 5.25 £ | |
| Cappuccino (Regular Size) | 3.84 £ | |
| Soft Drink (Coca-Cola or Pepsi, 12 oz Small Bottle) | 2.08 £ | |
| Bottled Water (12 oz) | 1.61 £ | |
Markets | Edit |
|
| Milk (Regular, 1 Liter) | 1.26 £ | |
| Fresh White Bread (1 lb Loaf) | 1.16 £ | |
| White Rice (1 lb) | 0.72 £ | |
| Eggs (12, Large Size) | 3.34 £ | |
| Local Cheese (1 lb) | 3.03 £ | |
| Chicken Fillets (1 lb) | 3.16 £ | |
| Beef Round or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat (1 lb) | 5.41 £ | |
| Apples (1 lb) | 1.02 £ | |
| Bananas (1 lb) | 0.56 £ | |
| Oranges (1 lb) | 1.08 £ | |
| Tomatoes (1 lb) | 1.20 £ | |
| Potatoes (1 lb) | 0.64 £ | |
| Onions (1 lb) | 0.50 £ | |
| Lettuce (1 Head) | 0.91 £ | |
| Bottled Water (50 oz) | 1.17 £ | |
| Bottle of Wine (Mid-Range) | 8.00 £ | |
| Domestic Beer (16.9 oz Bottle) | 2.03 £ | |
| Imported Beer (12 oz Small Bottle) | 2.54 £ | |
| Cigarettes (Pack of 20, Marlboro) | 16.12 £ | |
Transportation | Edit |
|
| One-Way Ticket (Local Transport) | 2.20 £ | |
| Monthly Public Transport Pass (Regular Price) | 73.00 £ | |
| Taxi Start (Standard Tariff) | 4.00 £ | |
| Taxi 1 mile (Standard Tariff) | 2.25 £ | |
| Taxi 1 Hour Waiting (Standard Tariff) | 21.60 £ | |
| Gasoline (1 Liter) | 1.37 £ | |
| Volkswagen Golf 1.5 (or Equivalent New Compact Car) | 28,895.00 £ | |
| Toyota Corolla Sedan 1.6 (or Equivalent New Mid-Size Car) | 30,598.33 £ | |
Utilities (Monthly) | Edit |
|
| Basic Utilities for 915 Square Feet Apartment (Electricity, Heating, Cooling, Water, Garbage) | 249.39 £ | |
| Mobile Phone Plan (Monthly, with Calls and 10GB+ Data) | 13.92 £ | |
| Broadband Internet (Unlimited Data, 60 Mbps or Higher) | 31.95 £ | |
Sports And Leisure | Edit |
|
| Monthly Fitness Club Membership | 40.05 £ | |
| Tennis Court Rental (1 Hour, Weekend) | 18.37 £ | |
| Cinema Ticket (International Release) | 11.00 £ | |
Childcare | Edit |
|
| Private Full-Day Preschool or Kindergarten, Monthly Fee per Child | 1,301.27 £ | |
| International Primary School, Annual Tuition per Child | 19,155.78 £ | |
Clothing And Shoes | Edit |
|
| Jeans (Levi's 501 or Similar) | 70.71 £ | |
| Summer Dress in a Chain Store (e.g. Zara or H&M) | 38.93 £ | |
| Nike Running Shoes (Mid-Range) | 85.06 £ | |
| Men's Leather Business Shoes | 90.01 £ | |
Rent Per Month | Edit |
|
| 1 Bedroom Apartment in City Centre | 1,194.38 £ | |
| 1 Bedroom Apartment Outside of City Centre | 881.82 £ | |
| 3 Bedroom Apartment in City Centre | 2,168.64 £ | |
| 3 Bedroom Apartment Outside of City Centre | 1,565.00 £ | |
Buy Apartment Price | Edit |
|
| Price per Square Feet to Buy Apartment in City Centre | 461.81 £ | |
| Price per Square Feet to Buy Apartment Outside of Centre | 331.80 £ | |
Salaries And Financing | Edit |
|
| Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax) | 2,685.38 £ | |
| Annual Mortgage Interest Rate (20-Year Fixed, in %) | 4.95 | |
Prices in Edinburgh
This city had 746 entries in the past 12 months by 116 different contributors.
Last update: 7 April 2026
Last update: 7 April 2026
Sources and References
Moving to Edinburgh? Explore:
Distribution of Expenses Using Our Statistical Model:
Nearby Cities:| Cost of Living in Stirling | 36.65 miles |
| Cost of Living in Airdrie | 41.68 miles |
| Cost of Living in Motherwell | 43.50 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 |
This Page in Other Languages:
 DeutschLebenshaltungskosten in Edinburgh
|
 PortuguêsCusto de Vida em Edimburgo
|
 ItalianoCosto della vita a Edimburgo
|
 FrançaisCoût de la vie à Édimbourg
|
 EspañolCoste de vida en Edimburgo
|
Salary Calculator:Got a job offer in Edinburgh? Estimate your take-home pay with our Salary Calculator for Edinburgh.
Wages are good, just negiotate well and they will increase it.
I'm a single man trying to estimate what my living expenses would be if I moved to Edinburgh. I was directed to Numbeo by Microsoft Bing AI Copilot.
You don't explicitly mention council tax in your estimate, or the cost of gas or electricity for cooking. Are the estimates for these items included under other headings? Or can you provide them?
Looking forward to hearing from you.
By the way -- sooner would be better as I have to decide by this time next week.
Kind regards
Tom Dyball
Thank you!!!
I think it's doable with £3k as well, though you'd need to be quite careful with spending.
£5k would be really comfortable though. Ofcourse it all depends on the lifestyle in the end.
I live in the centre of Edinburgh. I'm 44 and pathetic. Let me know if you want: 07754 953333
Similarly food wise, you can’t go wrong with Wings, hidden down a side ally on the Royal mile.