Cost of Living Comparison Between Edinburgh and Carmarthen Cost of Living Comparison Between Edinburgh and Carmarthen

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,691 in Edinburgh versus $2,423 in Carmarthen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,039 in Edinburgh versus $3,300 in Carmarthen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,386 in Edinburgh versus $4,176 in Carmarthen.

Living in Edinburgh is roughly 11% more expensive than in Carmarthen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Edinburgh 96% above, Carmarthen 76% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.27 £17.95

$23.43 £17.33

3.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$109 £81.0

$66.8 £49.44

63.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.91 £8.07

$9.62 £7.12

13.41%

Cappuccino

$5.18 £3.83

$3.60 £2.66

43.89%

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

$2.53 £1.87

$2.61 £1.93

-3.07%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.17 £1.60

$1.68 £1.24

29.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.19 £6.06

$5.47 £4.05

49.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.12 £6.01

$4.78 £3.54

69.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.76 £1.30

$1.80 £1.33

-2.22%

White Bread (500g)

$2.33 £1.72

$1.21 £0.89

92.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.33 £1.72

$2.97 £2.19

-21.55%

Eggs

$5.09 £3.76

$4.75 £3.51

7.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.30 £6.88

$13.79 £10.20

-32.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.54 £7.06

$11.18 £8.27

-14.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.99 £11.83

$17.24 £12.75

-7.25%

Apples (1kg)

$3.01 £2.22

$4.69 £3.47

-35.82%

Banana (1kg)

$1.79 £1.33

$2.59 £1.92

-30.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.46 £2.56

$5.25 £3.88

-34.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.53 £2.61

$5.74 £4.24

-38.50%

Potato (1kg)

$2.19 £1.62

$2.08 £1.54

5.29%

Onion (1kg)

$1.52 £1.12

$1.82 £1.35

-16.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.27 £0.94

$1.92 £1.42

-33.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.91 £1.41

$2.08 £1.54

-8.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$24.28 £17.96

$24.50 £18.13

-0.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.30 £8.36

$11.76 £8.70

-3.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.02 £2.23

$4.08 £3.02

-25.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 £2.35

$3.38 £2.50

-6.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.95 £2.18

$4.60 £3.40

-35.87%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$101 £74.6

$94.2 £69.7

7.00%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.45 £4.03

$6.00 £4.44

-9.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 £1.44

$2.11 £1.56

-7.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.94 £21.41

$27.11 £20.06

6.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.05 £1.52

$1.98 £1.47

3.54%

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

$39.3K £29.0K

$39.1K £28.9K

0.43%

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

$41.4K £30.6K

$41.9K £31.0K

-1.03%

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

$343 £254

$299 £221

14.61%

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

$17.03 £12.60

$17.10 £12.65

-0.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$43.01 £31.82

$44.14 £32.65

-2.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.96 £35.48

$46.87 £34.68

2.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.68 £17.52

Cinema Ticket

$15.04 £11.13

$20.17 £14.92

-25.43%

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

$1,824 £1,350

$1,654 £1,224

10.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$25.5K £18.8K

$22.0K £16.3K

15.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$85.8 £63.5

$85.9 £63.5

-0.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.3 £37.21

$31.57 £23.36

59.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$108 £79.6

$104 £77.1

3.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$118 £87.6

$87.7 £64.9

35.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 £1,217

$1,256 £929

30.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,229 £909

$1,026 £759

19.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,844 £2,104

$1,279 £946

122.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,187 £1,618

$1,092 £808

100.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,732 £4,980

$5,285 £3,910

27.37%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,734 £3,502

$3,594 £2,659

31.72%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,581 £2,649

$2,044 £1,512

75.20%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.78

5.11

-6.46%

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

Last update for Edinburgh: September 1, 2026

Last update for Carmarthen: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,644 in Edinburgh and $1,256 in Carmarthen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Edinburgh pays 75% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $109 in Edinburgh vs $67.0 in Carmarthen. Groceries flip the comparison at $333 vs $392, with Edinburgh cheaper for home cooking.

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 Carmarthen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Carmarthen is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear. The 11% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 75% higher in Edinburgh, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,644 in Edinburgh versus $1,256 in Carmarthen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Edinburgh pay roughly 18% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Dining out is cheaper in Carmarthen – a meal for two runs $67.0 versus $109 in Edinburgh. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $2,423 in Carmarthen versus $2,691 in Edinburgh, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Carmarthen but tight or insufficient in Edinburgh. The gap between the two cities makes Carmarthen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Carmarthen 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 Carmarthen 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 Carmarthen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 11% less than in Edinburgh. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.