Cost of Living Comparison Between Edinburgh and Chatham Cost of Living Comparison Between Edinburgh and Chatham

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,691 per month in Edinburgh vs $3,016 in Chatham, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,039 per month in Edinburgh vs $4,125 in Chatham, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,386 per month in Edinburgh vs $5,235 in Chatham, rent included.

Edinburgh is about 11% cheaper than Chatham, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Edinburgh and Chatham sit above the global median – Edinburgh by 96%, Chatham by 119%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.27 £17.95

$23.51 £17.40

3.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$109 £81.0

$94.4 £69.9

15.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.91 £8.07

$10.07 £7.45

8.34%

Cappuccino

$5.18 £3.83

$3.62 £2.68

43.09%

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

$2.53 £1.87

$3.10 £2.29

-18.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.17 £1.60

$1.73 £1.28

25.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.19 £6.06

$6.29 £4.65

30.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.12 £6.01

$6.84 £5.06

18.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.76 £1.30

$1.95 £1.44

-9.74%

White Bread (500g)

$2.33 £1.72

$2.07 £1.53

12.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.33 £1.72

$2.21 £1.64

5.43%

Eggs

$5.09 £3.76

$4.13 £3.06

23.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.30 £6.88

$10.82 £8.00

-14.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.54 £7.06

$9.27 £6.86

2.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.99 £11.83

$15.55 £11.50

2.83%

Apples (1kg)

$3.01 £2.22

$3.05 £2.26

-1.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.79 £1.33

$2.02 £1.49

-11.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.46 £2.56

$2.77 £2.05

24.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.53 £2.61

$3.86 £2.86

-8.55%

Potato (1kg)

$2.19 £1.62

$2.04 £1.51

7.35%

Onion (1kg)

$1.52 £1.12

$1.85 £1.37

-17.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.27 £0.94

$1.17 £0.87

8.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.91 £1.41

$1.76 £1.30

8.52%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$24.28 £17.96

$22.35 £16.53

8.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.30 £8.36

$11.41 £8.44

-0.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.02 £2.23

$3.11 £2.30

-2.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 £2.35

$2.40 £1.78

32.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.95 £2.18

$4.01 £2.97

-26.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$101 £74.6

$68.0 £50.3

48.23%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.45 £4.03

$5.01 £3.71

8.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 £1.44

$2.79 £2.06

-30.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.94 £21.41

$20.10 £14.87

43.98%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.05 £1.52

$1.94 £1.43

5.67%

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

$39.3K £29.0K

$38.5K £28.5K

1.87%

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

$41.4K £30.6K

$37.3K £27.6K

11.04%

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

$343 £254

$286 £211

20.04%

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

$17.03 £12.60

$16.92 £12.52

0.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$43.01 £31.82

$27.58 £20.41

55.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.96 £35.48

$121 £89.3

-60.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.68 £17.52

$9.53 £7.05

148.48%

Cinema Ticket

$15.04 £11.13

$18.09 £13.38

-16.86%

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

$1,824 £1,350

$2,131 £1,577

-14.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$25.5K £18.8K

$31.2K £23.1K

-18.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$85.8 £63.5

$93.4 £69.1

-8.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.3 £37.21

$45.64 £33.76

10.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$108 £79.6

$105 £78.0

2.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$118 £87.6

$91.4 £67.6

29.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 £1,217

$2,040 £1,509

-19.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,229 £909

$1,631 £1,207

-24.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,844 £2,104

$2,511 £1,857

13.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,187 £1,618

$2,174 £1,608

0.61%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,732 £4,980

$8,018 £5,931

-16.04%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,734 £3,502

$7,586 £5,612

-37.60%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,581 £2,649

$3,017 £2,232

18.69%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.78

5.12

-6.64%

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

Last update for Edinburgh: September 1, 2026

Last update for Chatham: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,644 in Edinburgh versus $2,040 in Chatham. 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 19% 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 $109 in Edinburgh versus $94.0 in Chatham. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $333 vs $327 – making Chatham 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 Chatham: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chatham costs about 12% more than Edinburgh, with the gap driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,037 per month in Edinburgh and $4,524 in Chatham. 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.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,691 in Edinburgh and $3,016 in Chatham. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 48% less in Edinburgh. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,691 in Edinburgh and $3,016 in Chatham. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Edinburgh costs $2,691 versus $3,016 in Chatham. 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, Chatham makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.