Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Edinburgh and Redcar

For one person, living is cheaper in Redcar: $2,400 a month against $2,617 in Edinburgh, rent and utilities included – about $2,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Edinburgh
🇬🇧 United Kingdom
$2,617
/mo nomad
Redcar
🇬🇧 United Kingdom
$2,400
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Edinburgh and in Redcar

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 Redcar actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,617 per month in Edinburgh vs $2,400 in Redcar, rent included.

  • Edinburgh $2,617
  • Redcar $2,400

A couple spends around $3,956 per month in Edinburgh vs $3,441 in Redcar, rent included.

  • Edinburgh $3,956
  • Redcar $3,441

A family of three spends $5,295 per month in Edinburgh vs $4,482 in Redcar, rent included.

  • Edinburgh $5,295
  • Redcar $4,482

Edinburgh costs about 9% more than Redcar, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Edinburgh and Redcar sit above the global median – Edinburgh by 94%, Redcar by 78%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Edinburgh
Redcar
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$23.64 £17.73
$21.49 £16.12
10.00%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$104 £78.2
$70.5 £52.9
47.77%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.48 £7.86
$11.70 £8.78
-10.43%
Cappuccino
$5.08 £3.81
$3.55 £2.66
43.10%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.50 £1.87
$2.37 £1.78
5.49%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.15 £1.61
$1.94 £1.46
10.82%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$8.06 £6.04
$4.67 £3.50
72.59%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$8.13 £6.10
$4.20 £3.15
93.57%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Edinburgh
Redcar
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.68 £1.26
$1.23 £0.92
36.59%
White Bread (500g)
$2.29 £1.71
$1.29 £0.97
77.52%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.25 £1.69
$3.58 £2.68
-37.15%
Eggs
$5.05 £3.79
$3.71 £2.78
36.12%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.05 £6.79
$7.69 £5.77
17.69%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.49 £7.12
$6.96 £5.22
36.35%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$16.12 £12.10
$7.50 £5.63
114.93%
Apples (1kg)
$3.05 £2.29
$3.29 £2.47
-7.29%
Banana (1kg)
$1.93 £1.45
$2.81 £2.11
-31.32%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.36 £2.52
$3.50 £2.62
-4.00%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.68 £2.76
$3.71 £2.78
-0.81%
Potato (1kg)
$2.07 £1.55
$1.72 £1.29
20.35%
Onion (1kg)
$1.54 £1.16
$1.72 £1.29
-10.47%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.25 £0.94
$1.19 £0.90
5.04%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.94 £1.45
$1.99 £1.49
-2.51%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$23.67 £17.76
$18.26 £13.70
29.63%
Wine (Bottle)
$11.13 £8.35
$9.29 £6.97
19.81%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$3.22 £2.42
$4.75 £3.56
-32.21%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.19 £2.40
$3.65 £2.74
-12.60%
🚌 Getting Around
Edinburgh
Redcar
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$3.20 £2.40
$3.41 £2.56
-6.16%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$96.7 £72.6
$94.9 £71.2
1.94%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$5.18 £3.89
$4.24 £3.18
22.17%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.86 £1.40
$2.08 £1.56
-10.58%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$28.69 £21.52
$33.47 £25.11
-14.28%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.14 £1.60
$2.00 £1.50
7.00%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$38.6K £29.0K
$38.2K £28.6K
1.22%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$41.2K £30.9K
$39.4K £29.5K
4.54%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Edinburgh
Redcar
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$330 £248
$351 £263
-5.96%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$16.39 £12.30
$25.75 £19.32
-36.35%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$42.15 £31.63
$45.24 £33.94
-6.83%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Edinburgh
Redcar
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$44.13 £33.11
$45.25 £33.95
-2.48%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$23.04 £17.28
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$14.30 £10.73
$17.44 £13.09
-18.00%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Edinburgh
Redcar
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,759 £1,319
$793 £595
121.79%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$25.4K £19.0K
$21.9K £16.4K
15.64%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Edinburgh
Redcar
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$80.6 £60.4
$109 £81.8
-26.13%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$49.45 £37.10
$55.8 £41.85
-11.35%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$106 £79.2
$111 £83.5
-5.21%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$115 £86.0
$113 £85.0
1.19%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Edinburgh
Redcar
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,611 £1,209
$1,235 £926
30.51%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,185 £889
$1,013 £760
16.89%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,738 £2,054
$2,108 £1,581
29.94%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,106 £1,580
$1,628 £1,221
29.38%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$6,632 £4,976
$4,991 £3,745
32.87%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$4,609 £3,458
$3,911 £2,934
17.85%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Edinburgh
Redcar
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,522 £2,642
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.77
5.53
-13.74%

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

Last update for Edinburgh: October 11, 2026

Last update for Redcar: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Edinburgh
$1.2K
Redcar
$1K 14.4% $171
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Edinburgh
$389
Redcar
$422 8.6% $33
Eating Out
Edinburgh
$357
Redcar
$299 16.3% $58
Groceries & Markets
Edinburgh
$333
Redcar
$287 13.6% $45
Clothing & Footwear
Edinburgh
$158
Redcar
$175 11.2% $18
Getting Around
Edinburgh
$124
Redcar
$123 0.7% $0.8
Sport & Entertainment
Edinburgh
$73
Redcar
$80 10.2% $7.4

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,611 in Edinburgh versus $1,235 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 $104 in Edinburgh versus $71.0 in Redcar. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $333 vs $287 – making Redcar the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇬🇧 Edinburgh
🇬🇧 Redcar
🕒 Local time
10:16 10:16 AM
10:16 10:16 AM
Same time as Edinburgh
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
488,050
36,000
💱 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 Redcar 200 km
From you
  • Edinburgh
  • Redcar

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 9%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,925 per month in Edinburgh and $3,600 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 in Redcar?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $104 in Edinburgh and $71.0 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 and in Redcar?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,617 in Edinburgh and $2,400 in Redcar. That's a gap of about 9%.
Is $2,000 a realistic budget for living in Edinburgh or in Redcar?
A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Redcar, where all-in costs run around $2,400, than in Edinburgh at $2,617. 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.

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