Cost of Living Comparison Between Edinburgh and Redcar Cost of Living Comparison Between Edinburgh and Redcar

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,718 per month in Edinburgh vs $2,256 in Redcar, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,120 per month in Edinburgh vs $3,317 in Redcar, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,521 per month in Edinburgh vs $4,377 in Redcar, rent included.

Edinburgh costs about 20% more than Redcar, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Edinburgh and Redcar sit above the global median – Edinburgh by 102%, Redcar by 68%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Edinburgh
Redcar
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$19.99 £14.82
$20.21 £14.97
-1.09%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$103 £76.1
$81.3 £60.2
26.36%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.87 £7.31
$10.26 £7.60
-3.80%
Cappuccino
$5.33 £3.95
$4.80 £3.56
11.04%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.52 £1.86
$2.35 £1.74
7.23%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.96 £1.45
$1.55 £1.15
26.45%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$7.33 £5.43
$6.69 £4.96
9.57%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$6.66 £4.94
$5.38 £3.98
23.79%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Edinburgh
Redcar
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.63 £1.21
$1.56 £1.16
4.49%
White Bread (500g)
$1.74 £1.29
$1.38 £1.02
26.09%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.07 £1.54
$3.93 £2.91
-47.33%
Eggs
$4.41 £3.27
$3.92 £2.90
12.50%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$11.78 £8.73
$10.68 £7.91
10.30%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.59 £7.85
$7.98 £5.91
32.71%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$18.60 £13.78
$7.79 £5.77
138.77%
Apples (1kg)
$3.16 £2.34
$3.44 £2.55
-8.14%
Banana (1kg)
$1.54 £1.14
$2.00 £1.48
-23.00%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.15 £3.07
$3.22 £2.39
28.88%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.77 £3.53
$3.89 £2.88
22.62%
Potato (1kg)
$1.76 £1.31
$1.80 £1.33
-2.22%
Onion (1kg)
$1.44 £1.06
$1.99 £1.48
-27.64%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.20 £0.89
$1.37 £1.01
-12.41%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.33 £0.98
$1.84 £1.37
-27.72%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$20.25 £15.00
$18.27 £13.54
10.84%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.70 £7.93
$9.00 £6.67
18.89%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.63 £1.95
$2.83 £2.10
-7.07%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.27 £2.43
$1.86 £1.38
75.81%
🚌 Getting Around
Edinburgh
Redcar
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.64 £1.96
$3.41 £2.53
-22.58%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$88.3 £65.4
$90.3 £66.9
-2.15%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$5.40 £4.00
$6.09 £4.51
-11.33%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$3.07 £2.28
$1.10 £0.82
179.09%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$43.53 £32.25
$16.12 £11.95
170.04%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.87 £1.39
$1.95 £1.45
-4.10%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$37.7K £27.9K
$38.2K £28.3K
-1.27%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$39.6K £29.3K
$42.5K £31.5K
-6.95%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Edinburgh
Redcar
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$378 £280
$295 £219
28.14%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$17.18 £12.73
$17.08 £12.65
0.59%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$43.60 £32.31
$43.75 £32.42
-0.34%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Edinburgh
Redcar
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$54.3 £40.22
$45.36 £33.62
19.66%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$24.78 £18.36
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$14.99 £11.11
$12.66 £9.38
18.40%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Edinburgh
Redcar
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,888 £1,399
$1,553 £1,151
21.53%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$23.6K £17.5K
$6,881 £5,099
243.29%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Edinburgh
Redcar
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$117 £86.9
$81.6 £60.5
43.70%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$55.2 £40.91
$43.89 £32.52
25.79%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$115 £85.5
$87.1 £64.6
32.43%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$124 £92.2
$71.4 £52.9
74.27%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Edinburgh
Redcar
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,666 £1,235
$1,243 £921
34.00%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,241 £919
$1,021 £757
21.50%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,075 £2,278
$2,060 £1,526
49.27%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,182 £1,617
$1,725 £1,278
26.51%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$6,772 £5,018
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$4,908 £3,637
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Edinburgh
Redcar
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,670 £2,719
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.63
5.6
0.54%

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

Last update for Edinburgh: April 12, 2026

Last update for Redcar: April 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,666 in Edinburgh versus $1,243 in Redcar. 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 $103 in Edinburgh versus $81 in Redcar. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $339 vs $290 – making Redcar 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 Redcar: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Redcar cheaper than Edinburgh?
Yes – Edinburgh is pricier by about 20%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,078 per month in Edinburgh and $3,385 in Redcar. 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 Redcar, 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 Redcar?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $103 in Edinburgh and $81.0 in Redcar. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
What are total monthly expenses in Edinburgh vs Redcar?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,718 in Edinburgh and $2,256 in Redcar. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.
Is $2,000 a realistic budget for Edinburgh or Redcar?
A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Redcar, where all-in costs run around $2,256, than in Edinburgh at $2,718. In Redcar it covers expenses comfortably, while in Edinburgh it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Edinburgh or Redcar more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Redcar – 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 Redcar?
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 Redcar. 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.

Edinburgh vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities