Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Edinburgh and Chippenham

For one person, living is cheaper in Chippenham: $2,340 a month against $2,601 in Edinburgh, rent and utilities included – about $3,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Edinburgh
🇬🇧 United Kingdom
$2,601
/mo nomad
Chippenham
🇬🇧 United Kingdom
$2,340
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Edinburgh and in Chippenham

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Edinburgh and in Chippenham actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,601 in Edinburgh versus $2,340 in Chippenham.

  • Edinburgh $2,601
  • Chippenham $2,340

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,985 in Edinburgh versus $3,492 in Chippenham.

  • Edinburgh $3,985
  • Chippenham $3,492

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,369 in Edinburgh versus $4,643 in Chippenham.

  • Edinburgh $5,369
  • Chippenham $4,643

Living in Edinburgh is roughly 11% more expensive than in Chippenham, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Edinburgh 92% above, Chippenham 73% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Edinburgh
Chippenham
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$23.67 £17.76
$17.94 £13.46
31.94%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$108 £81.4
$67.9 £50.9
59.83%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.71 £8.04
$10.09 £7.57
6.14%
Cappuccino
$5.25 £3.94
$4.95 £3.71
6.06%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.48 £1.86
$2.48 £1.86
-
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.17 £1.63
$1.44 £1.08
50.69%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$7.94 £5.96
$4.22 £3.16
88.15%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$8.00 £6.00
$3.78 £2.83
111.64%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Edinburgh
Chippenham
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.69 £1.27
$1.35 £1.01
25.19%
White Bread (500g)
$2.35 £1.77
$1.59 £1.20
47.80%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.36 £1.77
$1.92 £1.44
22.92%
Eggs
$4.96 £3.72
$4.08 £3.06
21.57%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.20 £6.91
$6.72 £5.04
36.90%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.33 £7.00
$8.27 £6.21
12.82%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$15.79 £11.85
$9.85 £7.39
60.30%
Apples (1kg)
$3.01 £2.26
$3.34 £2.50
-9.88%
Banana (1kg)
$1.88 £1.41
$1.65 £1.24
13.94%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.42 £2.57
$2.97 £2.23
15.15%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.67 £2.75
$3.71 £2.79
-1.08%
Potato (1kg)
$2.01 £1.51
$0.26 £0.19
673.08%
Onion (1kg)
$1.55 £1.16
$1.72 £1.29
-9.88%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.32 £0.99
$0.97 £0.73
36.08%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.93 £1.45
$1.32 £0.99
46.21%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$23.23 £17.43
$15.66 £11.75
48.34%
Wine (Bottle)
$11.20 £8.40
$10.73 £8.05
4.38%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$3.12 £2.34
$3.41 £2.56
-8.50%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.27 £2.46
$3.57 £2.68
-8.40%
🚌 Getting Around
Edinburgh
Chippenham
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$3.14 £2.35
$3.93 £2.95
-20.10%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$97.0 £72.8
$246 £185
-60.61%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$5.43 £4.08
$4.96 £3.72
9.48%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.82 £1.37
$3.22 £2.42
-43.48%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$28.32 £21.25
$41.83 £31.38
-32.30%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.08 £1.56
$2.19 £1.65
-5.02%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$38.6K £28.9K
$39.3K £29.5K
-1.96%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$39.9K £29.9K
$40.6K £30.4K
-1.72%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Edinburgh
Chippenham
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$328 £246
$339 £254
-3.18%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$16.47 £12.36
$18.11 £13.59
-9.06%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$42.32 £31.75
$40.08 £30.07
5.59%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Edinburgh
Chippenham
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$44.41 £33.32
$45.72 £34.30
-2.87%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$23.05 £17.30
$19.89 £14.92
15.89%
Cinema Ticket
$14.39 £10.79
$8.41 £6.31
71.11%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Edinburgh
Chippenham
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,775 £1,331
$2,313 £1,735
-23.28%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$25.6K £19.2K
$15.7K £11.8K
62.79%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Edinburgh
Chippenham
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$81.2 £60.9
$95.1 £71.4
-14.65%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$49.04 £36.79
$32.85 £24.65
49.28%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$108 £81.2
$65.4 £49.08
65.48%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$115 £85.9
$107 £80.1
7.22%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Edinburgh
Chippenham
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,600 £1,200
$1,190 £893
34.43%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,168 £876
$914 £685
27.79%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,803 £2,103
$1,973 £1,480
42.06%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,155 £1,617
$1,688 £1,266
27.67%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$6,714 £5,037
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$4,715 £3,538
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Edinburgh
Chippenham
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,558 £2,669
$4,690 £3,518
-24.13%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.77
4.5
6.00%

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

Last update for Edinburgh: October 17, 2026

Last update for Chippenham: October 20, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Edinburgh
$1.2K
Chippenham
$914 21.7% $254
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Edinburgh
$387
Chippenham
$397 2.6% $10
Eating Out
Edinburgh
$359
Chippenham
$278 22.6% $81
Groceries & Markets
Edinburgh
$332
Chippenham
$271 18.3% $61
Clothing & Footwear
Edinburgh
$159
Chippenham
$135 15% $24
Getting Around
Edinburgh
$124
Chippenham
$283 128% $159
Sport & Entertainment
Edinburgh
$73
Chippenham
$63 14.6% $11

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,600 in Edinburgh and $1,190 in Chippenham. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Chippenham pays 32% 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 $68.0 in Chippenham for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $332 vs $271 per month, with Chippenham cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇬🇧 Edinburgh
🇬🇧 Chippenham
🕒 Local time
16:40 4:40 PM
16:40 4:40 PM
Same time as Edinburgh
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
488,050
45,337
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to GBP – British Pound Converter

British Pound exchange rates as of October 22, 2026: 1 USD = 0.75 GBP (1 GBP = 1.33 USD). 1 EUR = 0.843 GBP (1 GBP = 1.19 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Edinburgh Chippenham 500 km ≈ 1 h 15 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Edinburgh
  • Chippenham

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Chippenham: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Chippenham cheaper than Edinburgh?
Chippenham is cheaper overall, especially in eating out, groceries, and clothing. The 11% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Edinburgh or Chippenham?
On paper, salaries run 32% lower in Chippenham. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
What is the rent difference between Edinburgh and Chippenham?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,600 in Edinburgh versus $1,190 in Chippenham. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What are total monthly expenses in Edinburgh and in Chippenham?
All in, you'll spend $2,601 per month in Edinburgh versus $2,340 in Chippenham – a 11% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
A monthly transit pass in Chippenham runs roughly 154% less than in Edinburgh. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
Is $2,500 a realistic budget for living in Edinburgh or in Chippenham?
At $2,340 in Chippenham versus $2,601 in Edinburgh, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Chippenham but tight or insufficient in Edinburgh. The gap between the two cities makes Chippenham the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Edinburgh or Chippenham more family-friendly?
For families, Chippenham 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.
Which city is safer, Edinburgh or Chippenham?
Safety-wise, Edinburgh and Chippenham are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Chippenham 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.

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