Cost of Living Comparison Between Edinburgh and Livingston Cost of Living Comparison Between Edinburgh and Livingston

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,736 per month in Edinburgh vs $2,216 in Livingston, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,085 per month in Edinburgh vs $3,443 in Livingston, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,435 per month in Edinburgh vs $4,669 in Livingston, rent included.

Edinburgh costs about 23% more than Livingston, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Edinburgh and Livingston sit above the global median – Edinburgh by 106%, Livingston by 66%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.57 £15.24

$20.05 £14.86

2.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$103 £76.0

$94.4 £70.0

8.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.02 £7.42

$9.82 £7.28

2.04%

Cappuccino

$5.24 £3.88

$4.80 £3.56

9.17%

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

$2.54 £1.89

$2.73 £2.03

-6.96%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 £1.45

$2.12 £1.57

-7.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.28 £5.40

$6.97 £5.17

4.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.88 £5.10

$6.59 £4.88

4.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 £1.26

$1.63 £1.21

4.29%

White Bread (500g)

$1.73 £1.28

$1.66 £1.23

4.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.14 £1.59

$2.16 £1.60

-0.93%

Eggs

$4.26 £3.15

$3.56 £2.64

19.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.00 £8.89

$11.06 £8.20

8.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.58 £7.84

$9.20 £6.82

15.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.31 £13.57

$16.24 £12.03

12.75%

Apples (1kg)

$3.15 £2.33

$3.17 £2.35

-0.63%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 £1.15

$1.63 £1.21

-4.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.01 £2.97

$2.75 £2.04

45.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.79 £3.55

$3.77 £2.80

27.06%

Potato (1kg)

$1.81 £1.34

$1.76 £1.31

2.84%

Onion (1kg)

$1.43 £1.06

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.21 £0.90

$1.16 £0.86

4.31%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 £1.01

$1.65 £1.23

-17.58%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$20.70 £15.34

$18.91 £14.01

9.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.95 £8.11

$10.68 £7.91

2.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.59 £1.92

$2.63 £1.95

-1.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.43 £2.54

$3.42 £2.53

0.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.67 £1.98

$3.28 £2.43

-18.60%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$90.3 £66.9

$74.9 £55.5

20.63%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.45 £4.04

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.12 £2.31

$1.23 £0.91

153.66%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$42.72 £31.67

$22.03 £16.33

93.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.93 £1.43

$1.99 £1.48

-3.02%

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

$38.7K £28.7K

$38.9K £28.9K

-0.61%

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

$39.4K £29.2K

$39.7K £29.4K

-0.92%

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

$385 £285

$381 £282

1.08%

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

$17.38 £12.88

$17.55 £13.01

-0.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$44.71 £33.14

$45.47 £33.70

-1.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.8 £40.61

$61.0 £45.19

-10.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.93 £18.48

$34.29 £25.42

-27.30%

Cinema Ticket

$14.65 £10.86

$10.77 £7.98

36.03%

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

$1,953 £1,448

$1,249 £926

56.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.2K £17.2K

$18.7K £13.9K

24.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$118 £87.5

$105 £78.2

11.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.5 £40.43

$55.2 £40.92

-1.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$118 £87.6

$116 £86.2

1.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$123 £91.2

$81.6 £60.5

50.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,668 £1,236

$891 £661

87.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 £896

$769 £570

57.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,102 £2,299

$1,964 £1,456

57.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,181 £1,616

$1,579 £1,170

38.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,695 £4,962

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,621 £3,425

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,581 £2,654

$3,983 £2,952

-10.11%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.63

5.7

-1.23%

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

Last update for Edinburgh: July 26, 2026

Last update for Livingston: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,668 in Edinburgh versus $891 in Livingston. 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 11% higher in Livingston, 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 $103 in Edinburgh versus $94.0 in Livingston. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $340 vs $313 – making Livingston 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 Livingston: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Edinburgh is pricier by about 23%, 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 $4,104 per month in Edinburgh and $3,324 in Livingston. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Livingston, 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 $103 in Edinburgh and $94.0 in Livingston. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,736 in Edinburgh and $2,216 in Livingston. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Livingston, where all-in costs run around $2,216, than in Edinburgh at $2,736. In Livingston it covers expenses comfortably, while in Edinburgh it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Livingston – 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 Livingston. 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.