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: $2,709 in Edinburgh versus $2,112 in Durham.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,062 in Edinburgh versus $3,419 in Durham.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,415 in Edinburgh versus $4,727 in Durham.

Living in Edinburgh is roughly 28% more expensive than in Durham, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Edinburgh 98% above, Durham 54% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.26 £17.78

$20.43 £14.97

18.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$110 £80.3

$96.0 £70.3

14.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.23 £7.50

$11.43 £8.38

-10.50%

Cappuccino

$5.25 £3.85

$4.68 £3.43

12.18%

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

$2.41 £1.77

$2.54 £1.87

-5.12%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.23 £1.63

$2.18 £1.60

2.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.02 £5.88

$5.90 £4.33

35.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.29 £6.08

$5.29 £3.88

56.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.77 £1.30

$2.08 £1.53

-14.90%

White Bread (500g)

$2.32 £1.70

$1.58 £1.16

46.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.34 £1.71

$3.03 £2.22

-22.77%

Eggs

$5.07 £3.72

$4.44 £3.25

14.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.32 £6.84

$10.10 £7.40

-7.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.54 £6.99

$9.41 £6.90

1.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.65 £11.47

$22.33 £16.37

-29.91%

Apples (1kg)

$3.09 £2.26

$2.92 £2.14

5.82%

Banana (1kg)

$1.79 £1.32

$2.58 £1.89

-30.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.37 £2.47

$2.86 £2.09

17.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.70 £2.71

$5.09 £3.73

-27.31%

Potato (1kg)

$2.02 £1.48

$1.59 £1.17

27.04%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 £1.10

$1.74 £1.28

-13.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.30 £0.95

$1.11 £0.81

17.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 £1.30

$1.86 £1.36

-4.30%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$23.88 £17.50

$23.82 £17.46

0.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.32 £8.30

$10.77 £7.90

5.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.06 £2.24

$3.28 £2.40

-6.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.19 £2.34

$3.22 £2.36

-0.93%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.01 £2.21

$3.18 £2.33

-5.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$100 £73.4

$90.3 £66.2

10.89%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.55 £4.07

$6.50 £4.77

-14.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.86 £1.36

$2.04 £1.49

-8.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.73 £21.79

$23.88 £17.51

24.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.05 £1.51

$1.90 £1.39

7.89%

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

$38.5K £28.2K

$39.4K £28.9K

-2.40%

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

$41.6K £30.5K

$41.1K £30.2K

1.11%

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

$384 £281

$268 £197

43.05%

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

$17.45 £12.79

$15.47 £11.34

12.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$43.43 £31.83

$45.14 £33.09

-3.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.98 £35.17

$46.39 £34.01

3.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.30 £17.08

Cinema Ticket

$14.42 £10.57

$12.71 £9.32

13.45%

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

$1,832 £1,343

$1,348 £988

35.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$25.9K £19.0K

$26.1K £19.1K

-0.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$84.3 £61.8

$107 £78.7

-21.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.80 £36.50

$73.3 £53.8

-32.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 £82.5

$117 £85.9

-3.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 £83.5

$101 £73.7

13.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,634 £1,198

$1,566 £1,148

4.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,246 £914

$748 £548

66.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,882 £2,113

$2,713 £1,988

6.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,151 £1,576

$1,642 £1,203

31.00%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,700 £4,911

$5,202 £3,813

28.81%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,775 £3,500

$3,973 £2,912

20.21%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,598 £2,638

$2,164 £1,586

66.27%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.77

5.18

-7.92%

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

Last update for Edinburgh: August 17, 2026

Last update for Durham: August 18, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,634 in Edinburgh and $1,566 in Durham. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Edinburgh pays 66% 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: $109 in Edinburgh vs $96.0 in Durham. Groceries flip the comparison at $331 vs $357, with Edinburgh cheaper for home cooking.

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 28% in total monthly costs ($2,709 vs $2,112 including rent). Durham is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 66% higher in Edinburgh, 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: $1,634 in Edinburgh versus $1,566 in Durham. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,709 per month in Edinburgh versus $2,112 in Durham – a 28% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Durham runs roughly 11% less than in Edinburgh. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Both cities are expensive relative to $3,000. Durham is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

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 28% less than in Edinburgh. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.