Cost of Living Comparison Between Edinburgh and Bolton Cost of Living Comparison Between Edinburgh and Bolton

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,767 per month in Edinburgh vs $2,402 in Bolton, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,064 per month in Edinburgh vs $3,354 in Bolton, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,361 per month in Edinburgh vs $4,305 in Bolton, rent included.

Edinburgh costs about 15% more than Bolton, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Edinburgh and Bolton sit above the global median – Edinburgh by 106%, Bolton by 79%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.73 £15.44

$20.29 £15.12

2.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$104 £77.1

$80.6 £60.0

28.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.95 £7.41

$10.13 £7.55

-1.78%

Cappuccino

$5.32 £3.97

$4.80 £3.57

10.83%

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

$2.61 £1.94

$2.34 £1.74

11.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.01 £1.50

$1.54 £1.15

30.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.64 £5.69

$6.62 £4.93

15.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.93 £5.16

$5.54 £4.13

25.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 £1.23

$1.64 £1.22

0.61%

White Bread (500g)

$1.73 £1.29

$1.76 £1.31

-1.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.18 £1.62

$2.21 £1.65

-1.36%

Eggs

$4.37 £3.26

$4.10 £3.05

6.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.93 £8.88

$10.58 £7.88

12.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.25 £7.63

$8.48 £6.32

20.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.87 £14.06

$17.02 £12.68

10.87%

Apples (1kg)

$3.22 £2.40

$3.23 £2.41

-0.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 £1.11

$1.80 £1.34

-17.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.14 £3.09

$3.18 £2.37

30.19%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.74 £3.53

$3.81 £2.84

24.41%

Potato (1kg)

$1.82 £1.36

$1.75 £1.31

4.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.42 £1.06

$1.90 £1.42

-25.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.16 £0.87

$1.31 £0.98

-11.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 £0.99

$1.50 £1.12

-11.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$20.21 £15.06

$18.61 £13.86

8.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.36 £8.46

$10.69 £7.97

6.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.50 £1.86

$2.45 £1.83

2.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.27 £2.44

$2.40 £1.79

36.25%

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

$85.3 £63.5

4.87%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.58 £4.16

$5.57 £4.15

0.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.15 £2.34

$1.15 £0.86

173.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$42.77 £31.86

$16.32 £12.16

162.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.95 £1.45

$1.91 £1.42

2.09%

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

$38.2K £28.5K

$38.4K £28.6K

-0.43%

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

$38.8K £28.9K

$41.1K £30.7K

-5.62%

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

$381 £284

$300 £224

26.87%

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

$17.32 £12.91

$17.45 £13.00

-0.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$44.43 £33.10

$42.25 £31.48

5.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.5 £40.60

$47.78 £35.60

14.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.51 £18.26

$27.21 £20.27

-9.92%

Cinema Ticket

$14.73 £10.98

$13.68 £10.19

7.68%

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

$1,944 £1,448

$1,584 £1,180

22.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.1K £18.0K

$13.6K £10.2K

76.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$118 £88.1

$81.9 £61.0

44.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.6 £41.43

$42.82 £31.90

29.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$116 £86.7

$86.0 £64.1

35.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$126 £93.6

$82.4 £61.4

52.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,653 £1,231

$1,170 £872

41.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,201 £895

$1,120 £834

7.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,062 £2,281

$1,693 £1,262

80.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,168 £1,615

$1,449 £1,080

49.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,616 £4,929

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,869 £3,628

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,659 £2,726

$4,192 £3,123

-12.71%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.63

5.8

-2.93%

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

Last update for Edinburgh: May 31, 2026

Last update for Bolton: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,653 in Edinburgh versus $1,170 in Bolton. 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 15% higher in Bolton, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $104 in Edinburgh versus $81.0 in Bolton. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $340 vs $314 – making Bolton 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 Bolton: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Edinburgh is pricier by about 15%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,150 per month in Edinburgh and $3,603 in Bolton. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 5% less in Bolton. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $1,944 per month in Edinburgh and $1,584 in Bolton. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Bolton, where all-in costs run around $2,402, than in Edinburgh at $2,767. In Bolton it covers expenses comfortably, while in Edinburgh it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Bolton – 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 Bolton. 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.