Cost of Living Comparison Between Edinburgh and Rochdale Cost of Living Comparison Between Edinburgh and Rochdale

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,718 per month in Edinburgh vs $2,163 in Rochdale, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,120 per month in Edinburgh vs $3,332 in Rochdale, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,521 per month in Edinburgh vs $4,501 in Rochdale, rent included.

Edinburgh costs about 26% more than Rochdale, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Edinburgh and Rochdale sit above the global median – Edinburgh by 102%, Rochdale by 61%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.99 £14.82

$21.48 £15.91

-6.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$103 £76.1

$95.8 £71.0

7.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.87 £7.31

$9.78 £7.25

0.92%

Cappuccino

$5.33 £3.95

$4.79 £3.55

11.27%

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

$2.52 £1.86

$2.13 £1.58

18.31%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 £1.45

$1.71 £1.27

14.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.33 £5.43

$6.60 £4.89

11.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.66 £4.94

$6.19 £4.58

7.59%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.63 £1.21

$1.67 £1.24

-2.40%

White Bread (500g)

$1.74 £1.29

$1.79 £1.33

-2.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.07 £1.54

$2.24 £1.66

-7.59%

Eggs

$4.41 £3.27

$3.95 £2.93

11.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.78 £8.73

$8.54 £6.33

37.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.59 £7.85

$8.74 £6.47

21.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.60 £13.78

$15.27 £11.32

21.81%

Apples (1kg)

$3.16 £2.34

$2.84 £2.11

11.27%

Banana (1kg)

$1.54 £1.14

$1.72 £1.27

-10.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.15 £3.07

$2.50 £1.85

66.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.77 £3.53

$3.66 £2.71

30.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.76 £1.31

$2.09 £1.55

-15.79%

Onion (1kg)

$1.44 £1.06

$1.75 £1.30

-17.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 £0.89

$1.26 £0.93

-4.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 £0.98

$1.42 £1.05

-6.34%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$20.25 £15.00

$19.26 £14.27

5.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.70 £7.93

$10.15 £7.52

5.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.63 £1.95

$2.53 £1.88

3.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.27 £2.43

$3.48 £2.58

-6.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.64 £1.96

$2.67 £1.98

-1.12%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$88.3 £65.4

$54.7 £40.55

61.37%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.40 £4.00

$4.09 £3.03

32.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.07 £2.28

$1.49 £1.10

106.04%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$43.53 £32.25

$16.12 £11.95

170.04%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.87 £1.39

$1.91 £1.41

-2.09%

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

$37.7K £27.9K

$38.6K £28.6K

-2.33%

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

$39.6K £29.3K

$38.6K £28.6K

2.54%

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

$378 £280

$291 £216

30.05%

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

$17.18 £12.73

$18.05 £13.37

-4.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$43.60 £32.31

$42.57 £31.54

2.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.3 £40.22

$40.18 £29.78

35.09%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.78 £18.36

Cinema Ticket

$14.99 £11.11

$13.77 £10.20

8.86%

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

$1,888 £1,399

$1,649 £1,222

14.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.6K £17.5K

$16.0K £11.9K

47.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$117 £86.9

$89.3 £66.2

31.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.2 £40.91

$41.45 £30.72

33.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 £85.5

$89.7 £66.5

28.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 £92.2

$105 £77.9

18.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,666 £1,235

$1,030 £763

61.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,241 £919

$885 £656

40.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,075 £2,278

$1,370 £1,015

124.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,182 £1,617

$1,721 £1,276

26.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,772 £5,018

$2,817 £2,087

140.40%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,908 £3,637

$2,856 £2,117

71.84%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,670 £2,719

$2,420 £1,793

51.63%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.63

5.76

-2.26%

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

Last update for Edinburgh: April 12, 2026

Last update for Rochdale: April 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,666 in Edinburgh versus $1,030 in Rochdale. 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 52% 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 $103 in Edinburgh versus $96 in Rochdale. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $339 vs $299 – making Rochdale 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 Rochdale: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Edinburgh is pricier by about 26%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,078 per month in Edinburgh and $3,244 in Rochdale. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Rochdale, 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 $103 in Edinburgh and $96.0 in Rochdale. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,718 in Edinburgh and $2,163 in Rochdale. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Rochdale, where all-in costs run around $2,163, than in Edinburgh at $2,718. In Rochdale it covers expenses comfortably, while in Edinburgh it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Rochdale – 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 Rochdale. 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.