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: $2,744 in Edinburgh versus $1,883 in Bangor.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,078 in Edinburgh versus $2,958 in Bangor.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,412 in Edinburgh versus $4,033 in Bangor.

Living in Edinburgh is roughly 46% more expensive than Bangor, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Edinburgh 106% above, Bangor 41% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.43 £15.22

$24.78 £18.45

-17.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$101 £75.0

$84.2 £62.7

19.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.83 £7.32

$10.33 £7.70

-4.84%

Cappuccino

$5.38 £4.01

$4.49 £3.34

19.82%

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

$2.62 £1.95

$2.02 £1.50

29.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.01 £1.50

$1.93 £1.44

4.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.50 £5.59

$6.78 £5.05

10.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.68 £4.98

$7.52 £5.60

-11.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 £1.27

$1.92 £1.43

-10.94%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 £1.30

$2.34 £1.75

-25.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.18 £1.62

$2.30 £1.71

-5.22%

Eggs

$4.18 £3.11

$3.89 £2.89

7.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.88 £8.85

$10.09 £7.51

17.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.55 £7.86

$11.05 £8.23

-4.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.71 £13.93

$13.79 £10.27

35.68%

Apples (1kg)

$3.16 £2.35

$3.17 £2.36

-0.32%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 £1.15

$1.59 £1.19

-2.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.23 £3.15

$2.78 £2.07

52.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.64 £3.46

$3.60 £2.68

28.89%

Potato (1kg)

$1.81 £1.35

$1.68 £1.25

7.74%

Onion (1kg)

$1.45 £1.08

$1.49 £1.11

-2.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 £0.87

$1.07 £0.80

9.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.30 £0.97

$1.51 £1.13

-13.91%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$20.50 £15.27

$18.95 £14.11

8.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.95 £8.15

$11.24 £8.37

-2.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.50 £1.86

$2.72 £2.03

-8.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.37 £2.51

$3.23 £2.40

4.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.70 £2.01

$4.11 £3.06

-34.31%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$89.7 £66.8

$87.4 £65.1

2.69%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.54 £4.13

$4.81 £3.58

15.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.02 £2.25

$1.93 £1.44

56.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$43.60 £32.47

$23.36 £17.40

86.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.95 £1.45

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

$39.1K £29.1K

$38.4K £28.6K

1.87%

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

$39.2K £29.2K

$42.0K £31.3K

-6.71%

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

$385 £286

$293 £218

31.12%

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

$17.24 £12.84

$24.86 £18.51

-30.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$44.91 £33.45

$40.48 £30.15

10.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.4 £40.54

$43.61 £32.48

24.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.17 £18.00

$20.15 £15.01

19.95%

Cinema Ticket

$14.71 £10.95

$10.67 £7.95

37.86%

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

$1,944 £1,448

$1,579 £1,176

23.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.4K £17.4K

$18.0K £13.4K

29.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$117 £87.3

$85.0 £63.3

37.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.8 £41.53

$43.94 £32.73

26.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$114 £85.0

$107 £79.7

6.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$126 £93.8

$124 £92.6

1.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,617 £1,204

$623 £464

159.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,207 £899

$514 £383

134.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,068 £2,285

$1,275 £949

140.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,183 £1,626

$1,082 £806

101.72%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,686 £4,980

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,828 £3,596

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,541 £2,638

$2,411 £1,795

46.90%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.63

5.5

2.36%

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

Last update for Edinburgh: June 13, 2026

Last update for Bangor: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,617 in Edinburgh and $623 in Bangor. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Edinburgh pays 47% 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: $101 in Edinburgh vs $84.0 in Bangor for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $340 vs $322 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 Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 46% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Edinburgh pays 47% 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: $1,617 in Edinburgh versus $623 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 $84.0 versus $101 in Edinburgh. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,744 per month in Edinburgh versus $1,883 in Bangor – a 46% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,883 in Bangor versus $2,744 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 46% less than in Edinburgh. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.