Cost of Living Comparison Between Edinburgh and Cambridge Cost of Living Comparison Between Edinburgh and Cambridge

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,744 per month in Edinburgh vs $3,149 in Cambridge, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,078 per month in Edinburgh vs $4,470 in Cambridge, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,412 per month in Edinburgh vs $5,791 in Cambridge, rent included.

Edinburgh is about 13% cheaper than Cambridge, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Edinburgh and Cambridge sit above the global median – Edinburgh by 106%, Cambridge by 136%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.43 £15.22

$27.68 £20.61

-26.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$101 £75.0

$94.2 £70.2

6.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.83 £7.32

$11.07 £8.25

-11.20%

Cappuccino

$5.38 £4.01

$4.86 £3.62

10.70%

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

$2.62 £1.95

$2.91 £2.17

-9.97%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.01 £1.50

$2.05 £1.53

-1.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.50 £5.59

$8.27 £6.16

-9.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.68 £4.98

$8.00 £5.96

-16.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 £1.27

$1.87 £1.39

-8.56%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 £1.30

$2.17 £1.61

-19.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.18 £1.62

$2.78 £2.07

-21.58%

Eggs

$4.18 £3.11

$4.61 £3.43

-9.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.88 £8.85

$12.39 £9.23

-4.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.55 £7.86

$10.32 £7.69

2.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.71 £13.93

$17.58 £13.09

6.43%

Apples (1kg)

$3.16 £2.35

$3.34 £2.49

-5.39%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 £1.15

$1.97 £1.46

-21.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.23 £3.15

$3.76 £2.80

12.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.64 £3.46

$3.70 £2.75

25.41%

Potato (1kg)

$1.81 £1.35

$1.85 £1.38

-2.16%

Onion (1kg)

$1.45 £1.08

$2.08 £1.55

-30.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 £0.87

$1.34 £1.00

-12.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.30 £0.97

$1.52 £1.13

-14.47%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$20.50 £15.27

$20.77 £15.47

-1.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.95 £8.15

$11.03 £8.22

-0.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.50 £1.86

$3.40 £2.54

-26.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.37 £2.51

$4.15 £3.09

-18.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.70 £2.01

$2.77 £2.06

-2.53%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$89.7 £66.8

$83.0 £61.9

8.03%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.54 £4.13

$6.98 £5.20

-20.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.02 £2.25

$2.47 £1.84

22.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$43.60 £32.47

$54.5 £40.57

-19.96%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.95 £1.45

$1.96 £1.46

-0.51%

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

$39.1K £29.1K

$38.5K £28.7K

1.62%

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

$39.2K £29.2K

$44.5K £33.2K

-12.01%

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

$385 £286

$341 £254

12.67%

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

$17.24 £12.84

$15.60 £11.62

10.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$44.91 £33.45

$39.91 £29.73

12.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.4 £40.54

$72.8 £54.2

-25.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.17 £18.00

$14.64 £10.90

65.10%

Cinema Ticket

$14.71 £10.95

$16.55 £12.33

-11.12%

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

$1,944 £1,448

$2,286 £1,702

-14.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.4K £17.4K

$22.9K £17.0K

2.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$117 £87.3

$86.3 £64.2

35.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.8 £41.53

$55.5 £41.35

0.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$114 £85.0

$87.4 £65.1

30.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$126 £93.8

$124 £92.2

1.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,617 £1,204

$1,928 £1,436

-16.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,207 £899

$1,621 £1,207

-25.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,068 £2,285

$3,627 £2,701

-15.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,183 £1,626

$2,479 £1,846

-11.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,686 £4,980

$8,984 £6,691

-25.58%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,828 £3,596

$5,967 £4,444

-19.09%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,541 £2,638

$4,455 £3,318

-20.52%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.63

5.54

1.62%

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

Last update for Edinburgh: June 13, 2026

Last update for Cambridge: June 16, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,617 in Edinburgh versus $1,928 in Cambridge. 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 26% higher in Cambridge, 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 $101 in Edinburgh versus $94.0 in Cambridge. Groceries tell a different story – $340 in Edinburgh vs $354 in Cambridge – so Edinburgh wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Cambridge: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

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

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,117 per month in Edinburgh and $4,724 in Cambridge. 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 $101 in Edinburgh and $94.0 in Cambridge. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,744 in Edinburgh and $3,149 in Cambridge. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,744 in Edinburgh and $3,149 in Cambridge. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Edinburgh – 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 Edinburgh. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Cambridge makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.