Cost of Living Comparison Between Edinburgh and Brentwood Cost of Living Comparison Between Edinburgh and Brentwood

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,764 per month in Edinburgh vs $3,188 in Brentwood, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,108 per month in Edinburgh vs $4,355 in Brentwood, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,452 per month in Edinburgh vs $5,523 in Brentwood, rent included.

Edinburgh is about 13% cheaper than Brentwood, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Edinburgh and Brentwood sit above the global median – Edinburgh by 106%, Brentwood by 137%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.62 £15.33

$20.18 £15.00

2.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$100 £74.6

$80.8 £60.1

24.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.00 £7.43

$10.69 £7.94

-6.45%

Cappuccino

$5.22 £3.88

$4.59 £3.41

13.73%

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

$2.52 £1.87

$1.51 £1.13

66.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 £1.51

$1.05 £0.78

93.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.53 £5.60

$5.34 £3.97

41.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.80 £5.06

$6.05 £4.50

12.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 £1.27

$1.39 £1.03

23.02%

White Bread (500g)

$1.73 £1.28

$1.07 £0.79

61.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.08 £1.55

$2.22 £1.65

-6.31%

Eggs

$4.32 £3.22

$3.64 £2.71

18.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.17 £9.05

$8.27 £6.15

47.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.44 £7.77

$6.99 £5.20

49.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.84 £14.01

$13.37 £9.94

40.91%

Apples (1kg)

$3.11 £2.31

$3.23 £2.40

-3.72%

Banana (1kg)

$1.48 £1.10

$1.51 £1.12

-1.99%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.17 £3.10

$2.94 £2.19

41.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.65 £3.46

$2.96 £2.20

57.09%

Potato (1kg)

$1.74 £1.29

$0.94 £0.70

85.11%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 £1.10

$1.29 £0.96

14.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 £0.87

$0.87 £0.65

35.63%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 £0.98

$1.39 £1.04

-5.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$20.32 £15.11

$16.72 £12.43

21.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.95 £8.14

$9.06 £6.74

20.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.51 £1.87

$2.34 £1.74

7.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.39 £2.52

$2.50 £1.86

35.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.75 £2.04

$5.17 £3.85

-46.81%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$90.2 £67.1

$89.8 £66.8

0.49%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.35 £3.98

$5.31 £3.95

0.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.02 £2.25

$1.28 £0.95

135.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$42.45 £31.56

$22.91 £17.03

85.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.98 £1.47

$1.97 £1.47

0.51%

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

$37.8K £28.1K

$38.8K £28.9K

-2.70%

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

$40.0K £29.7K

$41.3K £30.7K

-3.18%

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

$386 £287

$334 £248

15.61%

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

$17.32 £12.88

$14.12 £10.50

22.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$44.86 £33.36

$35.48 £26.38

26.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.4 £41.18

$38.80 £28.85

42.76%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.05 £17.88

$22.83 £16.97

5.34%

Cinema Ticket

$14.69 £10.92

$15.12 £11.24

-2.84%

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

$1,888 £1,404

$1,674 £1,245

12.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.9K £17.8K

$22.7K £16.9K

5.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$119 £88.5

$87.4 £65.0

36.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.5 £41.29

$40.15 £29.85

38.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$117 £86.7

$89.2 £66.3

30.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$125 £93.0

$100 £74.6

24.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,615 £1,200

$1,546 £1,149

4.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,214 £903

$1,914 £1,423

-36.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,107 £2,310

$2,762 £2,053

12.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,221 £1,651

$2,872 £2,136

-22.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,672 £4,960

$5,211 £3,875

28.02%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,747 £3,529

$3,604 £2,679

31.72%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,502 £2,603

$3,332 £2,478

5.07%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.63

5.45

3.30%

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

Last update for Edinburgh: June 7, 2026

Last update for Brentwood: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,615 in Edinburgh versus $1,546 in Brentwood. 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 5% higher in Edinburgh, 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 $100 in Edinburgh versus $81.0 in Brentwood. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $340 vs $260 – making Brentwood 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 Brentwood: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Brentwood costs about 15% more than Edinburgh, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,145 per month in Edinburgh and $4,782 in Brentwood. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $100 in Edinburgh and $81.0 in Brentwood. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,764 in Edinburgh and $3,188 in Brentwood. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Edinburgh, where all-in costs run around $2,764, than in Brentwood at $3,188. In Edinburgh it covers expenses comfortably, while in Brentwood it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Edinburgh costs $2,764 versus $3,188 in Brentwood. 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 Edinburgh. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Brentwood makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.