Cost of Living Comparison Between Edinburgh and Bath Cost of Living Comparison Between Edinburgh and Bath

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,691 in Edinburgh versus $2,808 in Bath.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,039 in Edinburgh versus $4,048 in Bath.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,386 in Edinburgh versus $5,287 in Bath.

Living in Edinburgh costs roughly 4% less than in Bath, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Edinburgh 96% above, Bath 104% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.27 £17.95

$24.13 £17.85

0.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$109 £81.0

$100 £74.2

9.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.91 £8.07

$10.89 £8.05

0.18%

Cappuccino

$5.18 £3.83

$5.08 £3.76

1.97%

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

$2.53 £1.87

$3.12 £2.31

-18.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.17 £1.60

$2.10 £1.56

3.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.19 £6.06

$7.79 £5.76

5.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.12 £6.01

$6.88 £5.09

18.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.76 £1.30

$1.83 £1.35

-3.83%

White Bread (500g)

$2.33 £1.72

$1.75 £1.30

33.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.33 £1.72

$2.19 £1.62

6.39%

Eggs

$5.09 £3.76

$4.33 £3.21

17.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.30 £6.88

$9.74 £7.20

-4.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.54 £7.06

$9.71 £7.19

-1.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.99 £11.83

$14.67 £10.85

9.00%

Apples (1kg)

$3.01 £2.22

$3.22 £2.38

-6.52%

Banana (1kg)

$1.79 £1.33

$1.84 £1.36

-2.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.46 £2.56

$3.17 £2.34

9.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.53 £2.61

$4.23 £3.13

-16.55%

Potato (1kg)

$2.19 £1.62

$2.08 £1.54

5.29%

Onion (1kg)

$1.52 £1.12

$1.59 £1.17

-4.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.27 £0.94

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.91 £1.41

$1.97 £1.46

-3.05%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$24.28 £17.96

$24.15 £17.87

0.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.30 £8.36

$11.14 £8.24

1.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.02 £2.23

$3.07 £2.27

-1.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 £2.35

$3.41 £2.52

-7.04%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.95 £2.18

$3.50 £2.59

-15.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$101 £74.6

$133 £98.1

-23.96%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.45 £4.03

$4.69 £3.47

16.20%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 £1.44

$1.64 £1.22

18.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.94 £21.41

$27.53 £20.37

5.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.05 £1.52

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

$39.3K £29.0K

$39.9K £29.5K

-1.60%

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

$41.4K £30.6K

$41.9K £31.0K

-1.25%

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

$343 £254

$316 £233

8.64%

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

$17.03 £12.60

$17.46 £12.92

-2.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$43.01 £31.82

$44.22 £32.71

-2.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.96 £35.48

$46.61 £34.48

2.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.68 £17.52

$20.31 £15.03

16.59%

Cinema Ticket

$15.04 £11.13

$14.19 £10.50

5.99%

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

$1,824 £1,350

$2,016 £1,492

-9.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$25.5K £18.8K

$25.7K £19.0K

-0.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$85.8 £63.5

$98.2 £72.6

-12.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.3 £37.21

$49.08 £36.31

2.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$108 £79.6

$110 £81.3

-2.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$118 £87.6

$101 £74.4

17.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 £1,217

$1,841 £1,362

-10.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,229 £909

$1,405 £1,040

-12.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,844 £2,104

$3,674 £2,718

-22.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,187 £1,618

$2,159 £1,597

1.31%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,732 £4,980

$10.0K £7,429

-32.96%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,734 £3,502

$6,938 £5,133

-31.77%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,581 £2,649

$3,761 £2,782

-4.79%

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 1, 2026

Last update for Bath: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,644 in Edinburgh and $1,841 in Bath. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bath pays 5% 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 $100 in Bath for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $333 vs $327 per month, with Bath 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 Bath: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Edinburgh is cheaper overall, especially in Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 4% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 5% lower in Bath. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,644 in Edinburgh versus $1,841 in Bath. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,691 per month in Edinburgh versus $2,808 in Bath – a 4% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Edinburgh runs roughly 32% less than in Bath. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,500. Edinburgh is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

For families, Edinburgh is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Bath, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Edinburgh and Bath 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 Edinburgh gentler on the wallet – expenses run 4% less than in Bath. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.