Cost of Living Comparison Between Edinburgh and Dumfries Cost of Living Comparison Between Edinburgh and Dumfries

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,767 in Edinburgh versus $1,785 in Dumfries.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,064 in Edinburgh versus $2,755 in Dumfries.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,361 in Edinburgh versus $3,725 in Dumfries.

Living in Edinburgh is roughly 55% more expensive than Dumfries, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Edinburgh 106% above, Dumfries 33% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.73 £15.44

$16.45 £12.25

26.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$104 £77.1

$88.7 £66.1

16.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.95 £7.41

$7.95 £5.92

25.16%

Cappuccino

$5.32 £3.97

$3.87 £2.88

37.47%

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

$2.61 £1.94

$2.31 £1.72

12.99%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.01 £1.50

$1.34 £1.00

50.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.64 £5.69

$3.98 £2.96

91.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.93 £5.16

$5.01 £3.73

38.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 £1.23

$1.47 £1.10

12.24%

White Bread (500g)

$1.73 £1.29

$1.49 £1.11

16.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.18 £1.62

$2.55 £1.90

-14.51%

Eggs

$4.37 £3.26

$3.57 £2.66

22.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.93 £8.88

$8.07 £6.01

47.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.25 £7.63

$10.03 £7.47

2.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.87 £14.06

$15.73 £11.72

19.96%

Apples (1kg)

$3.22 £2.40

$2.54 £1.89

26.77%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 £1.11

$2.35 £1.75

-36.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.14 £3.09

$2.36 £1.76

75.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.74 £3.53

$3.34 £2.49

41.92%

Potato (1kg)

$1.82 £1.36

$2.13 £1.59

-14.55%

Onion (1kg)

$1.42 £1.06

$1.92 £1.43

-26.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.16 £0.87

$1.23 £0.91

-5.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 £0.99

$1.77 £1.32

-24.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$20.21 £15.06

$18.72 £13.94

7.96%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.36 £8.46

$10.79 £8.04

5.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.50 £1.86

$3.28 £2.44

-23.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.27 £2.44

$3.03 £2.26

7.92%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.64 £1.97

$4.23 £3.15

-37.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$89.4 £66.6

$98.6 £73.5

-9.29%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.58 £4.16

$5.56 £4.14

0.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.15 £2.34

$1.60 £1.19

96.87%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$42.77 £31.86

$14.04 £10.46

204.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.95 £1.45

$1.87 £1.39

4.28%

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

$38.2K £28.5K

$38.3K £28.6K

-0.27%

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

$38.8K £28.9K

$41.3K £30.8K

-5.99%

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

$381 £284

$234 £174

63.09%

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

$17.32 £12.91

$14.59 £10.87

18.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$44.43 £33.10

$47.77 £35.59

-6.99%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.5 £40.60

$50.9 £37.89

7.16%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.51 £18.26

$27.02 £20.13

-9.29%

Cinema Ticket

$14.73 £10.98

$12.97 £9.66

13.57%

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

$1,944 £1,448

$1,614 £1,202

20.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.1K £18.0K

$16.1K £12.0K

49.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$118 £88.1

$94.7 £70.6

24.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.6 £41.43

$57.2 £42.58

-2.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$116 £86.7

$131 £97.7

-11.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$126 £93.6

$119 £88.8

5.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,653 £1,231

$633 £472

161.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,201 £895

$554 £413

116.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,062 £2,281

$1,020 £760

200.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,168 £1,615

$965 £719

124.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,616 £4,929

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,869 £3,628

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,659 £2,726

$3,570 £2,660

2.48%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.63

5.45

3.30%

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

Last update for Edinburgh: May 31, 2026

Last update for Dumfries: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,653 in Edinburgh and $633 in Dumfries. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Edinburgh pays 2% 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: $104 in Edinburgh vs $89.0 in Dumfries for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $340 vs $309 per month, with Dumfries 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 Dumfries: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Dumfries is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment. The 55% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Edinburgh pays 2% more on average, 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: $1,653 in Edinburgh versus $633 in Dumfries. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Dumfries – a meal for two runs $89.0 versus $104 in Edinburgh. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,767 per month in Edinburgh versus $1,785 in Dumfries – a 55% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,785 in Dumfries versus $2,767 in Edinburgh, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Dumfries but tight or insufficient in Edinburgh. The gap between the two cities makes Dumfries the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Dumfries 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 Dumfries 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 Dumfries gentler on the wallet – expenses run 55% less than in Edinburgh. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.