Cost of Living Comparison Between Edinburgh and Poole Cost of Living Comparison Between Edinburgh and Poole

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,704 per month in Edinburgh vs $2,551 in Poole, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,119 per month in Edinburgh vs $3,817 in Poole, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,535 per month in Edinburgh vs $5,082 in Poole, rent included.

Edinburgh costs about 6% more than Poole, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Edinburgh and Poole sit above the global median – Edinburgh by 102%, Poole by 91%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.53 £15.21

$20.65 £15.30

-0.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$104 £76.9

$111 £82.0

-6.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.92 £7.35

$9.65 £7.15

2.80%

Cappuccino

$5.32 £3.94

$4.87 £3.61

9.24%

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

$2.59 £1.92

$2.57 £1.90

0.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.00 £1.48

$1.77 £1.31

12.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.45 £5.52

$7.61 £5.64

-2.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.95 £5.15

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 £1.22

$1.69 £1.25

-2.37%

White Bread (500g)

$1.66 £1.23

$1.23 £0.91

34.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.09 £1.55

$2.55 £1.89

-18.04%

Eggs

$4.34 £3.22

$3.36 £2.49

29.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.93 £8.84

$10.12 £7.50

17.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.21 £7.57

$7.19 £5.32

42.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.53 £13.73

$13.52 £10.02

37.06%

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 £2.43

$2.69 £1.99

21.93%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 £1.16

$1.21 £0.89

28.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.21 £3.12

$2.33 £1.73

80.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.78 £3.54

$2.17 £1.61

120.28%

Potato (1kg)

$1.75 £1.29

$1.55 £1.15

12.90%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 £1.11

$1.51 £1.12

-0.66%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 £0.87

$0.94 £0.69

25.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.30 £0.97

$1.39 £1.03

-6.47%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$20.45 £15.15

$17.80 £13.19

14.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.71 £7.94

$10.08 £7.47

6.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.62 £1.94

$2.62 £1.95

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.38 £2.50

$2.49 £1.85

35.74%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.76 £2.05

$4.14 £3.07

-33.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$87.9 £65.1

$80.2 £59.5

9.55%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.48 £4.06

$4.15 £3.07

32.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.04 £2.25

$1.65 £1.22

84.24%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$42.23 £31.29

$22.07 £16.35

91.35%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.87 £1.39

$1.96 £1.45

-4.59%

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

$37.8K £28.0K

$38.7K £28.7K

-2.21%

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

$39.8K £29.5K

$39.1K £28.9K

1.99%

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

$383 £284

$340 £252

12.52%

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

$17.20 £12.74

$16.61 £12.31

3.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$44.72 £33.14

$45.75 £33.90

-2.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.5 £39.66

$30.21 £22.38

77.16%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.76 £18.34

Cinema Ticket

$14.74 £10.93

$22.13 £16.40

-33.39%

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

$1,892 £1,402

$2,354 £1,745

-19.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.5K £17.4K

$16.3K £12.1K

43.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$119 £88.1

$87.3 £64.7

36.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.2 £40.14

$41.09 £30.45

31.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 £85.4

$90.5 £67.1

27.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$126 £93.3

$85.3 £63.2

47.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 £1,223

$1,200 £889

37.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,212 £898

$1,217 £902

-0.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,071 £2,276

$2,345 £1,738

30.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,188 £1,621

$2,207 £1,635

-0.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,829 £5,060

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,906 £3,635

$2,150 £1,593

128.14%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,585 £2,657

$3,295 £2,441

8.82%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.63

5.45

3.30%

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

Last update for Edinburgh: April 27, 2026

Last update for Poole: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,651 in Edinburgh versus $1,200 in Poole. 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 9% 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 $111 in Poole. Groceries tell a different story – $338 in Edinburgh vs $267 in Poole – so Poole wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Poole: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Edinburgh is pricier by about 6%, 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 $4,055 per month in Edinburgh and $3,826 in Poole. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Poole, 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 $104 in Edinburgh and $111 in Poole. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,704 in Edinburgh and $2,551 in Poole. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Poole, where all-in costs run around $2,551, than in Edinburgh at $2,704. In Poole it covers expenses comfortably, while in Edinburgh it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Poole – 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 Poole. 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.