Cost of Living Comparison Between Caernarfon and Edinburgh Cost of Living Comparison Between Caernarfon and Edinburgh

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,244 in Caernarfon versus $2,691 in Edinburgh.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,826 in Caernarfon versus $4,039 in Edinburgh.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,407 in Caernarfon versus $5,386 in Edinburgh.

Living in Caernarfon costs roughly 54% less than in Edinburgh, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Caernarfon is 9% below, Edinburgh is 96% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.29 £9.82

$24.27 £17.94

-45.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$94.8 £70.1

$109 £80.9

-13.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.69 £7.16

$10.91 £8.06

-11.18%

Cappuccino

$4.03 £2.98

$5.18 £3.83

-22.20%

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

$2.52 £1.86

$2.53 £1.87

-0.40%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.93 £1.42

$2.17 £1.60

-11.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.97 £3.68

$8.19 £6.05

-39.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.03 £2.98

$8.12 £6.00

-50.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.94 £1.43

$1.76 £1.30

10.23%

White Bread (500g)

$1.80 £1.33

$2.33 £1.72

-22.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.19 £1.62

$2.33 £1.72

-6.01%

Eggs

$2.48 £1.83

$5.09 £3.76

-51.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.58 £8.56

$9.30 £6.87

24.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.28 £5.38

$9.54 £7.06

-23.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.71 £11.61

$15.99 £11.82

-1.75%

Apples (1kg)

$2.58 £1.91

$3.01 £2.22

-14.29%

Banana (1kg)

$1.33 £0.98

$1.79 £1.33

-25.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.32 £0.98

$3.46 £2.56

-61.85%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.33 £0.98

$3.53 £2.61

-62.32%

Potato (1kg)

$1.65 £1.22

$2.19 £1.62

-24.66%

Onion (1kg)

$1.85 £1.37

$1.52 £1.12

21.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.36 £1.01

$1.27 £0.94

7.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.60 £1.18

$1.91 £1.41

-16.23%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$22.67 £16.75

$24.28 £17.95

-6.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.25 £6.84

$11.30 £8.35

-18.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.63 £2.68

$3.02 £2.23

20.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.45 £2.55

$3.17 £2.35

8.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$5.53 £4.09

$2.95 £2.18

87.46%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$68.1 £50.4

$101 £74.5

-32.39%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.20 £3.85

$5.45 £4.03

-4.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.48 £1.83

$1.95 £1.44

27.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.49 £18.10

$28.94 £21.39

-15.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.94 £1.43

$2.05 £1.51

-5.37%

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

$39.8K £29.4K

$39.3K £29.0K

1.28%

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

$41.4K £30.6K

-0.03%

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

$333 £246

$343 £253

-2.98%

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

$21.38 £15.80

$17.03 £12.59

25.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$41.10 £30.38

$43.01 £31.80

-4.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.94 £22.87

$47.96 £35.45

-35.49%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.68 £17.50

Cinema Ticket

$16.52 £12.21

$15.04 £11.12

9.84%

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

$1,651 £1,220

$1,824 £1,349

-9.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.6K £18.2K

$25.5K £18.8K

-3.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$107 £79.4

$85.8 £63.4

25.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.84 £36.84

$50.3 £37.18

-0.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$109 £80.4

$108 £79.5

1.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.7 £58.9

$118 £87.6

-32.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$682 £504

$1,644 £1,216

-58.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,229 £909

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,844 £2,103

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,655 £1,223

$2,187 £1,617

-24.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,732 £4,976

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,734 £3,499

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,666 £2,710

$3,581 £2,647

2.37%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.09

4.78

6.49%

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

Last update for Caernarfon: September 1, 2026

Last update for Edinburgh: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $682 in Caernarfon and $1,644 in Edinburgh. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Caernarfon pays 2% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $95.0 in Caernarfon vs $109 in Edinburgh for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $284 vs $333 per month, with Caernarfon 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

Caernarfon vs Edinburgh: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Caernarfon is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 116% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 2% higher in Caernarfon, 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: $682 in Caernarfon versus $1,644 in Edinburgh. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Caernarfon – a meal for two runs $95.0 versus $109 in Edinburgh. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,244 per month in Caernarfon versus $2,691 in Edinburgh – a 116% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,244 in Caernarfon versus $2,691 in Edinburgh, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Caernarfon but tight or insufficient in Edinburgh. The gap between the two cities makes Caernarfon the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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

Safety-wise, Caernarfon 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 Caernarfon gentler on the wallet – expenses run 116% less than in Edinburgh. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.