Cost of Living Comparison Between Dumfries and Edinburgh Cost of Living Comparison Between Dumfries and Edinburgh

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,785 in Dumfries versus $2,767 in Edinburgh.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,755 in Dumfries versus $4,064 in Edinburgh.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,725 in Dumfries versus $5,361 in Edinburgh.

Living in Dumfries costs roughly 35% less than in Edinburgh, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Dumfries 33% above, Edinburgh 106% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.45 £12.25

$20.73 £15.44

-20.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$88.7 £66.1

$104 £77.1

-14.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.95 £5.92

$9.95 £7.41

-20.10%

Cappuccino

$3.87 £2.88

$5.32 £3.97

-27.26%

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

$2.31 £1.72

$2.61 £1.94

-11.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.34 £1.00

$2.01 £1.50

-33.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.98 £2.96

$7.64 £5.69

-47.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.01 £3.73

$6.93 £5.16

-27.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.47 £1.10

$1.65 £1.23

-10.91%

White Bread (500g)

$1.49 £1.11

$1.73 £1.29

-13.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.55 £1.90

$2.18 £1.62

16.97%

Eggs

$3.57 £2.66

$4.37 £3.26

-18.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.07 £6.01

$11.93 £8.88

-32.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.03 £7.47

$10.25 £7.63

-2.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.73 £11.72

$18.87 £14.06

-16.64%

Apples (1kg)

$2.54 £1.89

$3.22 £2.40

-21.12%

Banana (1kg)

$2.35 £1.75

$1.49 £1.11

57.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.36 £1.76

$4.14 £3.09

-43.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.34 £2.49

$4.74 £3.53

-29.54%

Potato (1kg)

$2.13 £1.59

$1.82 £1.36

17.03%

Onion (1kg)

$1.92 £1.43

$1.42 £1.06

35.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 £0.91

$1.16 £0.87

6.03%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 £1.32

$1.33 £0.99

33.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$18.72 £13.94

$20.21 £15.06

-7.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.79 £8.04

$11.36 £8.46

-5.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.28 £2.44

$2.50 £1.86

31.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.03 £2.26

$3.27 £2.44

-7.34%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.23 £3.15

$2.64 £1.97

60.23%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$98.6 £73.5

$89.4 £66.6

10.24%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.56 £4.14

$5.58 £4.16

-0.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.60 £1.19

$3.15 £2.34

-49.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.04 £10.46

$42.77 £31.86

-67.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.87 £1.39

$1.95 £1.45

-4.10%

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

$38.3K £28.6K

$38.2K £28.5K

0.27%

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

$41.3K £30.8K

$38.8K £28.9K

6.37%

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

$234 £174

$381 £284

-38.68%

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

$14.59 £10.87

$17.32 £12.91

-15.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$47.77 £35.59

$44.43 £33.10

7.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.9 £37.89

$54.5 £40.60

-6.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.02 £20.13

$24.51 £18.26

10.24%

Cinema Ticket

$12.97 £9.66

$14.73 £10.98

-11.95%

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

$1,614 £1,202

$1,944 £1,448

-16.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.1K £12.0K

$24.1K £18.0K

-33.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$94.7 £70.6

$118 £88.1

-19.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.2 £42.58

$55.6 £41.43

2.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$131 £97.7

$116 £86.7

12.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 £88.8

$126 £93.6

-5.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$633 £472

$1,653 £1,231

-61.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$554 £413

$1,201 £895

-53.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,020 £760

$3,062 £2,281

-66.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$965 £719

$2,168 £1,615

-55.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,616 £4,929

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,869 £3,628

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,570 £2,660

$3,659 £2,726

-2.42%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.45

5.63

-3.20%

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

Last update for Dumfries: June 1, 2026

Last update for Edinburgh: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $633 in Dumfries and $1,653 in Edinburgh. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Edinburgh pays 2% 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: $89.0 in Dumfries vs $104 in Edinburgh for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $309 vs $340 per month, with Dumfries 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

Dumfries vs Edinburgh: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Dumfries is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment. The 55% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Edinburgh earns 2% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $633 in Dumfries versus $1,653 in Edinburgh. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Dumfries – a meal for two runs $89.0 versus $104 in Edinburgh. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,785 per month in Dumfries versus $2,767 in Edinburgh – a 55% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,785 in Dumfries versus $2,767 in Edinburgh, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Dumfries but tight or insufficient in Edinburgh. The gap between the two cities makes Dumfries the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Dumfries 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, Dumfries 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 Dumfries gentler on the wallet – expenses run 55% less than in Edinburgh. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.