Cost of Living Comparison Between Edinburgh and Caernarfon Cost of Living Comparison Between Edinburgh and Caernarfon

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,696 in Edinburgh versus $1,240 in Caernarfon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,099 in Edinburgh versus $2,770 in Caernarfon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,502 in Edinburgh versus $4,300 in Caernarfon.

Living in Edinburgh is roughly 117% more expensive than in Caernarfon, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Edinburgh is 97% above, Caernarfon is 9% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.27 £18.12

$13.57 £10.13

78.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$108 £80.7

$93.2 £69.6

15.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.91 £8.15

$9.53 £7.11

14.48%

Cappuccino

$5.13 £3.83

$4.15 £3.10

23.61%

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

$2.39 £1.78

$2.66 £1.99

-10.15%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.21 £1.65

$1.92 £1.44

15.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.21 £6.13

$4.75 £3.54

72.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.99 £5.97

$4.11 £3.07

94.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.79 £1.34

$1.87 £1.39

-4.28%

White Bread (500g)

$2.42 £1.81

$1.81 £1.35

33.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.28 £1.70

$2.18 £1.63

4.59%

Eggs

$5.02 £3.75

$2.37 £1.77

111.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.60 £7.17

$11.73 £8.76

-18.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.59 £7.16

$7.25 £5.41

32.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.75 £11.76

$15.56 £11.62

1.22%

Apples (1kg)

$3.11 £2.32

$2.58 £1.93

20.54%

Banana (1kg)

$1.84 £1.37

$1.32 £0.98

39.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.31 £2.47

$1.33 £0.99

148.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.53 £2.63

$1.33 £1.00

165.41%

Potato (1kg)

$2.07 £1.55

$1.63 £1.22

26.99%

Onion (1kg)

$1.51 £1.13

$1.87 £1.40

-19.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.31 £0.98

$1.39 £1.04

-5.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.92 £1.44

$1.66 £1.24

15.66%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$23.51 £17.56

$22.04 £16.46

6.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.02 £8.23

$9.19 £6.86

19.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.13 £2.34

$3.68 £2.74

-14.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.33 £2.49

$3.31 £2.47

0.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.94 £2.20

$5.54 £4.14

-46.93%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$96.9 £72.3

$69.6 £52.0

39.09%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.34 £3.99

$5.23 £3.90

2.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.85 £1.38

$2.45 £1.83

-24.49%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.78 £21.49

$24.51 £18.30

17.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.07 £1.54

$2.02 £1.51

2.48%

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

$38.8K £28.9K

0.02%

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

$40.7K £30.4K

$40.6K £30.3K

0.14%

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

$335 £250

$321 £240

4.19%

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

$16.42 £12.26

$21.51 £16.06

-23.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.73 £31.91

$40.67 £30.37

5.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.98 £34.33

$30.64 £22.88

50.07%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.69 £17.69

Cinema Ticket

$14.71 £10.98

$16.40 £12.25

-10.30%

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

$1,843 £1,376

$1,648 £1,231

11.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$26.1K £19.5K

$24.9K £18.6K

4.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$85.2 £63.6

$107 £80.2

-20.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.0 £38.05

$51.0 £38.09

-0.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$108 £80.7

-0.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$118 £87.9

$81.2 £60.6

44.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,608 £1,201

$662 £495

142.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,225 £915

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,862 £2,137

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,163 £1,615

$1,607 £1,200

34.56%

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

$3,674 £2,743

-4.41%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.78

5.09

-6.09%

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

Last update for Edinburgh: September 12, 2026

Last update for Caernarfon: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,608 in Edinburgh and $662 in Caernarfon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Caernarfon pays 5% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $108 in Edinburgh vs $93.0 in Caernarfon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $335 vs $283 per month, with Caernarfon 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 Caernarfon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Caernarfon is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 117% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 5% lower in Caernarfon. 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: $1,608 in Edinburgh versus $662 in Caernarfon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Caernarfon – a meal for two runs $93.0 versus $108 in Edinburgh. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,696 per month in Edinburgh versus $1,240 in Caernarfon – a 117% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,240 in Caernarfon versus $2,696 in Edinburgh, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Caernarfon but tight or insufficient in Edinburgh. The gap between the two cities makes Caernarfon the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Caernarfon 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 Caernarfon 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 Caernarfon gentler on the wallet – expenses run 117% less than in Edinburgh. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.