Cost of Living Comparison Between Edinburgh and Middlesex Cost of Living Comparison Between Edinburgh and Middlesex

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,696 per month in Edinburgh vs $2,425 in Middlesex, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,099 per month in Edinburgh vs $3,458 in Middlesex, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,502 per month in Edinburgh vs $4,492 in Middlesex, rent included.

Edinburgh costs about 11% more than Middlesex, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Edinburgh and Middlesex sit above the global median – Edinburgh by 97%, Middlesex by 77%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.27 £18.12

$20.28 £15.14

19.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$108 £80.7

$71.0 £53.0

52.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.91 £8.15

$10.36 £7.74

5.31%

Cappuccino

$5.13 £3.83

$3.67 £2.74

39.78%

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

$2.39 £1.78

$2.29 £1.71

4.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.21 £1.65

$1.97 £1.47

12.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.21 £6.13

$4.42 £3.30

85.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.99 £5.97

$4.38 £3.27

82.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.79 £1.34

$1.27 £0.95

40.94%

White Bread (500g)

$2.42 £1.81

$1.41 £1.05

71.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.28 £1.70

$3.66 £2.73

-37.70%

Eggs

$5.02 £3.75

$3.76 £2.81

33.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.60 £7.17

$7.78 £5.81

23.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.59 £7.16

$7.48 £5.59

28.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.75 £11.76

$14.06 £10.50

12.02%

Apples (1kg)

$3.11 £2.32

$3.35 £2.50

-7.16%

Banana (1kg)

$1.84 £1.37

$1.03 £0.77

78.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.31 £2.47

$0.98 £0.73

237.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.53 £2.63

$3.86 £2.88

-8.55%

Potato (1kg)

$2.07 £1.55

$1.86 £1.39

11.29%

Onion (1kg)

$1.51 £1.13

$1.83 £1.37

-17.49%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.31 £0.98

$0.98 £0.73

33.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.92 £1.44

$1.97 £1.47

-2.54%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$23.51 £17.56

$22.98 £17.16

2.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.02 £8.23

$9.34 £6.97

17.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.13 £2.34

$5.04 £3.76

-37.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.33 £2.49

$3.75 £2.80

-11.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.94 £2.20

$3.50 £2.62

-16.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$96.9 £72.3

$93.8 £70.0

3.32%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.34 £3.99

$4.33 £3.24

23.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.85 £1.38

$2.05 £1.53

-9.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.78 £21.49

$33.70 £25.16

-14.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.07 £1.54

$1.96 £1.46

5.61%

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

$38.8K £28.9K

$39.4K £29.4K

-1.60%

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

$40.7K £30.4K

$41.4K £30.9K

-1.81%

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

$335 £250

$363 £271

-7.63%

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

$16.42 £12.26

$26.26 £19.61

-37.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.73 £31.91

$40.16 £29.99

6.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.98 £34.33

$47.96 £35.81

-4.13%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.69 £17.69

Cinema Ticket

$14.71 £10.98

$17.79 £13.29

-17.31%

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

$1,843 £1,376

$808 £603

128.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$26.1K £19.5K

$22.4K £16.8K

16.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$85.2 £63.6

$112 £84.0

-24.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.0 £38.05

$56.9 £42.46

-10.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$108 £80.7

$115 £86.2

-6.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$118 £87.9

$128 £95.4

-7.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,608 £1,201

$1,252 £935

28.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,225 £915

$1,046 £781

17.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,862 £2,137

$2,074 £1,549

37.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,163 £1,615

$1,661 £1,240

30.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,804 £5,081

$5,240 £3,913

29.85%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,688 £3,501

$3,967 £2,962

18.18%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,512 £2,622

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.78

5.53

-13.56%

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

Last update for Edinburgh: September 12, 2026

Last update for Middlesex: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,608 in Edinburgh versus $1,252 in Middlesex. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $108 in Edinburgh versus $71.0 in Middlesex. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $335 vs $294 – making Middlesex 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 Middlesex: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Edinburgh is pricier by about 11%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,043 per month in Edinburgh and $3,637 in Middlesex. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Middlesex, 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 $108 in Edinburgh and $71.0 in Middlesex. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,696 in Edinburgh and $2,425 in Middlesex. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Middlesex, where all-in costs run around $2,425, than in Edinburgh at $2,696. In Middlesex it covers expenses comfortably, while in Edinburgh it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Middlesex – 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 Middlesex. 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.