Cost of Living Comparison Between Edinburgh and Barry Cost of Living Comparison Between Edinburgh and Barry

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,722 per month in Edinburgh vs $2,383 in Barry, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,091 per month in Edinburgh vs $3,499 in Barry, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,461 per month in Edinburgh vs $4,616 in Barry, rent included.

Edinburgh costs about 14% more than Barry, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Edinburgh and Barry sit above the global median – Edinburgh by 97%, Barry by 73%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.69 £18.25

$21.25 £15.70

16.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$109 £80.7

$63.3 £46.77

72.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.65 £7.87

$10.92 £8.07

-2.47%

Cappuccino

$5.22 £3.86

$4.60 £3.40

13.48%

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

$2.44 £1.80

$3.02 £2.23

-19.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 £1.64

$2.04 £1.51

8.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.90 £5.84

$5.58 £4.12

41.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.20 £6.06

$6.30 £4.66

30.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.78 £1.32

$1.72 £1.27

3.49%

White Bread (500g)

$2.43 £1.80

$1.70 £1.26

42.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.33 £1.72

$2.25 £1.66

3.56%

Eggs

$5.06 £3.74

$4.56 £3.37

10.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.14 £6.76

$9.26 £6.84

-1.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.52 £7.04

$9.15 £6.76

4.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.05 £11.86

$14.29 £10.56

12.32%

Apples (1kg)

$3.06 £2.26

$2.87 £2.12

6.62%

Banana (1kg)

$1.88 £1.39

$1.56 £1.15

20.51%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.43 £2.54

$3.16 £2.34

8.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.68 £2.72

$3.60 £2.66

2.22%

Potato (1kg)

$2.19 £1.62

$1.97 £1.46

11.17%

Onion (1kg)

$1.57 £1.16

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.27 £0.94

$1.08 £0.80

17.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.89 £1.40

$1.70 £1.26

11.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$24.18 £17.87

$23.75 £17.56

1.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.45 £8.46

$11.32 £8.37

1.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.01 £2.22

$3.94 £2.91

-23.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.29 £2.43

$3.94 £2.91

-16.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.05 £2.25

$3.62 £2.67

-15.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$98.5 £72.8

$95.0 £70.2

3.67%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.44 £4.02

$4.81 £3.55

13.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.85 £1.37

$0.65 £0.48

184.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.19 £21.58

$21.79 £16.11

33.96%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.14 £1.58

$1.97 £1.46

8.63%

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

$38.7K £28.6K

$38.8K £28.7K

-0.11%

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

$42.2K £31.2K

$41.5K £30.7K

1.57%

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

$341 £252

$343 £254

-0.67%

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

$16.45 £12.16

$23.57 £17.42

-30.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$43.79 £32.36

$45.22 £33.42

-3.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.39 £33.54

$46.80 £34.59

-3.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.68 £17.51

$6.04 £4.47

292.05%

Cinema Ticket

$15.19 £11.23

$10.99 £8.12

38.22%

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

$1,830 £1,352

$2,050 £1,515

-10.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$26.1K £19.3K

$5,458 £4,034

379.10%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$85.1 £62.9

$91.5 £67.6

-7.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.3 £37.91

$45.10 £33.33

13.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$108 £80.1

$102 £75.2

6.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$118 £87.3

$87.8 £64.9

34.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,622 £1,198

$1,239 £915

30.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,228 £907

$996 £736

23.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,843 £2,101

$2,100 £1,552

35.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,147 £1,587

$1,705 £1,260

25.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,738 £4,980

$5,667 £4,189

18.89%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,658 £3,443

$4,374 £3,233

6.49%

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 Barry: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,622 in Edinburgh versus $1,239 in Barry. 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 $63.0 in Barry. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $336 vs $316 – making Barry 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 Barry: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Edinburgh is pricier by about 14%, 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 $3,575 in Barry. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $1,830 per month in Edinburgh and $2,050 in Barry. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 6% more in Edinburgh, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Barry, where all-in costs run around $2,383, than in Edinburgh at $2,722. In Barry it covers expenses comfortably, while in Edinburgh it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Barry – 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 Barry. 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.