Cost of Living Comparison Between Edinburgh and Harlow Cost of Living Comparison Between Edinburgh and Harlow

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,691 per month in Edinburgh vs $2,513 in Harlow, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,039 per month in Edinburgh vs $3,707 in Harlow, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,386 per month in Edinburgh vs $4,901 in Harlow, rent included.

Edinburgh costs about 7% more than Harlow, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Edinburgh and Harlow sit above the global median – Edinburgh by 96%, Harlow by 83%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.27 £17.95

$21.71 £16.06

11.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$109 £81.0

$97.1 £71.8

12.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.91 £8.07

$10.73 £7.94

1.68%

Cappuccino

$5.18 £3.83

$5.91 £4.37

-12.35%

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

$2.53 £1.87

$2.73 £2.02

-7.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.17 £1.60

$1.84 £1.36

17.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.19 £6.06

$7.00 £5.18

17.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.12 £6.01

$6.99 £5.17

16.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.76 £1.30

$1.32 £0.98

33.33%

White Bread (500g)

$2.33 £1.72

$1.35 £1.00

72.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.33 £1.72

$1.17 £0.87

99.15%

Eggs

$5.09 £3.76

$2.38 £1.76

113.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.30 £6.88

$6.79 £5.02

36.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.54 £7.06

$6.37 £4.71

49.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.99 £11.83

$6.70 £4.96

138.66%

Apples (1kg)

$3.01 £2.22

$2.09 £1.54

44.02%

Banana (1kg)

$1.79 £1.33

$1.24 £0.92

44.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.46 £2.56

$1.14 £0.84

203.51%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.53 £2.61

$2.02 £1.49

74.75%

Potato (1kg)

$2.19 £1.62

$1.64 £1.21

33.54%

Onion (1kg)

$1.52 £1.12

$1.32 £0.98

15.15%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.27 £0.94

$1.37 £1.01

-7.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.91 £1.41

$1.52 £1.12

25.66%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$24.28 £17.96

$21.92 £16.22

10.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.30 £8.36

$9.33 £6.90

21.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.02 £2.23

$2.74 £2.02

10.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 £2.35

$2.02 £1.49

56.93%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.95 £2.18

$3.49 £2.58

-15.47%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$101 £74.6

$94.7 £70.0

6.47%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.45 £4.03

$6.16 £4.56

-11.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 £1.44

$1.67 £1.23

16.77%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.94 £21.41

$21.53 £15.93

34.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.05 £1.52

$1.95 £1.44

5.13%

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

$39.3K £29.0K

$38.0K £28.1K

3.26%

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

$41.4K £30.6K

$42.0K £31.0K

-1.29%

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

$343 £254

$257 £190

33.45%

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

$17.03 £12.60

$12.25 £9.06

39.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$43.01 £31.82

$28.99 £21.45

48.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.96 £35.48

$48.10 £35.58

-0.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.68 £17.52

$8.37 £6.19

182.92%

Cinema Ticket

$15.04 £11.13

$12.76 £9.44

17.87%

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

$1,824 £1,350

$1,102 £815

65.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$25.5K £18.8K

$20.4K £15.1K

24.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$85.8 £63.5

$71.8 £53.1

19.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.3 £37.21

$31.12 £23.02

61.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$108 £79.6

$79.9 £59.1

34.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$118 £87.6

$38.85 £28.74

204.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 £1,217

$1,426 £1,055

15.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,229 £909

$1,339 £990

-8.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,844 £2,104

$2,337 £1,729

21.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,187 £1,618

$2,232 £1,652

-2.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,732 £4,980

$5,317 £3,934

26.60%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,734 £3,502

$3,714 £2,748

27.46%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,581 £2,649

$3,037 £2,246

17.93%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.78

4.91

-2.65%

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

Last update for Edinburgh: September 1, 2026

Last update for Harlow: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,644 in Edinburgh versus $1,426 in Harlow. 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 18% higher in Edinburgh, 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 $97.0 in Harlow. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $333 vs $213 – making Harlow the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Harlow: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Edinburgh is pricier by about 7%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,037 per month in Edinburgh and $3,770 in Harlow. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Harlow, 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 $97.0 in Harlow. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,691 in Edinburgh and $2,513 in Harlow. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Harlow, where all-in costs run around $2,513, than in Edinburgh at $2,691. In Harlow it covers expenses comfortably, while in Edinburgh it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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