Cost of Living Comparison Between Dundee and Edinburgh Cost of Living Comparison Between Dundee and Edinburgh

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,949 in Dundee versus $2,674 in Edinburgh.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,023 in Dundee versus $4,023 in Edinburgh.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,097 in Dundee versus $5,372 in Edinburgh.

Living in Dundee costs roughly 27% less than in Edinburgh, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Dundee 46% above, Edinburgh 100% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.74 £15.51

$20.30 £15.17

2.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$95.7 £71.5

$101 £75.8

-5.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.06 £7.52

$10.07 £7.53

-0.10%

Cappuccino

$4.32 £3.23

$5.17 £3.87

-16.44%

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

$2.19 £1.64

$2.51 £1.88

-12.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.32 £0.99

$2.04 £1.52

-35.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.75 £4.30

$7.29 £5.45

-21.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.76 £4.31

$6.59 £4.93

-12.59%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.04 £1.53

$1.68 £1.26

21.43%

White Bread (500g)

$1.50 £1.12

$1.67 £1.25

-10.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.55 £1.91

$2.17 £1.62

17.51%

Eggs

$4.89 £3.65

$4.38 £3.27

11.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.44 £6.31

$12.07 £9.03

-30.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.84 £7.35

$10.58 £7.91

-6.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.78 £11.80

$18.69 £13.97

-15.57%

Apples (1kg)

$3.26 £2.44

$3.17 £2.37

2.84%

Banana (1kg)

$2.36 £1.76

$1.49 £1.12

58.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.72 £2.04

$4.05 £3.03

-32.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.64 £3.47

$4.71 £3.52

-1.49%

Potato (1kg)

$2.09 £1.56

$1.79 £1.34

16.76%

Onion (1kg)

$1.86 £1.39

$1.45 £1.08

28.28%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 £0.92

$1.16 £0.87

6.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.06 £1.54

$1.37 £1.03

50.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$18.85 £14.09

$20.09 £15.02

-6.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.07 £9.03

$11.24 £8.40

7.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.27 £2.44

$2.58 £1.93

26.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.91 £2.17

$3.36 £2.51

-13.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.58 £2.68

$2.67 £2.00

34.08%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$59.2 £44.24

$89.7 £67.1

-34.07%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.78 £3.57

$5.57 £4.16

-14.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.40 £1.04

$3.04 £2.27

-53.95%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.47 £17.54

$42.13 £31.50

-44.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.95 £1.46

$1.91 £1.43

2.09%

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

$38.4K £28.7K

$38.0K £28.4K

1.07%

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

$47.8K £35.7K

$39.9K £29.8K

19.82%

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

$235 £176

$382 £285

-38.42%

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

$14.62 £10.93

$17.32 £12.95

-15.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$47.89 £35.80

$43.52 £32.53

10.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.56 £36.30

$54.5 £40.75

-10.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.47 £7.08

$24.48 £18.30

-61.32%

Cinema Ticket

$13.13 £9.82

$14.67 £10.97

-10.50%

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

$1,636 £1,223

$1,907 £1,426

-14.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.5K £12.3K

$23.3K £17.5K

-29.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$98.8 £73.8

$117 £87.1

-15.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$64.9 £48.53

$55.8 £41.73

16.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$137 £102

$118 £88.2

16.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$123 £91.6

$124 £92.4

-0.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$920 £688

$1,622 £1,213

-43.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$683 £511

$1,240 £927

-44.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,540 £1,151

$3,054 £2,283

-49.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,101 £823

$2,224 £1,663

-50.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,227 £3,160

$6,732 £5,033

-37.21%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,306 £2,472

$4,663 £3,486

-29.10%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,195 £2,389

$3,572 £2,671

-10.55%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.9

5.63

4.80%

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

Last update for Dundee: July 21, 2026

Last update for Edinburgh: July 19, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $920 in Dundee and $1,622 in Edinburgh. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Edinburgh pays 12% 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: $96.0 in Dundee vs $101 in Edinburgh for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $338 vs $341 per month, with Dundee 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

Dundee vs Edinburgh: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Dundee and Edinburgh differ by about 37% in total monthly costs ($1,949 vs $2,674 including rent). Dundee is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 12% lower in Edinburgh. 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: $920 in Dundee versus $1,622 in Edinburgh. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Dundee runs roughly 52% less than in Edinburgh. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $1,636 in Dundee versus $1,907 in Edinburgh. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,949 in Dundee versus $2,674 in Edinburgh, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Dundee but tight or insufficient in Edinburgh. The gap between the two cities makes Dundee the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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.

Safety-wise, Dundee 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 Dundee gentler on the wallet – expenses run 37% less than in Edinburgh. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.