Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Edinburgh and Epsom

For one person, living is cheaper in Epsom: $2,514 a month against $2,645 in Edinburgh, rent and utilities included – about $1,600 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Edinburgh outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

Edinburgh, United Kingdom
Epsom, United Kingdom
Edinburgh
🇬🇧 United Kingdom
$2,645
/mo nomad
Epsom
🇬🇧 United Kingdom
$2,514
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Edinburgh and in Epsom

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 Epsom actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,645 per month in Edinburgh vs $2,514 in Epsom, rent included.

  • Edinburgh $2,645
  • Epsom $2,514

A couple spends around $4,021 per month in Edinburgh vs $3,685 in Epsom, rent included.

  • Edinburgh $4,021
  • Epsom $3,685

A family of three spends $5,397 per month in Edinburgh vs $4,855 in Epsom, rent included.

  • Edinburgh $5,397
  • Epsom $4,855

Edinburgh costs about 5% more than Epsom, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both Edinburgh and Epsom sit above the global median – Edinburgh by 94%, Epsom by 85%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Edinburgh
Epsom
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$24.35 £18.18
$25.09 £18.73
-2.95%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$105 £78.6
$96.3 £71.9
9.28%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.47 £7.81
$10.29 £7.69
1.75%
Cappuccino
$5.02 £3.75
$5.24 £3.91
-4.20%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.41 £1.80
$3.46 £2.58
-30.35%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.19 £1.64
$3.18 £2.38
-31.13%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$8.04 £6.00
$8.65 £6.46
-7.05%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$7.91 £5.91
$8.32 £6.22
-4.93%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Edinburgh
Epsom
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.75 £1.31
$1.89 £1.41
-7.41%
White Bread (500g)
$2.33 £1.74
$1.99 £1.49
17.09%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.35 £1.75
$2.21 £1.65
6.33%
Eggs
$5.13 £3.83
$4.63 £3.46
10.80%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.05 £6.76
$11.88 £8.87
-23.82%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.26 £6.92
$8.93 £6.67
3.70%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$16.17 £12.08
$15.40 £11.50
5.00%
Apples (1kg)
$3.05 £2.28
$2.93 £2.19
4.10%
Banana (1kg)
$1.87 £1.40
$1.42 £1.06
31.69%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.35 £2.50
$2.90 £2.16
15.52%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.75 £2.80
$3.27 £2.44
14.68%
Potato (1kg)
$2.05 £1.53
$2.03 £1.51
0.99%
Onion (1kg)
$1.53 £1.14
$1.88 £1.41
-18.62%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.33 £1.00
$1.15 £0.86
15.65%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.89 £1.41
$1.89 £1.41
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$23.87 £17.82
$23.42 £17.48
1.92%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.96 £8.18
$12.70 £9.49
-13.70%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$3.16 £2.36
$3.02 £2.26
4.64%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.22 £2.40
$3.21 £2.39
0.31%
🚌 Getting Around
Edinburgh
Epsom
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$3.13 £2.34
$3.64 £2.71
-14.01%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$99.8 £74.5
$95.4 £71.3
4.59%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$5.45 £4.07
$5.04 £3.76
8.13%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.90 £1.42
$2.60 £1.94
-26.92%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$28.50 £21.28
$25.63 £19.14
11.20%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.06 £1.54
$2.07 £1.55
-0.48%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$38.2K £28.5K
$38.2K £28.5K
-0.01%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$39.7K £29.7K
$40.8K £30.4K
-2.60%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Edinburgh
Epsom
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$329 £246
$342 £255
-3.63%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$16.81 £12.55
$17.00 £12.69
-1.12%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$43.13 £32.20
$45.18 £33.74
-4.54%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Edinburgh
Epsom
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$41.84 £31.24
$47.03 £35.12
-11.04%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$23.33 £17.42
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$14.67 £10.95
$18.19 £13.58
-19.35%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Edinburgh
Epsom
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,901 £1,419
$2,065 £1,542
-7.98%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$25.8K £19.2K
$30.4K £22.7K
-15.13%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Edinburgh
Epsom
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$82.2 £61.4
$92.8 £69.3
-11.44%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$50.0 £37.34
$45.45 £33.93
10.01%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$106 £78.9
$105 £78.3
0.73%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$115 £86.0
$90.8 £67.8
26.87%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Edinburgh
Epsom
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,691 £1,263
$1,218 £909
38.88%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,205 £900
$1,040 £777
15.85%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,959 £2,209
$2,121 £1,584
39.52%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,184 £1,631
$1,667 £1,244
31.08%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$6,388 £4,769
$7,045 £5,260
-9.33%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$4,514 £3,370
$3,947 £2,947
14.35%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Edinburgh
Epsom
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,632 £2,712
$3,825 £2,856
-5.05%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.77
5.12
-6.84%

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

Last update for Edinburgh: October 26, 2026

Last update for Epsom: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Edinburgh
$1.2K
Epsom
$1K 13.7% $165
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Edinburgh
$389
Epsom
$404 3.8% $15
Eating Out
Edinburgh
$361
Epsom
$381 5.6% $20
Groceries & Markets
Edinburgh
$333
Epsom
$328 1.4% $4.8
Clothing & Footwear
Edinburgh
$159
Epsom
$150 5.4% $8.6
Getting Around
Edinburgh
$127
Epsom
$128 0.5% $0.7
Sport & Entertainment
Edinburgh
$71
Epsom
$83 17.2% $12

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,691 in Edinburgh versus $1,218 in Epsom. 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 5% higher in Epsom, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $105 in Edinburgh versus $96 in Epsom. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $333 vs $328 – making Epsom the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇬🇧 Edinburgh
🇬🇧 Epsom
🕒 Local time
15:45 3:45 PM
15:45 3:45 PM
Same time as Edinburgh
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
488,050
31,489
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to GBP – British Pound Converter

British Pound exchange rates as of November 1, 2026: 1 USD = 0.747 GBP (1 GBP = 1.34 USD). 1 EUR = 0.834 GBP (1 GBP = 1.2 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Edinburgh Epsom 550 km ≈ 1 h 15 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Edinburgh
  • Epsom

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 Epsom: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Epsom cheaper than Edinburgh?
Yes – Edinburgh is pricier by about 5%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in clothing.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,968 per month in Edinburgh and $3,772 in Epsom. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Epsom, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,218 there versus $1,691 in Edinburgh.
What are total monthly expenses in Edinburgh and in Epsom?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,645 in Edinburgh and $2,514 in Epsom. That makes Epsom about 5% cheaper.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $1,901 per month in Edinburgh and $2,065 in Epsom. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Is $3,000 enough for either Edinburgh or Epsom?
$3,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $2,645 in Edinburgh and $2,514 in Epsom, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.
Is it better to live in Edinburgh or in Epsom?
It depends on your priorities. Edinburgh has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,514 in Epsom to $2,645 in Edinburgh. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Which city is safer, Edinburgh or Epsom?
Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.

Edinburgh vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities

Show times on the 12-hour clock, temperatures in °F and distances in miles?