Cost of Living Comparison Between Edinburgh and Blackburn Cost of Living Comparison Between Edinburgh and Blackburn

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,767 per month in Edinburgh vs $2,070 in Blackburn, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,064 per month in Edinburgh vs $3,079 in Blackburn, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,361 per month in Edinburgh vs $4,088 in Blackburn, rent included.

Edinburgh costs about 34% more than Blackburn, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Edinburgh and Blackburn sit above the global median – Edinburgh by 106%, Blackburn by 54%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.73 £15.44

$16.52 £12.30

25.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$104 £77.1

$58.6 £43.64

76.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.95 £7.41

$8.54 £6.36

16.51%

Cappuccino

$5.32 £3.97

$4.07 £3.03

30.71%

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

$2.61 £1.94

$2.31 £1.72

12.99%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.01 £1.50

$1.44 £1.07

39.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.64 £5.69

$4.89 £3.64

56.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.93 £5.16

$5.49 £4.09

26.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 £1.23

$1.55 £1.16

6.45%

White Bread (500g)

$1.73 £1.29

$1.66 £1.24

4.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.18 £1.62

$1.38 £1.03

57.97%

Eggs

$4.37 £3.26

$3.13 £2.33

39.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.93 £8.88

$10.66 £7.94

11.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.25 £7.63

$8.10 £6.03

26.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.87 £14.06

$17.29 £12.88

9.14%

Apples (1kg)

$3.22 £2.40

$1.60 £1.19

101.25%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 £1.11

$1.66 £1.24

-10.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.14 £3.09

$2.39 £1.78

73.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.74 £3.53

$3.72 £2.77

27.42%

Potato (1kg)

$1.82 £1.36

$1.37 £1.02

32.85%

Onion (1kg)

$1.42 £1.06

$1.74 £1.30

-18.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.16 £0.87

$0.50 £0.37

132.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 £0.99

$1.88 £1.40

-29.26%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$20.21 £15.06

$18.30 £13.63

10.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.36 £8.46

$9.34 £6.96

21.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.50 £1.86

$2.24 £1.67

11.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.27 £2.44

$1.86 £1.38

75.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.64 £1.97

$2.70 £2.01

-2.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$89.4 £66.6

$48.42 £36.07

84.70%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.58 £4.16

$2.69 £2.00

107.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.15 £2.34

$1.45 £1.08

117.24%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$42.77 £31.86

$16.33 £12.17

161.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.95 £1.45

$1.94 £1.44

0.52%

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

$38.2K £28.5K

$38.9K £29.0K

-1.78%

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

$38.8K £28.9K

$41.9K £31.2K

-7.30%

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

$381 £284

$290 £216

31.24%

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

$17.32 £12.91

$17.42 £12.98

-0.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$44.43 £33.10

$30.08 £22.41

47.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.5 £40.60

$40.44 £30.13

34.77%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.51 £18.26

$12.28 £9.15

99.59%

Cinema Ticket

$14.73 £10.98

$6.83 £5.09

115.67%

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

$1,944 £1,448

$1,095 £816

77.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.1K £18.0K

$6,923 £5,158

248.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$118 £88.1

$68.5 £51.0

72.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.6 £41.43

$43.62 £32.50

27.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$116 £86.7

$80.3 £59.8

44.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$126 £93.6

$69.9 £52.1

79.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,653 £1,231

$1,203 £896

37.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,201 £895

$964 £718

24.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,062 £2,281

$1,878 £1,399

63.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,168 £1,615

$1,717 £1,280

26.26%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,616 £4,929

$6,733 £5,016

-1.73%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,869 £3,628

$4,706 £3,506

3.48%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,659 £2,726

$1,899 £1,415

92.67%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.63

5.6

0.54%

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

Last update for Edinburgh: May 31, 2026

Last update for Blackburn: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,653 in Edinburgh versus $1,203 in Blackburn. 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 93% 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 $104 in Edinburgh versus $59.0 in Blackburn. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $340 vs $286 – making Blackburn 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 Blackburn: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,767 in Edinburgh, $2,070 in Blackburn – roughly 34% apart. Edinburgh costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,150 per month in Edinburgh and $3,105 in Blackburn. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Blackburn, 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 $2,767 in Edinburgh and $2,070 in Blackburn. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 85% less in Blackburn. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Blackburn, where all-in costs run around $2,070, than in Edinburgh at $2,767. In Blackburn it covers expenses comfortably, while in Edinburgh it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Edinburgh has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,070 in Blackburn to $2,767 in Edinburgh. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Blackburn. 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.