Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Edinburgh and Aberystwyth

For one person, living is cheaper in Aberystwyth: $2,454 a month against $2,645 in Edinburgh, rent and utilities included – about $2,300 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

Edinburgh, United Kingdom
Aberystwyth, United Kingdom
Edinburgh
🇬🇧 United Kingdom
$2,645
/mo nomad
Aberystwyth
🇬🇧 United Kingdom
$2,454
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Edinburgh and in Aberystwyth

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Edinburgh and in Aberystwyth actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,645 per month in Edinburgh vs $2,454 in Aberystwyth, rent included.

  • Edinburgh $2,645
  • Aberystwyth $2,454

A couple spends around $4,021 per month in Edinburgh vs $3,334 in Aberystwyth, rent included.

  • Edinburgh $4,021
  • Aberystwyth $3,334

A family of three spends $5,397 per month in Edinburgh vs $4,213 in Aberystwyth, rent included.

  • Edinburgh $5,397
  • Aberystwyth $4,213

Edinburgh costs about 8% more than Aberystwyth, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Edinburgh and Aberystwyth sit above the global median – Edinburgh by 94%, Aberystwyth by 80%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Edinburgh
Aberystwyth
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$24.35 £18.19
$19.84 £14.82
22.73%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$105 £78.7
$75.8 £56.6
38.84%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.47 £7.82
$9.27 £6.93
12.94%
Cappuccino
$5.02 £3.75
$3.65 £2.72
37.53%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.41 £1.80
$2.26 £1.69
6.64%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.19 £1.64
$1.37 £1.02
59.85%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$8.04 £6.00
$5.02 £3.75
60.16%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$7.91 £5.91
$4.20 £3.14
88.33%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Edinburgh
Aberystwyth
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.75 £1.31
$1.74 £1.30
0.57%
White Bread (500g)
$2.33 £1.74
$1.35 £1.01
72.59%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.35 £1.75
$1.80 £1.34
30.56%
Eggs
$5.13 £3.83
$4.09 £3.05
25.43%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.05 £6.76
$12.84 £9.59
-29.52%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.26 £6.92
$11.26 £8.41
-17.76%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$16.17 £12.08
$13.08 £9.77
23.62%
Apples (1kg)
$3.05 £2.28
$3.52 £2.63
-13.35%
Banana (1kg)
$1.87 £1.40
$1.77 £1.32
5.65%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.35 £2.50
$2.43 £1.81
37.86%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.75 £2.80
$3.12 £2.33
20.19%
Potato (1kg)
$2.05 £1.53
$1.52 £1.13
34.87%
Onion (1kg)
$1.53 £1.14
$1.68 £1.25
-8.93%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.33 £1.00
$1.07 £0.80
24.30%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.89 £1.41
$1.13 £0.84
67.26%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$23.87 £17.83
$23.38 £17.47
2.10%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.96 £8.19
$10.20 £7.62
7.45%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$3.16 £2.36
$2.71 £2.02
16.61%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.22 £2.40
$3.07 £2.29
4.89%
🚌 Getting Around
Edinburgh
Aberystwyth
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$3.13 £2.34
$5.22 £3.90
-40.04%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$99.8 £74.6
$96.7 £72.3
3.19%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$5.45 £4.07
$3.93 £2.93
38.68%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.90 £1.42
$2.50 £1.87
-24.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$28.50 £21.29
$25.73 £19.23
10.77%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.06 £1.54
$1.85 £1.38
11.35%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$38.2K £28.6K
$39.3K £29.3K
-2.63%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$39.7K £29.7K
$41.1K £30.7K
-3.35%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Edinburgh
Aberystwyth
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$329 £246
$474 £354
-30.58%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$16.81 £12.56
$16.84 £12.58
-0.18%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$43.13 £32.22
$36.55 £27.30
18.00%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Edinburgh
Aberystwyth
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$41.84 £31.26
$39.83 £29.75
5.05%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$23.33 £17.43
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$14.67 £10.96
$9.79 £7.31
49.85%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Edinburgh
Aberystwyth
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,901 £1,420
$1,067 £797
78.12%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$25.8K £19.3K
$22.7K £17.0K
13.36%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Edinburgh
Aberystwyth
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$82.2 £61.4
$72.8 £54.4
12.93%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$50.0 £37.36
$39.41 £29.44
26.87%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$106 £79.0
$106 £79.2
-0.27%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$115 £86.1
$102 £76.0
13.33%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Edinburgh
Aberystwyth
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,691 £1,263
$951 £711
77.78%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,205 £900
$1,003 £750
20.10%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,959 £2,211
$1,602 £1,197
84.70%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,184 £1,632
$1,289 £963
69.49%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$6,388 £4,772
$5,119 £3,825
24.77%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$4,514 £3,372
$3,825 £2,857
18.01%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Edinburgh
Aberystwyth
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,632 £2,713
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.77
5.54
-13.90%

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

Last update for Edinburgh: October 26, 2026

Last update for Aberystwyth: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Edinburgh
$1.2K
Aberystwyth
$1K 16.7% $202
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Edinburgh
$389
Aberystwyth
$528 35.6% $138
Eating Out
Edinburgh
$361
Aberystwyth
$278 22.9% $82
Groceries & Markets
Edinburgh
$333
Aberystwyth
$308 7.5% $25
Clothing & Footwear
Edinburgh
$159
Aberystwyth
$144 9.4% $15
Getting Around
Edinburgh
$127
Aberystwyth
$134 5.3% $6.7
Sport & Entertainment
Edinburgh
$71
Aberystwyth
$59 16.5% $12

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,691 in Edinburgh versus $951 in Aberystwyth. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $105 in Edinburgh versus $76 in Aberystwyth. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $333 vs $308 – making Aberystwyth the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇬🇧 Edinburgh
🇬🇧 Aberystwyth
🕒 Local time
10:43 10:43 AM
10:43 10:43 AM
Same time as Edinburgh
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
488,050
13,040
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to GBP – British Pound Converter

British Pound exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 0.747 GBP (1 GBP = 1.34 USD). 1 EUR = 0.834 GBP (1 GBP = 1.2 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Edinburgh Aberystwyth 400 km
From you
  • Edinburgh
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Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Edinburgh vs Aberystwyth: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Aberystwyth cheaper than Edinburgh?
Yes – Edinburgh is pricier by about 8%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,968 per month in Edinburgh and $3,682 in Aberystwyth. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Aberystwyth, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $951 there versus $1,691 in Edinburgh.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
Public transport costs about 3% less in Aberystwyth. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $1,901 per month in Edinburgh and $1,067 in Aberystwyth. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Is Edinburgh or Aberystwyth more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Aberystwyth – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is safer, Edinburgh or Aberystwyth?
Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
For expats, Aberystwyth is the easier option financially – housing and daily costs are lower, and overall it costs about 7% less, which matters a lot on a fixed budget or early-career salary.

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