Cost of Living Comparison Between Edinburgh and Guildford Cost of Living Comparison Between Edinburgh and Guildford

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,709 per month in Edinburgh vs $3,185 in Guildford, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,062 per month in Edinburgh vs $4,524 in Guildford, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,415 per month in Edinburgh vs $5,863 in Guildford, rent included.

Edinburgh is about 15% cheaper than Guildford, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Edinburgh and Guildford sit above the global median – Edinburgh by 98%, Guildford by 133%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.26 £17.78

$27.07 £19.84

-10.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$110 £80.3

$101 £74.2

8.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.23 £7.50

$11.35 £8.32

-9.87%

Cappuccino

$5.25 £3.85

$5.17 £3.79

1.55%

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

$2.41 £1.77

$2.93 £2.15

-17.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.23 £1.63

$1.57 £1.15

42.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.02 £5.88

$8.58 £6.29

-6.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.29 £6.08

$6.85 £5.02

21.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.77 £1.30

$1.48 £1.08

19.59%

White Bread (500g)

$2.32 £1.70

$1.07 £0.79

116.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.34 £1.71

$1.79 £1.31

30.73%

Eggs

$5.07 £3.72

$4.17 £3.06

21.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.32 £6.84

$15.23 £11.16

-38.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.54 £6.99

$10.49 £7.69

-9.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.65 £11.47

$15.80 £11.58

-0.95%

Apples (1kg)

$3.09 £2.26

$3.61 £2.65

-14.40%

Banana (1kg)

$1.79 £1.32

$1.93 £1.42

-7.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.37 £2.47

$4.45 £3.26

-24.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.70 £2.71

$5.21 £3.82

-28.98%

Potato (1kg)

$2.02 £1.48

$2.03 £1.49

-0.49%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 £1.10

$1.37 £1.01

9.49%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.30 £0.95

$1.02 £0.75

27.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 £1.30

$1.16 £0.85

53.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$23.88 £17.50

$24.41 £17.89

-2.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.32 £8.30

$13.77 £10.10

-17.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.06 £2.24

$2.40 £1.76

27.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.19 £2.34

$3.48 £2.55

-8.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.01 £2.21

$3.09 £2.26

-2.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$100 £73.4

$92.9 £68.1

7.87%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.55 £4.07

$6.69 £4.90

-17.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.86 £1.36

$1.67 £1.22

11.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.73 £21.79

$40.37 £29.59

-26.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.05 £1.51

$1.92 £1.41

6.77%

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

$38.5K £28.2K

$39.0K £28.6K

-1.43%

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

$41.6K £30.5K

$41.2K £30.2K

0.97%

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

$384 £281

$381 £279

0.83%

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

$17.45 £12.79

$22.85 £16.75

-23.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$43.43 £31.83

$46.63 £34.18

-6.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.98 £35.17

$56.2 £41.19

-14.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.30 £17.08

$23.07 £16.91

1.00%

Cinema Ticket

$14.42 £10.57

$13.13 £9.62

9.82%

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

$1,832 £1,343

$1,908 £1,398

-3.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$25.9K £19.0K

$24.3K £17.8K

6.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$84.3 £61.8

$110 £80.5

-23.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.80 £36.50

$66.4 £48.70

-25.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 £82.5

$119 £87.4

-5.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 £83.5

$132 £96.6

-13.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,634 £1,198

$1,911 £1,401

-14.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,246 £914

$1,625 £1,191

-23.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,882 £2,113

$2,830 £2,074

1.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,151 £1,576

$2,525 £1,851

-14.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,700 £4,911

$7,486 £5,487

-10.51%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,775 £3,500

$7,051 £5,169

-32.28%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,598 £2,638

$3,761 £2,757

-4.33%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.77

5.13

-7.02%

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

Last update for Edinburgh: August 17, 2026

Last update for Guildford: August 17, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,634 in Edinburgh versus $1,911 in Guildford. 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 Guildford, 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 $109 in Edinburgh versus $101 in Guildford. Groceries tell a different story – $331 in Edinburgh vs $342 in Guildford – so Edinburgh wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Guildford: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Guildford is pricier by about 18%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,063 per month in Edinburgh and $4,778 in Guildford. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $109 in Edinburgh and $101 in Guildford. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,709 in Edinburgh and $3,185 in Guildford. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,709 in Edinburgh and $3,185 in Guildford. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

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