Cost of Living Comparison Between Edinburgh and Romford Cost of Living Comparison Between Edinburgh and Romford

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,767 per month in Edinburgh vs $2,834 in Romford, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,064 per month in Edinburgh vs $4,407 in Romford, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,361 per month in Edinburgh vs $5,981 in Romford, rent included.

Edinburgh is about 2% cheaper than Romford, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Edinburgh and Romford sit above the global median – Edinburgh by 106%, Romford by 111%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.73 £15.41

$27.67 £20.57

-25.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$104 £76.9

$109 £80.8

-4.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.95 £7.40

$10.31 £7.66

-3.49%

Cappuccino

$5.32 £3.96

$4.61 £3.42

15.40%

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

$2.61 £1.94

$2.18 £1.62

19.72%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.01 £1.49

$1.56 £1.16

28.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.64 £5.68

$8.68 £6.45

-11.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.93 £5.15

$6.90 £5.13

0.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 £1.23

$1.82 £1.35

-9.34%

White Bread (500g)

$1.73 £1.29

$2.06 £1.53

-16.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.18 £1.62

$2.47 £1.84

-11.74%

Eggs

$4.37 £3.25

$5.01 £3.72

-12.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.93 £8.86

$11.29 £8.39

5.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.25 £7.62

$8.90 £6.62

15.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.87 £14.03

$14.70 £10.93

28.37%

Apples (1kg)

$3.22 £2.40

$3.16 £2.35

1.90%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 £1.11

$1.94 £1.44

-23.20%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.14 £3.08

$3.29 £2.45

25.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.74 £3.52

$3.53 £2.62

34.28%

Potato (1kg)

$1.82 £1.35

$1.75 £1.30

4.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.42 £1.05

$2.03 £1.51

-30.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.16 £0.87

$1.18 £0.88

-1.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 £0.99

$1.60 £1.19

-16.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$20.21 £15.02

$20.72 £15.40

-2.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.36 £8.44

$13.65 £10.14

-16.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.50 £1.86

$2.79 £2.07

-10.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.27 £2.43

$2.92 £2.17

11.99%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.64 £1.96

$3.69 £2.75

-28.46%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$89.4 £66.5

$276 £205

-67.63%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.58 £4.15

$4.46 £3.31

25.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.15 £2.34

$2.12 £1.58

48.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$42.77 £31.79

$41.15 £30.59

3.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.95 £1.45

$1.89 £1.40

3.17%

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

$38.2K £28.4K

$39.1K £29.1K

-2.23%

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

$38.8K £28.9K

$39.3K £29.2K

-1.23%

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

$381 £283

$322 £239

18.46%

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

$17.32 £12.88

$19.69 £14.63

-12.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$44.43 £33.03

$42.40 £31.51

4.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.5 £40.51

$50.8 £37.73

7.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.51 £18.22

Cinema Ticket

$14.73 £10.95

$17.83 £13.25

-17.39%

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

$1,944 £1,445

$1,836 £1,365

5.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.1K £17.9K

$19.4K £14.4K

24.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$118 £87.9

$92.2 £68.6

28.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.6 £41.34

$42.67 £31.72

30.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$116 £86.5

$108 £80.1

7.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$126 £93.4

$89.4 £66.5

40.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,653 £1,229

$1,873 £1,392

-11.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,201 £893

$1,220 £907

-1.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,062 £2,276

$3,334 £2,478

-8.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,168 £1,612

$2,342 £1,741

-7.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,616 £4,918

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,869 £3,619

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,659 £2,720

$2,873 £2,135

27.36%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.63

5.05

11.49%

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

Last update for Edinburgh: May 31, 2026

Last update for Romford: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,653 in Edinburgh versus $1,873 in Romford. 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 27% higher in Edinburgh, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $104 in Edinburgh versus $109 in Romford. Groceries tell a different story – $340 in Edinburgh vs $330 in Romford – so Romford 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 Romford: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Romford is pricier by about 2%, 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 $4,150 per month in Edinburgh and $4,251 in Romford. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Edinburgh, 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 $109 in Romford. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,767 in Edinburgh and $2,834 in Romford. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,767 in Edinburgh and $2,834 in Romford. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Edinburgh – 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 Edinburgh. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Romford makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.