Cost of Living Comparison Between Edinburgh and Brecon Cost of Living Comparison Between Edinburgh and Brecon

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,772 in Edinburgh versus $2,406 in Brecon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,140 in Edinburgh versus $3,632 in Brecon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,508 in Edinburgh versus $4,859 in Brecon.

Living in Edinburgh is roughly 15% more expensive than in Brecon, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Edinburgh 107% above, Brecon 80% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.15 £15.00

$20.05 £14.92

0.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$101 £74.9

$108 £80.7

-7.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.00 £7.45

$10.78 £8.02

-7.24%

Cappuccino

$5.41 £4.03

$4.80 £3.57

12.71%

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

$2.51 £1.87

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 £1.51

$2.10 £1.56

-3.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.52 £5.60

$7.98 £5.94

-5.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.81 £5.07

$7.34 £5.46

-7.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 £1.25

$2.29 £1.71

-26.64%

White Bread (500g)

$1.74 £1.30

$1.62 £1.20

7.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.08 £1.55

$3.28 £2.44

-36.59%

Eggs

$4.25 £3.17

$6.01 £4.48

-29.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.14 £9.04

$10.36 £7.71

17.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.48 £7.80

$10.42 £7.76

0.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.73 £13.94

$17.49 £13.02

7.09%

Apples (1kg)

$3.12 £2.33

$4.04 £3.01

-22.77%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 £1.16

$1.22 £0.91

27.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.12 £3.07

$4.84 £3.60

-14.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.60 £3.42

$4.65 £3.46

-1.08%

Potato (1kg)

$1.83 £1.36

$1.48 £1.10

23.65%

Onion (1kg)

$1.43 £1.07

$1.63 £1.21

-12.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.22 £0.91

$1.68 £1.25

-27.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.35 £1.01

$1.73 £1.29

-21.97%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$20.18 £15.02

$17.64 £13.13

14.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.18 £8.32

$10.49 £7.81

6.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.50 £1.86

$3.29 £2.45

-24.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.29 £2.45

$3.14 £2.34

4.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.70 £2.01

$3.39 £2.52

-20.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$89.4 £66.6

$87.4 £65.1

2.26%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.31 £3.95

$4.01 £2.98

32.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.01 £2.24

$1.91 £1.42

57.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$42.48 £31.63

$26.91 £20.04

57.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.94 £1.44

$1.87 £1.39

3.74%

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

$38.8K £28.9K

$39.9K £29.7K

-2.79%

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

$39.9K £29.7K

$44.3K £33.0K

-10.07%

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

$381 £283

$352 £262

8.16%

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

$17.69 £13.17

$18.24 £13.58

-3.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$43.83 £32.63

$54.9 £40.91

-20.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.6 £39.91

$45.03 £33.52

19.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.17 £17.99

Cinema Ticket

$15.01 £11.18

$22.84 £17.00

-34.28%

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

$1,937 £1,442

$1,569 £1,168

23.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.8K £17.7K

$16.4K £12.2K

45.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$119 £88.8

$86.6 £64.5

37.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.6 £40.63

$30.95 £23.04

76.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$117 £87.4

$89.9 £66.9

30.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$123 £91.3

$85.4 £63.6

43.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,616 £1,203

$1,200 £893

34.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,232 £918

$989 £737

24.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,098 £2,306

$2,017 £1,502

53.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,186 £1,627

$1,730 £1,288

26.31%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,544 £4,872

$5,281 £3,932

23.92%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,733 £3,523

$2,722 £2,027

73.87%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,601 £2,681

$3,664 £2,728

-1.72%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.63

5.25

7.24%

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

Last update for Edinburgh: July 13, 2026

Last update for Brecon: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,616 in Edinburgh and $1,200 in Brecon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Brecon pays 2% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $101 in Edinburgh vs $108 in Brecon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $340 vs $361 per month, with Edinburgh 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 Brecon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Brecon is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around. The 15% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 2% lower in Brecon. 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: $1,616 in Edinburgh versus $1,200 in Brecon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Brecon – a meal for two runs $108 versus $101 in Edinburgh. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,772 per month in Edinburgh versus $2,406 in Brecon – a 15% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,406 in Brecon versus $2,772 in Edinburgh, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Brecon but tight or insufficient in Edinburgh. The gap between the two cities makes Brecon the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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

Safety-wise, Edinburgh and Brecon 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 Brecon gentler on the wallet – expenses run 15% less than in Edinburgh. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.