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: $2,704 in Edinburgh versus $2,324 in Antrim.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,119 in Edinburgh versus $3,180 in Antrim.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,535 in Edinburgh versus $4,035 in Antrim.

Living in Edinburgh is roughly 16% more expensive than Antrim, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Edinburgh 102% above, Antrim 74% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.53 £15.21

$23.47 £17.39

-12.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$104 £76.9

$103 £76.4

0.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.92 £7.35

$9.77 £7.24

1.54%

Cappuccino

$5.32 £3.94

$4.65 £3.45

14.41%

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

$2.59 £1.92

$2.62 £1.94

-1.15%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.00 £1.48

$2.00 £1.49

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.45 £5.52

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.95 £5.15

$6.97 £5.16

-0.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 £1.22

$1.63 £1.21

1.23%

White Bread (500g)

$1.66 £1.23

$1.91 £1.42

-13.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.09 £1.55

$2.28 £1.69

-8.33%

Eggs

$4.34 £3.22

$4.24 £3.14

2.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.93 £8.84

$11.96 £8.86

-0.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.21 £7.57

$10.51 £7.79

-2.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.53 £13.73

$18.92 £14.02

-2.06%

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 £2.43

$3.36 £2.49

-2.38%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 £1.16

$1.89 £1.40

-17.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.21 £3.12

$3.29 £2.44

27.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.78 £3.54

$4.84 £3.58

-1.24%

Potato (1kg)

$1.75 £1.29

$1.81 £1.34

-3.31%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 £1.11

$1.42 £1.05

5.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 £0.87

$1.16 £0.86

1.72%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.30 £0.97

$1.45 £1.07

-10.34%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$20.45 £15.15

$20.15 £14.93

1.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.71 £7.94

$10.70 £7.93

0.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.62 £1.94

$2.81 £2.08

-6.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.38 £2.50

$3.67 £2.72

-7.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.76 £2.05

$7.30 £5.41

-62.19%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$87.9 £65.1

$78.0 £57.8

12.69%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.48 £4.06

$5.49 £4.07

-0.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.04 £2.25

$1.87 £1.38

62.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$42.23 £31.29

$34.26 £25.38

23.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.87 £1.39

$1.93 £1.43

-3.11%

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

$37.8K £28.0K

$38.2K £28.3K

-0.87%

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

$39.8K £29.5K

$41.6K £30.8K

-4.12%

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

$383 £284

$255 £189

50.05%

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

$17.20 £12.74

$17.18 £12.73

0.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$44.72 £33.14

$43.88 £32.51

1.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.5 £39.66

$31.24 £23.15

71.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.76 £18.34

$9.32 £6.91

165.67%

Cinema Ticket

$14.74 £10.93

$13.73 £10.18

7.36%

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

$1,892 £1,402

$1,474 £1,092

28.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.5K £17.4K

$8,716 £6,459

170.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$119 £88.1

$83.5 £61.9

42.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.2 £40.14

$50.4 £37.34

7.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 £85.4

$107 £79.1

7.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$126 £93.3

$86.5 £64.1

45.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 £1,223

$1,069 £792

54.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,212 £898

$964 £714

25.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,071 £2,276

$1,379 £1,022

122.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,188 £1,621

$1,014 £751

115.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,829 £5,060

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,906 £3,635

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,585 £2,657

$3,079 £2,281

16.44%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.63

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

Last update for Edinburgh: April 27, 2026

Last update for Antrim: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,651 in Edinburgh and $1,069 in Antrim. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Edinburgh pays 16% 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: $104 in Edinburgh vs $103 in Antrim. Groceries flip the comparison at $338 vs $345, 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 Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 16% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Edinburgh pays 16% more on average, 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: $1,651 in Edinburgh versus $1,069 in Antrim. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,704 per month in Edinburgh versus $2,324 in Antrim – a 16% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Antrim runs roughly 13% less than in Edinburgh. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $2,324 in Antrim versus $2,704 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 16% less than in Edinburgh. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.