Cost of Living Comparison Between Edinburgh and Bedford Cost of Living Comparison Between Edinburgh and Bedford

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,696 per month in Edinburgh vs $2,107 in Bedford, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,099 per month in Edinburgh vs $3,351 in Bedford, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,502 per month in Edinburgh vs $4,596 in Bedford, rent included.

Edinburgh costs about 28% more than Bedford, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Edinburgh and Bedford sit above the global median – Edinburgh by 97%, Bedford by 54%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.27 £18.12

$19.96 £14.90

21.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$108 £80.7

$87.1 £65.1

24.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.91 £8.15

$10.70 £7.99

1.96%

Cappuccino

$5.13 £3.83

$4.64 £3.47

10.56%

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

$2.39 £1.78

$1.99 £1.49

20.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.21 £1.65

$1.19 £0.89

85.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.21 £6.13

$6.81 £5.09

20.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.99 £5.97

$6.16 £4.60

29.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.79 £1.34

$1.65 £1.24

8.48%

White Bread (500g)

$2.42 £1.81

$1.48 £1.10

63.51%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.28 £1.70

$1.68 £1.25

35.71%

Eggs

$5.02 £3.75

$3.98 £2.97

26.13%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.60 £7.17

$9.59 £7.16

0.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.59 £7.16

$8.75 £6.53

9.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.75 £11.76

$13.20 £9.86

19.32%

Apples (1kg)

$3.11 £2.32

$3.31 £2.48

-6.04%

Banana (1kg)

$1.84 £1.37

$1.32 £0.99

39.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.31 £2.47

$2.62 £1.95

26.34%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.53 £2.63

$3.17 £2.37

11.36%

Potato (1kg)

$2.07 £1.55

$1.29 £0.96

60.47%

Onion (1kg)

$1.51 £1.13

$1.32 £0.99

14.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.31 £0.98

$1.04 £0.78

25.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.92 £1.44

$1.36 £1.02

41.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$23.51 £17.56

$23.84 £17.80

-1.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.02 £8.23

$10.88 £8.13

1.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.13 £2.34

$2.69 £2.01

16.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.33 £2.49

$2.39 £1.79

39.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.94 £2.20

$2.72 £2.03

8.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$96.9 £72.3

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.34 £3.99

$4.87 £3.64

9.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.85 £1.38

$1.45 £1.08

27.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.78 £21.49

$24.39 £18.21

18.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.07 £1.54

$1.99 £1.49

4.02%

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

$38.8K £28.9K

$39.6K £29.6K

-2.21%

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

$40.7K £30.4K

$41.7K £31.1K

-2.52%

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

$335 £250

$312 £233

7.36%

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

$16.42 £12.26

$18.16 £13.56

-9.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.73 £31.91

$40.22 £30.03

6.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.98 £34.33

$37.08 £27.69

24.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.69 £17.69

Cinema Ticket

$14.71 £10.98

$16.22 £12.11

-9.31%

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

$1,843 £1,376

$955 £713

92.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$26.1K £19.5K

$21.6K £16.1K

21.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$85.2 £63.6

$24.34 £18.18

250.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.0 £38.05

$25.78 £19.25

97.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$108 £80.7

$82.5 £61.6

30.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$118 £87.9

$88.3 £65.9

33.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,608 £1,201

$1,126 £841

42.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,225 £915

$965 £721

26.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,862 £2,137

$2,414 £1,803

18.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,163 £1,615

$2,045 £1,527

5.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,804 £5,081

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,688 £3,501

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,512 £2,622

$3,255 £2,431

7.89%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.78

4.67

2.36%

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

Last update for Edinburgh: September 12, 2026

Last update for Bedford: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,608 in Edinburgh versus $1,126 in Bedford. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 8% higher in Edinburgh, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $108 in Edinburgh versus $87.0 in Bedford. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $335 vs $284 – making Bedford 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 Bedford: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Edinburgh costs about 28% more than Bedford, with the gap driven mainly by Getting Around. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,043 per month in Edinburgh and $3,160 in Bedford. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,696 in Edinburgh and $2,107 in Bedford. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $1,843 per month in Edinburgh and $955 in Bedford. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Bedford, where all-in costs run around $2,107, than in Edinburgh at $2,696. In Bedford it covers expenses comfortably, while in Edinburgh it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Bedford costs $2,107 versus $2,696 in Edinburgh. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Bedford. 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.