Cost of Living Comparison Between Edinburgh and Cheltenham Cost of Living Comparison Between Edinburgh and Cheltenham

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,691 in Edinburgh versus $2,346 in Cheltenham.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,039 in Edinburgh versus $3,549 in Cheltenham.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,386 in Edinburgh versus $4,752 in Cheltenham.

Living in Edinburgh is roughly 15% more expensive than in Cheltenham, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Edinburgh 96% above, Cheltenham 71% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.27 £17.94

$23.91 £17.68

1.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$109 £80.9

$106 £78.6

2.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.91 £8.06

$11.75 £8.69

-7.15%

Cappuccino

$5.18 £3.83

$4.70 £3.47

10.21%

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

$2.53 £1.87

$2.76 £2.04

-8.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.17 £1.60

$1.80 £1.33

20.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.19 £6.05

$7.76 £5.74

5.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.12 £6.00

$6.90 £5.10

17.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.76 £1.30

$1.71 £1.26

2.92%

White Bread (500g)

$2.33 £1.72

$1.68 £1.24

38.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.33 £1.72

$2.10 £1.56

10.95%

Eggs

$5.09 £3.76

$4.49 £3.32

13.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.30 £6.87

$8.33 £6.16

11.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.54 £7.06

$9.82 £7.26

-2.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.99 £11.82

$13.42 £9.92

19.15%

Apples (1kg)

$3.01 £2.22

$3.26 £2.41

-7.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.79 £1.33

$1.51 £1.11

18.54%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.46 £2.56

$1.95 £1.44

77.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.53 £2.61

$3.43 £2.53

2.92%

Potato (1kg)

$2.19 £1.62

$1.63 £1.21

34.36%

Onion (1kg)

$1.52 £1.12

$1.54 £1.14

-1.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.27 £0.94

$1.29 £0.95

-1.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.91 £1.41

$1.46 £1.08

30.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$24.28 £17.95

$23.75 £17.56

2.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.30 £8.35

$11.03 £8.15

2.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.02 £2.23

$2.86 £2.12

5.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 £2.35

$2.97 £2.20

6.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.95 £2.18

$3.46 £2.56

-14.74%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$101 £74.5

$94.9 £70.2

6.20%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.45 £4.03

$3.62 £2.67

50.55%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 £1.44

$1.64 £1.21

18.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.94 £21.39

$27.20 £20.11

6.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.05 £1.51

$1.86 £1.38

10.22%

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

$39.3K £29.0K

$39.0K £28.8K

0.71%

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

$41.4K £30.6K

$42.1K £31.1K

-1.51%

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

$343 £253

$345 £255

-0.63%

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

$17.03 £12.59

$17.09 £12.63

-0.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$43.01 £31.80

$50.9 £37.63

-15.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.96 £35.45

$45.41 £33.57

5.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.68 £17.50

$41.04 £30.33

-42.30%

Cinema Ticket

$15.04 £11.12

$14.00 £10.35

7.43%

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

$1,824 £1,349

$2,048 £1,514

-10.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$25.5K £18.8K

$25.0K £18.5K

1.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$85.8 £63.4

$103 £76.5

-17.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.3 £37.18

$50.4 £37.23

-0.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$108 £79.5

$110 £81.6

-2.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$118 £87.6

$99.7 £73.7

18.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 £1,216

$1,201 £888

36.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,229 £909

$931 £688

32.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,844 £2,103

$2,248 £1,662

26.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,187 £1,617

$1,639 £1,212

33.43%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,732 £4,976

$5,902 £4,363

14.06%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,734 £3,499

$5,719 £4,227

-17.22%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,581 £2,647

$4,877 £3,605

-26.57%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.78

5.54

-13.72%

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

Last update for Edinburgh: September 1, 2026

Last update for Cheltenham: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,644 in Edinburgh and $1,201 in Cheltenham. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cheltenham pays 36% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $109 in Edinburgh vs $106 in Cheltenham for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $333 vs $298 per month, with Cheltenham 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 Cheltenham: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cheltenham is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Groceries & Markets, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 15% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 36% lower in Cheltenham. 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: $1,644 in Edinburgh versus $1,201 in Cheltenham. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Cheltenham – a meal for two runs $106 versus $109 in Edinburgh. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,691 per month in Edinburgh versus $2,346 in Cheltenham – a 15% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,346 in Cheltenham versus $2,691 in Edinburgh, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Cheltenham but tight or insufficient in Edinburgh. The gap between the two cities makes Cheltenham the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Cheltenham 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 Cheltenham 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 Cheltenham gentler on the wallet – expenses run 15% less than in Edinburgh. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.