Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Edinburgh and Peterborough

For one person, living is cheaper in Peterborough: $2,176 a month against $2,617 in Edinburgh, rent and utilities included – about $5,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Edinburgh
🇬🇧 United Kingdom
$2,617
/mo nomad
Peterborough
🇬🇧 United Kingdom
$2,176
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Edinburgh and in Peterborough

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Edinburgh and in Peterborough actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,617 per month in Edinburgh vs $2,176 in Peterborough, rent included.

  • Edinburgh $2,617
  • Peterborough $2,176

A couple spends around $3,956 per month in Edinburgh vs $3,065 in Peterborough, rent included.

  • Edinburgh $3,956
  • Peterborough $3,065

A family of three spends $5,295 per month in Edinburgh vs $3,953 in Peterborough, rent included.

  • Edinburgh $5,295
  • Peterborough $3,953

Edinburgh costs about 20% more than Peterborough, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Edinburgh and Peterborough sit above the global median – Edinburgh by 94%, Peterborough by 61%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Edinburgh
Peterborough
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$23.64 £17.73
$20.14 £15.11
17.38%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$104 £78.2
$92.9 £69.7
12.15%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.48 £7.86
$10.39 £7.79
0.87%
Cappuccino
$5.08 £3.81
$4.37 £3.28
16.25%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.50 £1.87
$2.03 £1.52
23.15%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.15 £1.61
$1.16 £0.87
85.34%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$8.06 £6.04
$6.44 £4.83
25.16%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$8.13 £6.10
$6.70 £5.03
21.34%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Edinburgh
Peterborough
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.68 £1.26
$1.68 £1.26
-
White Bread (500g)
$2.29 £1.71
$1.37 £1.03
67.15%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.25 £1.69
$1.53 £1.15
47.06%
Eggs
$5.05 £3.79
$3.60 £2.70
40.28%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.05 £6.79
$9.20 £6.90
-1.63%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.49 £7.12
$8.82 £6.62
7.60%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$16.12 £12.10
$10.74 £8.06
50.09%
Apples (1kg)
$3.05 £2.29
$3.18 £2.38
-4.09%
Banana (1kg)
$1.93 £1.45
$1.23 £0.92
56.91%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.36 £2.52
$1.66 £1.24
102.41%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.68 £2.76
$3.19 £2.39
15.36%
Potato (1kg)
$2.07 £1.55
$1.30 £0.98
59.23%
Onion (1kg)
$1.54 £1.16
$1.25 £0.94
23.20%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.25 £0.94
$0.87 £0.66
43.68%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.94 £1.45
$1.33 £1.00
45.86%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$23.67 £17.76
$23.68 £17.77
-0.04%
Wine (Bottle)
$11.13 £8.35
$10.50 £7.88
6.00%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$3.22 £2.42
$2.62 £1.96
22.90%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.19 £2.40
$3.67 £2.75
-13.08%
🚌 Getting Around
Edinburgh
Peterborough
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$3.20 £2.40
$2.60 £1.95
23.08%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$96.7 £72.6
$114 £85.6
-15.24%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$5.18 £3.89
$6.30 £4.72
-17.78%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.86 £1.40
-
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$28.69 £21.52
-
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.14 £1.60
$1.96 £1.47
9.18%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$38.6K £29.0K
$38.2K £28.7K
1.12%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$41.2K £30.9K
$40.8K £30.6K
0.87%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Edinburgh
Peterborough
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$330 £248
$242 £182
36.17%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$16.39 £12.30
$17.52 £13.14
-6.45%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$42.15 £31.63
$38.79 £29.10
8.66%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Edinburgh
Peterborough
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$44.13 £33.11
$38.28 £28.72
15.28%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$23.04 £17.28
$23.99 £18.00
-3.96%
Cinema Ticket
$14.30 £10.73
$15.92 £11.94
-10.18%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Edinburgh
Peterborough
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,759 £1,319
$929 £697
89.32%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$25.4K £19.0K
$21.2K £15.9K
19.66%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Edinburgh
Peterborough
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$80.6 £60.4
$24.10 £18.08
234.23%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$49.45 £37.10
$25.41 £19.06
94.61%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$106 £79.2
$96.4 £72.3
9.43%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$115 £86.0
$87.3 £65.5
31.27%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Edinburgh
Peterborough
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,611 £1,209
$1,095 £822
47.12%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,185 £889
$1,000 £751
18.41%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,738 £2,054
$1,761 £1,321
55.51%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,106 £1,580
$1,278 £959
64.82%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$6,632 £4,976
$3,875 £2,907
71.17%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$4,609 £3,458
$3,170 £2,378
45.41%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Edinburgh
Peterborough
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,522 £2,642
$2,795 £2,097
26.01%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.77
4.88
-2.25%

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

Last update for Edinburgh: October 11, 2026

Last update for Peterborough: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Edinburgh
$1.2K
Peterborough
$1K 15.6% $184
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Edinburgh
$389
Peterborough
$299 23.1% $90
Eating Out
Edinburgh
$357
Peterborough
$303 15% $53
Groceries & Markets
Edinburgh
$333
Peterborough
$268 19.4% $65
Clothing & Footwear
Edinburgh
$158
Peterborough
$105 33.4% $53
Getting Around
Edinburgh
$124
Peterborough
$131 * 5.5% $6.8
Sport & Entertainment
Edinburgh
$73
Peterborough
$70 3.6% $2.6

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,611 in Edinburgh versus $1,095 in Peterborough. 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 26% 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 $104 in Edinburgh versus $93.0 in Peterborough. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $333 vs $268 – making Peterborough the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇬🇧 Edinburgh
🇬🇧 Peterborough
🕒 Local time
04:41 4:41 AM
04:41 4:41 AM
Same time as Edinburgh
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
488,050
183,600
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to GBP – British Pound Converter

British Pound exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 0.75 GBP (1 GBP = 1.33 USD). 1 EUR = 0.843 GBP (1 GBP = 1.19 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Edinburgh Peterborough 420 km
From you
  • Edinburgh
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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 Peterborough: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Peterborough cheaper than Edinburgh?
Yes – Edinburgh is pricier by about 20%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,925 per month in Edinburgh and $3,264 in Peterborough. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Peterborough, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Is eating out cheaper in Edinburgh or in Peterborough?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $104 in Edinburgh and $93.0 in Peterborough. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
What are total monthly expenses in Edinburgh and in Peterborough?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,617 in Edinburgh and $2,176 in Peterborough. That's a gap of about 20%.
Is $3,000 a realistic budget for living in Edinburgh or in Peterborough?
A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Peterborough, where all-in costs run around $2,176, than in Edinburgh at $2,617. In Peterborough it covers expenses comfortably, while in Edinburgh it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Edinburgh or Peterborough more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Peterborough – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is safer, Edinburgh or Peterborough?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Peterborough. 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.

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