Cost of Living Comparison Between Edinburgh and Aberystwyth Cost of Living Comparison Between Edinburgh and Aberystwyth

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,722 per month in Edinburgh vs $2,369 in Aberystwyth, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,091 per month in Edinburgh vs $3,236 in Aberystwyth, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,461 per month in Edinburgh vs $4,103 in Aberystwyth, rent included.

Edinburgh costs about 15% more than Aberystwyth, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Edinburgh and Aberystwyth sit above the global median – Edinburgh by 97%, Aberystwyth by 72%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.69 £18.25

$20.13 £14.88

22.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$109 £80.7

$75.0 £55.4

45.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.65 £7.87

$9.57 £7.08

11.29%

Cappuccino

$5.22 £3.86

$3.76 £2.78

38.83%

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

$2.44 £1.80

$2.42 £1.79

0.83%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 £1.64

$1.44 £1.06

54.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.90 £5.84

$5.01 £3.70

57.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.20 £6.06

$4.42 £3.27

85.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.78 £1.32

$1.84 £1.36

-3.26%

White Bread (500g)

$2.43 £1.80

$1.37 £1.01

77.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.33 £1.72

$1.78 £1.31

30.90%

Eggs

$5.06 £3.74

$3.87 £2.86

30.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.14 £6.76

$9.76 £7.21

-6.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.52 £7.04

$8.79 £6.50

8.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.05 £11.86

$13.58 £10.04

18.19%

Apples (1kg)

$3.06 £2.26

$2.85 £2.11

7.37%

Banana (1kg)

$1.88 £1.39

$1.59 £1.17

18.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.43 £2.54

$2.53 £1.87

35.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.68 £2.72

$3.11 £2.30

18.33%

Potato (1kg)

$2.19 £1.62

$1.71 £1.26

28.07%

Onion (1kg)

$1.57 £1.16

$1.59 £1.17

-1.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.27 £0.94

$1.13 £0.83

12.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.89 £1.40

$1.21 £0.89

56.20%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$24.18 £17.87

$23.93 £17.68

1.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.45 £8.46

$9.99 £7.38

14.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.01 £2.22

$2.76 £2.04

9.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.29 £2.43

$3.39 £2.51

-2.95%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.05 £2.25

$5.46 £4.04

-44.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$98.5 £72.8

$93.6 £69.2

5.19%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.44 £4.02

$4.13 £3.05

31.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.85 £1.37

$1.71 £1.26

8.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.19 £21.58

$37.03 £27.37

-21.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.14 £1.58

$1.96 £1.45

9.18%

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

$38.7K £28.6K

$39.6K £29.3K

-2.25%

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

$42.2K £31.2K

$40.7K £30.1K

3.66%

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

$341 £252

$346 £256

-1.45%

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

$16.45 £12.16

$17.31 £12.79

-4.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$43.79 £32.36

$36.51 £26.99

19.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.39 £33.54

$40.87 £30.21

11.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.68 £17.51

Cinema Ticket

$15.19 £11.23

$10.08 £7.45

50.69%

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

$1,830 £1,352

$1,258 £930

45.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$26.1K £19.3K

$33.3K £24.6K

-21.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$85.1 £62.9

$73.7 £54.5

15.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.3 £37.91

$39.89 £29.49

28.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$108 £80.1

$110 £81.1

-1.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$118 £87.3

$99.5 £73.5

18.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,622 £1,198

$979 £724

65.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,228 £907

$1,021 £754

20.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,843 £2,101

$1,603 £1,184

77.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,147 £1,587

$1,318 £974

62.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,738 £4,980

$5,132 £3,793

31.31%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,658 £3,443

$3,962 £2,928

17.56%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,617 £2,673

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.78

5.11

-6.46%

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

Last update for Edinburgh: September 6, 2026

Last update for Aberystwyth: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,622 in Edinburgh versus $979 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 $109 in Edinburgh versus $75.0 in Aberystwyth. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $336 vs $286 – making Aberystwyth the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Yes – Edinburgh is pricier by about 15%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,083 per month in Edinburgh and $3,553 in Aberystwyth. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Aberystwyth, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 5% less in Aberystwyth. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $1,830 per month in Edinburgh and $1,258 in Aberystwyth. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Aberystwyth, where all-in costs run around $2,369, than in Edinburgh at $2,722. In Aberystwyth it covers expenses comfortably, while in Edinburgh it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Aberystwyth. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Edinburgh makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.