Cost of Living Comparison Between Bath and Edinburgh Cost of Living Comparison Between Bath and Edinburgh

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,808 in Bath versus $2,691 in Edinburgh.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,048 in Bath versus $4,039 in Edinburgh.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,287 in Bath versus $5,386 in Edinburgh.

Living in Bath is roughly 4% more expensive than in Edinburgh, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Bath 104% above, Edinburgh 96% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.13 £17.85

$24.27 £17.95

-0.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$100 £74.2

$109 £81.0

-8.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.89 £8.05

$10.91 £8.07

-0.18%

Cappuccino

$5.08 £3.76

$5.18 £3.83

-1.93%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.12 £2.31

$2.53 £1.87

23.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.10 £1.56

$2.17 £1.60

-3.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.79 £5.76

$8.19 £6.06

-4.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.88 £5.09

$8.12 £6.01

-15.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.83 £1.35

$1.76 £1.30

3.98%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 £1.30

$2.33 £1.72

-24.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.19 £1.62

$2.33 £1.72

-6.01%

Eggs

$4.33 £3.21

$5.09 £3.76

-14.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.74 £7.20

$9.30 £6.88

4.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.71 £7.19

$9.54 £7.06

1.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.67 £10.85

$15.99 £11.83

-8.26%

Apples (1kg)

$3.22 £2.38

$3.01 £2.22

6.98%

Banana (1kg)

$1.84 £1.36

$1.79 £1.33

2.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.17 £2.34

$3.46 £2.56

-8.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.23 £3.13

$3.53 £2.61

19.83%

Potato (1kg)

$2.08 £1.54

$2.19 £1.62

-5.02%

Onion (1kg)

$1.59 £1.17

$1.52 £1.12

4.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.27 £0.94

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.97 £1.46

$1.91 £1.41

3.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$24.15 £17.87

$24.28 £17.96

-0.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.14 £8.24

$11.30 £8.36

-1.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.07 £2.27

$3.02 £2.23

1.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.41 £2.52

$3.17 £2.35

7.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.50 £2.59

$2.95 £2.18

18.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$133 £98.1

$101 £74.6

31.51%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.69 £3.47

$5.45 £4.03

-13.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.64 £1.22

$1.95 £1.44

-15.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.53 £20.37

$28.94 £21.41

-4.87%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.05 £1.52

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$39.9K £29.5K

$39.3K £29.0K

1.63%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$41.9K £31.0K

$41.4K £30.6K

1.27%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$316 £233

$343 £254

-7.96%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$17.46 £12.92

$17.03 £12.60

2.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$44.22 £32.71

$43.01 £31.82

2.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.61 £34.48

$47.96 £35.48

-2.81%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.31 £15.03

$23.68 £17.52

-14.23%

Cinema Ticket

$14.19 £10.50

$15.04 £11.13

-5.65%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$2,016 £1,492

$1,824 £1,350

10.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$25.7K £19.0K

$25.5K £18.8K

0.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$98.2 £72.6

$85.8 £63.5

14.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.08 £36.31

$50.3 £37.21

-2.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$110 £81.3

$108 £79.6

2.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$101 £74.4

$118 £87.6

-15.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,841 £1,362

$1,644 £1,217

11.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,405 £1,040

$1,229 £909

14.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,674 £2,718

$2,844 £2,104

29.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,159 £1,597

$2,187 £1,618

-1.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$10.0K £7,429

$6,732 £4,980

49.16%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,938 £5,133

$4,734 £3,502

46.57%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,761 £2,782

$3,581 £2,649

5.03%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.11

4.78

6.90%

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

Last update for Bath: August 30, 2026

Last update for Edinburgh: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,841 in Bath and $1,644 in Edinburgh. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bath pays 5% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $100 in Bath vs $109 in Edinburgh for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $327 vs $333 per month, with Bath cheaper across the board.

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

Bath vs Edinburgh: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Edinburgh is cheaper overall, especially in Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 4% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 5% higher in Bath, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,841 in Bath versus $1,644 in Edinburgh. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,808 per month in Bath versus $2,691 in Edinburgh – a 4% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Edinburgh runs roughly 32% less than in Bath. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,500. Edinburgh is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

For families, Edinburgh is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Bath, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Bath and Edinburgh are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Edinburgh gentler on the wallet – expenses run 4% less than in Bath. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.