Cost of Living Comparison Between Edinburgh and Antrim Cost of Living Comparison Between Edinburgh and Antrim

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,722 in Edinburgh versus $2,415 in Antrim.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,091 in Edinburgh versus $3,545 in Antrim.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,461 in Edinburgh versus $4,676 in Antrim.

Living in Edinburgh is roughly 13% more expensive than in Antrim, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Edinburgh 97% above, Antrim 75% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.69 £18.25

$20.33 £15.03

21.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$109 £80.7

$95.7 £70.7

14.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.65 £7.87

$10.84 £8.02

-1.75%

Cappuccino

$5.22 £3.86

$5.03 £3.72

3.78%

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

$2.44 £1.80

$2.54 £1.88

-3.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 £1.64

$2.05 £1.52

8.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.90 £5.84

$7.82 £5.78

1.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.20 £6.06

$7.93 £5.86

3.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.78 £1.32

$1.82 £1.35

-2.20%

White Bread (500g)

$2.43 £1.80

$2.42 £1.79

0.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.33 £1.72

$2.28 £1.69

2.19%

Eggs

$5.06 £3.74

$5.11 £3.77

-0.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.14 £6.76

$11.06 £8.17

-17.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.52 £7.04

$10.99 £8.12

-13.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.05 £11.86

$15.89 £11.74

1.01%

Apples (1kg)

$3.06 £2.26

$3.13 £2.31

-2.24%

Banana (1kg)

$1.88 £1.39

$2.01 £1.49

-6.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.43 £2.54

$3.37 £2.49

1.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.68 £2.72

$4.09 £3.02

-10.02%

Potato (1kg)

$2.19 £1.62

$2.37 £1.75

-7.59%

Onion (1kg)

$1.57 £1.16

$1.53 £1.13

2.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.27 £0.94

$1.38 £1.02

-7.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.89 £1.40

$1.87 £1.38

1.07%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$24.18 £17.87

$24.08 £17.80

0.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.45 £8.46

$12.18 £9.00

-5.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.01 £2.22

$2.98 £2.20

1.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.29 £2.43

$3.32 £2.46

-0.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.05 £2.25

$7.52 £5.56

-59.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$98.5 £72.8

$95.7 £70.7

2.92%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.44 £4.02

$4.80 £3.54

13.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.85 £1.37

$1.88 £1.39

-1.60%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.19 £21.58

$28.77 £21.26

1.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.14 £1.58

$2.09 £1.54

2.39%

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

$38.7K £28.6K

$39.2K £28.9K

-1.10%

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

$42.2K £31.2K

$41.8K £30.9K

0.85%

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

$341 £252

$263 £195

29.53%

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

$16.45 £12.16

$17.17 £12.69

-4.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$43.79 £32.36

$47.75 £35.29

-8.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.39 £33.54

$33.57 £24.81

35.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.68 £17.51

$9.45 £6.98

150.58%

Cinema Ticket

$15.19 £11.23

$14.62 £10.81

3.90%

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

$1,830 £1,352

$1,464 £1,082

24.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$26.1K £19.3K

$17.9K £13.3K

45.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$85.1 £62.9

$83.2 £61.5

2.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.3 £37.91

$46.74 £34.54

9.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$108 £80.1

$107 £79.4

0.87%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$118 £87.3

$105 £77.8

12.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,622 £1,198

$1,257 £929

29.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,228 £907

$1,052 £778

16.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,843 £2,101

$2,076 £1,535

36.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,147 £1,587

$1,702 £1,258

26.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,738 £4,980

$5,590 £4,132

20.54%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,658 £3,443

$3,971 £2,935

17.29%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,617 £2,673

$3,032 £2,241

19.30%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.78

4.91

-2.65%

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

Last update for Edinburgh: September 6, 2026

Last update for Antrim: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,622 in Edinburgh and $1,257 in Antrim. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Edinburgh pays 19% 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: $109 in Edinburgh vs $96.0 in Antrim. Groceries flip the comparison at $336 vs $353, with Edinburgh cheaper for home cooking.

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 Antrim: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Antrim is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment. The 13% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 19% higher in Edinburgh, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,622 in Edinburgh versus $1,257 in Antrim. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,722 per month in Edinburgh versus $2,415 in Antrim – a 13% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Antrim runs roughly 3% less than in Edinburgh. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $2,415 in Antrim versus $2,722 in Edinburgh, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Antrim but tight or insufficient in Edinburgh. The gap between the two cities makes Antrim the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Antrim 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, Edinburgh and Antrim 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 Antrim gentler on the wallet – expenses run 13% less than in Edinburgh. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.