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: $1,958 in Dundee versus $2,763 in Edinburgh.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,989 in Dundee versus $4,126 in Edinburgh.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,019 in Dundee versus $5,489 in Edinburgh.

Living in Dundee costs roughly 29% less than in Edinburgh, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Dundee 46% above, Edinburgh 106% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.27 £14.98

$20.74 £15.33

-2.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$96.2 £71.1

$103 £75.9

-6.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.16 £7.51

$10.05 £7.42

1.09%

Cappuccino

$4.42 £3.26

$5.22 £3.85

-15.33%

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

$2.24 £1.66

$2.59 £1.91

-13.51%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.31 £0.97

$1.97 £1.46

-33.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.97 £4.42

$7.43 £5.49

-19.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.64 £4.17

$6.92 £5.12

-18.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.14 £1.58

$1.65 £1.22

29.70%

White Bread (500g)

$1.55 £1.15

$1.75 £1.29

-11.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.47 £1.83

$2.11 £1.56

17.06%

Eggs

$4.87 £3.60

$4.27 £3.16

14.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.41 £6.22

$12.04 £8.89

-30.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.57 £7.08

$10.27 £7.59

-6.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.73 £11.62

$18.89 £13.96

-16.73%

Apples (1kg)

$3.11 £2.29

$3.15 £2.33

-1.27%

Banana (1kg)

$2.33 £1.72

$1.53 £1.13

52.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.64 £1.95

$4.21 £3.11

-37.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.60 £3.40

$4.77 £3.52

-3.56%

Potato (1kg)

$2.10 £1.55

$1.74 £1.28

20.69%

Onion (1kg)

$1.86 £1.38

$1.48 £1.10

25.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.22 £0.90

$1.21 £0.90

0.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.13 £1.58

$1.37 £1.01

55.47%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$19.09 £14.10

$20.49 £15.14

-6.83%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 £8.96

$10.60 £7.83

14.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.10 £2.29

$2.51 £1.86

23.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.99 £2.21

$3.31 £2.45

-9.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.60 £2.66

$2.75 £2.03

30.91%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$58.3 £43.10

$89.6 £66.2

-34.88%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.66 £3.45

$5.54 £4.10

-15.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.38 £1.02

$3.10 £2.29

-55.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.55 £17.40

$42.07 £31.09

-44.02%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.89 £1.40

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

$38.9K £28.8K

$37.7K £27.9K

3.16%

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

$46.4K £34.3K

$39.2K £29.0K

18.28%

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

$231 £171

$381 £282

-39.35%

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

$14.62 £10.80

$17.57 £12.99

-16.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$46.52 £34.38

$44.20 £32.66

5.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.87 £36.12

$53.5 £39.57

-8.72%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.60 £7.09

$24.77 £18.31

-61.24%

Cinema Ticket

$12.76 £9.43

$14.74 £10.89

-13.43%

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

$1,627 £1,202

$1,879 £1,388

-13.39%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.6K £12.3K

$24.0K £17.8K

-30.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$97.3 £71.9

$120 £88.4

-18.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$65.2 £48.18

$55.4 £40.90

17.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$137 £101

$117 £86.2

17.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 £88.7

$124 £91.9

-3.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$917 £678

$1,662 £1,228

-44.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$675 £499

$1,204 £889

-43.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,544 £1,141

$3,046 £2,251

-49.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,100 £813

$2,162 £1,598

-49.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,117 £3,042

$6,734 £4,976

-38.86%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,343 £2,471

$4,745 £3,507

-29.55%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,294 £2,435

$3,644 £2,693

-9.60%

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: April 20, 2026

Last update for Edinburgh: April 19, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $917 in Dundee and $1,662 in Edinburgh. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Edinburgh pays 11% 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 in Dundee vs $103 in Edinburgh for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $336 vs $339 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 41% in total monthly costs ($1,958 vs $2,763 including rent). Dundee is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Edinburgh earns 11% 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: $917 in Dundee versus $1,662 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 54% less than in Edinburgh. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $1,627 in Dundee versus $1,879 in Edinburgh. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,958 in Dundee versus $2,763 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 41% less than in Edinburgh. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.