Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Bangor and Edinburgh

For one person, living is cheaper in Bangor: $1,926 a month against $2,724 in Edinburgh, rent and utilities included – about $9,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Bangor, United Kingdom
Edinburgh, United Kingdom
Bangor
🇬🇧 United Kingdom
$1,926
/mo nomad
Edinburgh
🇬🇧 United Kingdom
$2,724
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Bangor and in Edinburgh

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Bangor and in Edinburgh actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,926 in Bangor versus $2,724 in Edinburgh.

  • Bangor $1,926
  • Edinburgh $2,724

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,051 in Bangor versus $4,109 in Edinburgh.

  • Bangor $3,051
  • Edinburgh $4,109

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,176 in Bangor versus $5,494 in Edinburgh.

  • Bangor $4,176
  • Edinburgh $5,494

Living in Bangor costs roughly 29% less than in Edinburgh, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Bangor 42% above, Edinburgh 101% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Bangor
Edinburgh
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$23.76 £17.66
$24.24 £18.02
-1.98%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$84.0 £62.4
$108 £80.4
-22.42%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.08 £7.49
$10.67 £7.93
-5.53%
Cappuccino
$4.32 £3.21
$5.10 £3.79
-15.29%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.01 £1.49
$2.48 £1.85
-18.95%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.93 £1.44
$2.24 £1.66
-13.84%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$6.59 £4.90
$7.82 £5.81
-15.73%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$7.51 £5.58
$8.14 £6.05
-7.74%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Bangor
Edinburgh
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.85 £1.37
$1.74 £1.29
6.32%
White Bread (500g)
$2.22 £1.65
$2.32 £1.73
-4.31%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.30 £1.71
$2.34 £1.74
-1.71%
Eggs
$4.03 £3.00
$4.90 £3.65
-17.76%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.32 £7.67
$9.37 £6.96
10.14%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.54 £7.84
$9.62 £7.15
9.56%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$15.47 £11.50
$15.82 £11.75
-2.21%
Apples (1kg)
$2.65 £1.97
$3.09 £2.30
-14.24%
Banana (1kg)
$1.76 £1.31
$1.91 £1.42
-7.85%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.46 £1.83
$3.27 £2.43
-24.77%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.40 £2.53
$3.57 £2.66
-4.76%
Potato (1kg)
$1.52 £1.13
$1.99 £1.48
-23.62%
Onion (1kg)
$1.78 £1.33
$1.57 £1.17
13.38%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.30 £0.96
$1.29 £0.96
0.78%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.77 £1.32
$1.93 £1.44
-8.29%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$23.47 £17.45
$24.15 £17.95
-2.82%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.12 £7.52
$10.82 £8.04
-6.47%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$3.12 £2.32
$3.18 £2.36
-1.89%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.23 £2.40
$3.27 £2.43
-1.22%
🚌 Getting Around
Bangor
Edinburgh
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$4.04 £3.00
$3.29 £2.44
22.80%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$99.6 £74.0
$101 £74.9
-1.10%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.70 £3.50
$5.29 £3.93
-11.15%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.23 £1.66
$2.43 £1.80
-8.23%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$24.98 £18.57
$46.91 £34.86
-46.75%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.97 £1.47
$2.21 £1.64
-10.86%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$36.5K £27.1K
$38.5K £28.6K
-5.21%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$40.5K £30.1K
$40.5K £30.1K
0.07%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Bangor
Edinburgh
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$319 £237
$335 £249
-4.58%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$24.19 £17.98
$16.31 £12.12
48.31%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$40.03 £29.75
$40.88 £30.38
-2.08%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Bangor
Edinburgh
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$43.68 £32.47
$42.45 £31.55
2.90%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$20.37 £15.14
$24.02 £17.86
-15.20%
Cinema Ticket
$14.18 £10.54
$15.02 £11.16
-5.59%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Bangor
Edinburgh
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,896 £1,409
$1,869 £1,389
1.42%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$26.5K £19.7K
$26.0K £19.4K
1.95%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Bangor
Edinburgh
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$114 £84.6
$83.9 £62.3
35.71%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$52.5 £39.02
$47.78 £35.51
9.88%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$105 £77.7
$108 £80.5
-3.40%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$121 £90.2
$119 £88.5
1.86%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Bangor
Edinburgh
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$604 £449
$1,673 £1,243
-63.88%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$503 £374
$1,273 £946
-60.49%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,275 £948
$3,012 £2,238
-57.66%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,089 £810
$2,247 £1,670
-51.51%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$5,872 £4,364
$6,479 £4,815
-9.37%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$4,308 £3,202
$4,429 £3,292
-2.73%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Bangor
Edinburgh
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$2,398 £1,782
$3,796 £2,821
-36.82%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.5
4.77
15.30%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Bangor: November 1, 2026

Last update for Edinburgh: October 31, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Bangor
$503
Edinburgh
$1.3K 153% $770
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Bangor
$384
Edinburgh
$392 2.2% $8.3
Eating Out
Bangor
$336
Edinburgh
$361 7.6% $25
Groceries & Markets
Bangor
$324
Edinburgh
$333 2.8% $9.1
Clothing & Footwear
Bangor
$176
Edinburgh
$162 8.5% $15
Getting Around
Bangor
$132
Edinburgh
$131 0.2% $0.3
Sport & Entertainment
Bangor
$72
Edinburgh
$72 0.6% $0.4

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $604 in Bangor and $1,673 in Edinburgh. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Edinburgh pays 58% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $84 in Bangor vs $108 in Edinburgh for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $324 vs $333 per month, with Bangor cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇬🇧 Bangor
🇬🇧 Edinburgh
🕒 Local time
21:19 9:19 PM
21:19 9:19 PM
Same time as Bangor
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
17,988
488,050
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to GBP – British Pound Converter

British Pound exchange rates as of November 5, 2026: 1 USD = 0.743 GBP (1 GBP = 1.35 USD). 1 EUR = 0.834 GBP (1 GBP = 1.2 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Bangor Edinburgh 310 km
From you
  • Bangor
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Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.
Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index
Bangor vs Edinburgh: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Bangor cheaper than Edinburgh?
Bangor is about 29% cheaper overall, especially in eating out and groceries. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Bangor or Edinburgh?
On paper, salaries run 37% lower in Bangor. That’s worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
What is the rent difference between Bangor and Edinburgh?
Rent for a central apartment: $604 in Bangor versus $1,673 in Edinburgh. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do food prices compare in Bangor and in Edinburgh?
Supermarket bills run roughly 3% higher in Edinburgh. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
What are total monthly expenses in Bangor and in Edinburgh?
All in, you’ll spend $1,926 per month in Bangor versus $2,724 in Edinburgh – Bangor is about 29% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.
Is $2,500 a realistic budget for living in Bangor or in Edinburgh?
At $1,926 in Bangor versus $2,724 in Edinburgh, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Bangor but tight or insufficient in Edinburgh. The gap between the two cities makes Bangor the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is it better to live in Bangor or in Edinburgh?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.
Which city is safer, Bangor or Edinburgh?
Safety-wise, Bangor and Edinburgh are both considered safe, so it’s unlikely to be the deciding factor between them.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
It comes down to priorities – Bangor wins on affordability, Edinburgh on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.

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