Cost of Living Comparison Between Edinburgh and Durham Cost of Living Comparison Between Edinburgh and Durham

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,704 in Edinburgh versus $2,033 in Durham.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,119 in Edinburgh versus $3,006 in Durham.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,535 in Edinburgh versus $3,980 in Durham.

Living in Edinburgh is roughly 33% more expensive than Durham, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Edinburgh 102% above, Durham 52% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.53 £15.21

$18.92 £14.02

8.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$104 £76.9

$96.8 £71.7

7.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.92 £7.35

$10.02 £7.42

-1.00%

Cappuccino

$5.32 £3.94

$4.37 £3.24

21.74%

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

$2.59 £1.92

$2.50 £1.85

3.60%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.00 £1.48

$1.93 £1.43

3.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.45 £5.52

$6.09 £4.51

22.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.95 £5.15

$5.37 £3.98

29.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 £1.22

$1.79 £1.33

-7.82%

White Bread (500g)

$1.66 £1.23

$1.63 £1.21

1.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.09 £1.55

$2.51 £1.86

-16.73%

Eggs

$4.34 £3.22

$4.00 £2.96

8.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.93 £8.84

$9.25 £6.86

28.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.21 £7.57

$8.21 £6.09

24.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.53 £13.73

$9.59 £7.10

93.22%

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 £2.43

$3.66 £2.71

-10.38%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 £1.16

$2.28 £1.69

-31.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.21 £3.12

$3.23 £2.39

30.34%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.78 £3.54

$3.42 £2.53

39.77%

Potato (1kg)

$1.75 £1.29

$1.15 £0.85

52.17%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 £1.11

$1.57 £1.17

-4.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 £0.87

$1.04 £0.77

13.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.30 £0.97

$1.82 £1.35

-28.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$20.45 £15.15

$22.65 £16.78

-9.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.71 £7.94

$11.04 £8.18

-2.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.62 £1.94

$3.09 £2.29

-15.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.38 £2.50

$2.98 £2.21

13.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.76 £2.05

$3.18 £2.35

-13.21%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$87.9 £65.1

$55.8 £41.34

57.58%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.48 £4.06

$4.82 £3.57

13.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.04 £2.25

$1.57 £1.16

93.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$42.23 £31.29

$23.48 £17.40

79.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.87 £1.39

$1.93 £1.43

-3.11%

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

$37.8K £28.0K

$37.1K £27.5K

1.88%

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

$39.8K £29.5K

-0.02%

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

$383 £284

$276 £204

38.88%

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

$17.20 £12.74

$15.57 £11.54

10.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$44.72 £33.14

$34.37 £25.47

30.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.5 £39.66

$50.3 £37.25

6.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.76 £18.34

Cinema Ticket

$14.74 £10.93

$12.92 £9.58

14.09%

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

$1,892 £1,402

$1,615 £1,197

17.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.5K £17.4K

$18.2K £13.5K

29.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$119 £88.1

$102 £75.7

16.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.2 £40.14

$60.1 £44.50

-9.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 £85.4

$124 £91.5

-6.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$126 £93.3

$89.2 £66.1

41.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 £1,223

$1,463 £1,084

12.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,212 £898

$828 £614

46.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,071 £2,276

$2,610 £1,934

17.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,188 £1,621

$1,270 £941

72.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,829 £5,060

$5,204 £3,856

31.21%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,906 £3,635

$3,964 £2,938

23.74%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,585 £2,657

$2,090 £1,549

71.53%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Durham: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,651 in Edinburgh and $1,463 in Durham. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Edinburgh pays 72% 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 $97.0 in Durham for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $338 vs $296 per month, with Durham 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 Durham: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Edinburgh and Durham differ by about 33% in total monthly costs ($2,704 vs $2,033 including rent). Durham is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Edinburgh pays 72% 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: $1,651 in Edinburgh versus $1,463 in Durham. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,704 per month in Edinburgh versus $2,033 in Durham – a 33% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Durham runs roughly 58% less than in Edinburgh. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $2,033 in Durham versus $2,704 in Edinburgh, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Durham but tight or insufficient in Edinburgh. The gap between the two cities makes Durham the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Edinburgh and Durham 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 Durham gentler on the wallet – expenses run 33% less than in Edinburgh. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.