Cost of Living Comparison Between Edinburgh and Bangor Cost of Living Comparison Between Edinburgh and Bangor

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,696 in Edinburgh versus $1,909 in Bangor.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,099 in Edinburgh versus $3,076 in Bangor.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,502 in Edinburgh versus $4,243 in Bangor.

Living in Edinburgh is roughly 41% more expensive than in Bangor, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Edinburgh 97% above, Bangor 40% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.27 £18.14

$24.11 £18.01

0.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$108 £80.7

$83.3 £62.2

29.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.91 £8.15

$10.19 £7.62

7.07%

Cappuccino

$5.13 £3.83

$4.45 £3.33

15.28%

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

$2.39 £1.79

$1.94 £1.45

23.20%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.21 £1.65

$1.98 £1.48

11.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.21 £6.13

$6.68 £4.99

22.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.99 £5.97

$7.43 £5.55

7.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.79 £1.34

$1.86 £1.39

-3.76%

White Bread (500g)

$2.42 £1.81

$2.33 £1.74

3.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.28 £1.71

$2.19 £1.63

4.11%

Eggs

$5.02 £3.76

$3.95 £2.95

27.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.60 £7.18

$9.45 £7.07

1.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.59 £7.17

$10.85 £8.11

-11.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.75 £11.77

$15.06 £11.26

4.58%

Apples (1kg)

$3.11 £2.32

$3.12 £2.33

-0.32%

Banana (1kg)

$1.84 £1.38

$1.59 £1.19

15.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.31 £2.48

$2.92 £2.18

13.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.53 £2.64

$3.40 £2.54

3.82%

Potato (1kg)

$2.07 £1.55

$1.70 £1.27

21.76%

Onion (1kg)

$1.51 £1.13

$1.61 £1.20

-6.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.31 £0.98

$1.27 £0.95

3.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.92 £1.44

$1.58 £1.18

21.52%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$23.51 £17.57

$23.81 £17.79

-1.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.02 £8.24

$10.69 £7.99

3.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.13 £2.34

$2.95 £2.20

6.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.33 £2.49

$3.38 £2.52

-1.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.94 £2.20

$3.97 £2.97

-25.94%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$96.9 £72.4

$95.1 £71.1

1.87%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.34 £3.99

$4.75 £3.55

12.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.85 £1.38

$2.08 £1.55

-11.06%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.78 £21.51

$24.27 £18.14

18.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.07 £1.55

$1.95 £1.45

6.15%

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

$38.8K £29.0K

$39.0K £29.2K

-0.65%

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

$40.7K £30.4K

$41.1K £30.7K

-1.16%

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

$335 £250

$322 £240

4.15%

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

$16.42 £12.27

$24.09 £18.00

-31.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.73 £31.93

$39.97 £29.87

6.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.98 £34.36

$43.43 £32.45

5.87%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.69 £17.70

$20.15 £15.06

17.57%

Cinema Ticket

$14.71 £10.99

$14.42 £10.77

2.01%

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

$1,843 £1,377

$1,644 £1,229

12.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$26.1K £19.5K

$22.8K £17.0K

14.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$85.2 £63.7

$114 £85.2

-25.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.0 £38.08

$46.15 £34.48

10.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$108 £80.8

$107 £79.6

1.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$118 £87.9

$120 £89.6

-1.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,608 £1,202

$604 £451

166.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,225 £916

$512 £382

139.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,862 £2,139

$1,302 £973

119.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,163 £1,616

$1,075 £804

101.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,804 £5,085

$5,244 £3,919

29.76%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,688 £3,504

$3,960 £2,960

18.38%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,512 £2,624

$2,443 £1,826

43.75%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.78

5.5

-13.09%

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

Last update for Edinburgh: September 12, 2026

Last update for Bangor: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,608 in Edinburgh and $604 in Bangor. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Edinburgh pays 44% 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: $108 in Edinburgh vs $83.0 in Bangor for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $335 vs $323 per month, with Bangor 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

Edinburgh vs Bangor: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bangor is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Groceries & Markets, Sport & Entertainment. The 41% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 44% 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: $1,608 in Edinburgh versus $604 in Bangor. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Bangor – a meal for two runs $83.0 versus $108 in Edinburgh. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,696 per month in Edinburgh versus $1,909 in Bangor – a 41% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,909 in Bangor versus $2,696 in Edinburgh, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Bangor but tight or insufficient in Edinburgh. The gap between the two cities makes Bangor the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Bangor 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 Bangor 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 Bangor 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.