Cost of Living Comparison Between Edinburgh and Dover Cost of Living Comparison Between Edinburgh and Dover

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,767 per month in Edinburgh vs $2,388 in Dover, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,064 per month in Edinburgh vs $3,566 in Dover, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,361 per month in Edinburgh vs $4,745 in Dover, rent included.

Edinburgh costs about 16% more than Dover, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Edinburgh and Dover sit above the global median – Edinburgh by 106%, Dover by 78%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.73 £15.44

$27.08 £20.18

-23.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$104 £77.1

$93.6 £69.7

10.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.95 £7.41

$9.59 £7.14

3.75%

Cappuccino

$5.32 £3.97

$4.11 £3.07

29.44%

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

$2.61 £1.94

$2.51 £1.87

3.98%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.01 £1.50

$2.00 £1.49

0.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.64 £5.69

$5.52 £4.12

38.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.93 £5.16

$4.85 £3.61

42.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 £1.23

$1.11 £0.83

48.65%

White Bread (500g)

$1.73 £1.29

$1.21 £0.90

42.98%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.18 £1.62

$2.89 £2.15

-24.57%

Eggs

$4.37 £3.26

$4.88 £3.63

-10.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.93 £8.88

$10.05 £7.49

18.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.25 £7.63

$9.99 £7.44

2.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.87 £14.06

$18.00 £13.41

4.83%

Apples (1kg)

$3.22 £2.40

$3.31 £2.46

-2.72%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 £1.11

$1.36 £1.01

9.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.14 £3.09

$3.59 £2.68

15.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.74 £3.53

$3.72 £2.77

27.42%

Potato (1kg)

$1.82 £1.36

$1.87 £1.39

-2.67%

Onion (1kg)

$1.42 £1.06

$0.92 £0.68

54.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.16 £0.87

$1.38 £1.03

-15.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 £0.99

$1.08 £0.80

23.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$20.21 £15.06

$20.35 £15.16

-0.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.36 £8.46

$11.39 £8.49

-0.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.50 £1.86

$3.53 £2.63

-29.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.27 £2.44

$4.09 £3.05

-20.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.64 £1.97

$5.25 £3.91

-49.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$89.4 £66.6

$43.98 £32.76

103.34%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.58 £4.16

$4.72 £3.52

18.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.15 £2.34

$2.47 £1.84

27.53%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$42.77 £31.86

$55.0 £40.98

-22.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.95 £1.45

$1.89 £1.41

3.17%

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

$38.2K £28.5K

$38.6K £28.8K

-1.02%

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

$38.8K £28.9K

$44.3K £33.0K

-12.29%

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

$381 £284

$341 £254

11.83%

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

$17.32 £12.91

$15.77 £11.75

9.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$44.43 £33.10

$39.59 £29.50

12.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.5 £40.60

$47.39 £35.30

15.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.51 £18.26

$27.62 £20.58

-11.26%

Cinema Ticket

$14.73 £10.98

$15.81 £11.78

-6.83%

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

$1,944 £1,448

$2,265 £1,688

-14.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.1K £18.0K

$22.9K £17.1K

5.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$118 £88.1

$86.1 £64.2

37.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.6 £41.43

$50.4 £37.53

10.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$116 £86.7

$85.5 £63.7

35.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$126 £93.6

$123 £91.4

2.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,653 £1,231

$1,210 £901

36.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,201 £895

$1,020 £760

17.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,062 £2,281

$2,046 £1,524

49.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,168 £1,615

$1,674 £1,247

29.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,616 £4,929

$5,285 £3,938

25.18%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,869 £3,628

$3,370 £2,511

44.50%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,659 £2,726

$2,863 £2,133

27.80%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Dover: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,653 in Edinburgh versus $1,210 in Dover. 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 28% higher in Edinburgh, 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 $104 in Edinburgh versus $94.0 in Dover. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $340 vs $320 – making Dover 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 Dover: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Edinburgh is pricier by about 16%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,150 per month in Edinburgh and $3,582 in Dover. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Dover, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $1,944 per month in Edinburgh and $2,265 in Dover. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 6% more in Edinburgh, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Dover, where all-in costs run around $2,388, than in Edinburgh at $2,767. In Dover it covers expenses comfortably, while in Edinburgh it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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