Cost of Living Comparison Between Edinburgh and Newcastle upon Tyne Cost of Living Comparison Between Edinburgh and Newcastle upon Tyne

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,691 per month in Edinburgh vs $2,308 in Newcastle upon Tyne, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,039 per month in Edinburgh vs $3,343 in Newcastle upon Tyne, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,386 per month in Edinburgh vs $4,378 in Newcastle upon Tyne, rent included.

Edinburgh costs about 17% more than Newcastle upon Tyne, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Edinburgh and Newcastle upon Tyne sit above the global median – Edinburgh by 96%, Newcastle upon Tyne by 68%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.27 £17.94

$20.45 £15.11

18.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$109 £80.9

$102 £75.6

6.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.91 £8.06

$10.00 £7.39

9.10%

Cappuccino

$5.18 £3.83

$4.94 £3.65

4.86%

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

$2.53 £1.87

$3.43 £2.53

-26.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.17 £1.60

$2.37 £1.75

-8.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.19 £6.05

$6.87 £5.07

19.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.12 £6.00

$6.67 £4.93

21.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.76 £1.30

$1.46 £1.08

20.55%

White Bread (500g)

$2.33 £1.72

$1.88 £1.39

23.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.33 £1.72

$2.29 £1.69

1.75%

Eggs

$5.09 £3.76

$3.73 £2.76

36.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.30 £6.87

$10.17 £7.52

-8.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.54 £7.06

$9.48 £7.01

0.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.99 £11.82

$15.02 £11.10

6.46%

Apples (1kg)

$3.01 £2.22

$3.16 £2.34

-4.75%

Banana (1kg)

$1.79 £1.33

$1.73 £1.28

3.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.46 £2.56

$2.93 £2.16

18.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.53 £2.61

$3.67 £2.71

-3.81%

Potato (1kg)

$2.19 £1.62

$1.59 £1.18

37.74%

Onion (1kg)

$1.52 £1.12

$1.47 £1.09

3.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.27 £0.94

$1.17 £0.86

8.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.91 £1.41

$1.53 £1.13

24.84%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$24.28 £17.95

$22.97 £16.98

5.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.30 £8.35

$10.70 £7.91

5.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.02 £2.23

$2.96 £2.19

2.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 £2.35

$3.46 £2.56

-8.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.95 £2.18

$3.35 £2.47

-11.94%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$101 £74.5

$87.7 £64.8

14.90%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.45 £4.03

$6.60 £4.88

-17.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 £1.44

$1.57 £1.16

24.20%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.94 £21.39

$28.85 £21.32

0.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.05 £1.51

$2.18 £1.61

-5.96%

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

$39.3K £29.0K

$39.8K £29.4K

-1.27%

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

$41.4K £30.6K

$41.6K £30.8K

-0.56%

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

$343 £253

$261 £193

31.25%

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

$17.03 £12.59

$18.12 £13.39

-6.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$43.01 £31.80

$41.89 £30.97

2.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.96 £35.45

$38.18 £28.22

25.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.68 £17.50

$20.82 £15.39

13.74%

Cinema Ticket

$15.04 £11.12

$11.01 £8.14

36.60%

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

$1,824 £1,349

$1,229 £909

48.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$25.5K £18.8K

$18.0K £13.3K

41.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$85.8 £63.4

$93.8 £69.4

-8.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.3 £37.18

$49.26 £36.41

2.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$108 £79.5

$108 £80.0

-0.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$118 £87.6

$97.7 £72.2

21.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 £1,216

$1,261 £932

30.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,229 £909

$976 £721

25.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,844 £2,103

$1,995 £1,475

42.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,187 £1,617

$1,511 £1,117

44.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,732 £4,976

$5,356 £3,959

25.68%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,734 £3,499

$3,898 £2,882

21.43%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,581 £2,647

$3,544 £2,619

1.05%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.78

5.15

-7.18%

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

Last update for Edinburgh: September 1, 2026

Last update for Newcastle upon Tyne: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,644 in Edinburgh versus $1,261 in Newcastle upon Tyne. 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 1% 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 $102 in Newcastle upon Tyne. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $333 vs $311 – making Newcastle upon Tyne 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 Newcastle upon Tyne: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Edinburgh is pricier by about 17%, 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 $4,037 per month in Edinburgh and $3,462 in Newcastle upon Tyne. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Newcastle upon Tyne, 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 $102 in Newcastle upon Tyne. 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 $2,308 in Newcastle upon Tyne. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Newcastle upon Tyne, where all-in costs run around $2,308, than in Edinburgh at $2,691. In Newcastle upon Tyne it covers expenses comfortably, while in Edinburgh it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Newcastle upon Tyne – 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 Newcastle upon Tyne. 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.