Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Edinburgh and Salisbury

For one person, living costs are similar in Edinburgh and in Salisbury: $2,601 and $2,579 a month, rent and utilities included.

Edinburgh
🇬🇧 United Kingdom
$2,601
/mo nomad
Salisbury
🇬🇧 United Kingdom
$2,579
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Edinburgh and in Salisbury

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

A single person spends $2,601 per month in Edinburgh vs $2,579 in Salisbury, rent included.

  • Edinburgh $2,601
  • Salisbury $2,579

A couple spends around $3,985 per month in Edinburgh vs $3,592 in Salisbury, rent included.

  • Edinburgh $3,985
  • Salisbury $3,592

A family of three spends $5,369 per month in Edinburgh vs $4,604 in Salisbury, rent included.

  • Edinburgh $5,369
  • Salisbury $4,604

Edinburgh costs about 1% more than Salisbury, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in leisure.

Both Edinburgh and Salisbury sit above the global median – Edinburgh by 92%, Salisbury by 90%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Edinburgh
Salisbury
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$23.67 £17.76
$26.82 £20.12
-11.74%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$108 £81.4
$91.0 £68.3
19.13%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.71 £8.04
$12.45 £9.34
-13.98%
Cappuccino
$5.25 £3.94
$4.78 £3.59
9.83%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.48 £1.86
$3.32 £2.49
-25.30%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.17 £1.63
$2.30 £1.72
-5.65%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$7.94 £5.96
$5.96 £4.47
33.22%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$8.00 £6.00
$4.61 £3.46
73.54%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Edinburgh
Salisbury
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.69 £1.27
$1.67 £1.25
1.20%
White Bread (500g)
$2.35 £1.77
$1.05 £0.79
123.81%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.36 £1.77
$1.79 £1.34
31.84%
Eggs
$4.96 £3.72
$3.22 £2.42
54.04%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.20 £6.91
$9.17 £6.88
0.33%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.33 £7.00
$8.49 £6.37
9.89%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$15.79 £11.85
$14.39 £10.79
9.73%
Apples (1kg)
$3.01 £2.26
$1.56 £1.17
92.95%
Banana (1kg)
$1.88 £1.41
$1.22 £0.92
54.10%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.42 £2.57
$4.10 £3.08
-16.59%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.67 £2.75
$4.23 £3.18
-13.24%
Potato (1kg)
$2.01 £1.51
$2.12 £1.59
-5.19%
Onion (1kg)
$1.55 £1.16
$1.08 £0.81
43.52%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.32 £0.99
$2.05 £1.54
-35.61%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.93 £1.45
$1.57 £1.18
22.93%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$23.23 £17.43
$23.75 £17.82
-2.19%
Wine (Bottle)
$11.20 £8.40
$12.02 £9.01
-6.82%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$3.12 £2.34
$3.86 £2.90
-19.17%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.27 £2.46
$3.87 £2.90
-15.50%
🚌 Getting Around
Edinburgh
Salisbury
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$3.14 £2.35
$4.07 £3.05
-22.85%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$97.0 £72.8
$84.9 £63.7
14.33%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$5.43 £4.08
$7.00 £5.25
-22.43%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.82 £1.37
$1.69 £1.27
7.69%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$28.32 £21.25
$21.28 £15.96
33.08%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.08 £1.56
$1.97 £1.48
5.58%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$38.6K £28.9K
$38.8K £29.1K
-0.57%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$39.9K £29.9K
$40.6K £30.5K
-1.82%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Edinburgh
Salisbury
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$328 £246
$384 £288
-14.50%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$16.47 £12.36
$15.69 £11.77
4.97%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$42.32 £31.75
$35.71 £26.79
18.51%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Edinburgh
Salisbury
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$44.41 £33.32
$93.0 £69.8
-52.24%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$23.05 £17.30
$19.81 £14.87
16.36%
Cinema Ticket
$14.39 £10.79
$10.03 £7.53
43.47%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Edinburgh
Salisbury
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,775 £1,331
$1,207 £905
47.05%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$25.6K £19.2K
$5,390 £4,043
374.73%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Edinburgh
Salisbury
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$81.2 £60.9
$66.5 £49.85
22.20%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$49.04 £36.79
$44.42 £33.32
10.40%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$108 £81.2
$82.6 £61.9
31.14%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$115 £85.9
$88.0 £66.0
30.10%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Edinburgh
Salisbury
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,600 £1,200
$1,209 £907
32.31%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,168 £876
$1,117 £838
4.53%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,803 £2,103
$2,033 £1,525
37.91%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,155 £1,617
$1,495 £1,122
44.16%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$6,714 £5,037
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$4,715 £3,538
$4,815 £3,613
-2.08%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Edinburgh
Salisbury
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,558 £2,669
$3,706 £2,781
-4.00%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.77
5.59
-14.67%

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

Last update for Edinburgh: October 17, 2026

Last update for Salisbury: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Edinburgh
$1.2K
Salisbury
$1.1K 4.3% $51
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Edinburgh
$387
Salisbury
$435 12.5% $48
Eating Out
Edinburgh
$359
Salisbury
$371 3.4% $12
Groceries & Markets
Edinburgh
$332
Salisbury
$300 9.7% $32
Clothing & Footwear
Edinburgh
$159
Salisbury
$127 20.3% $32
Getting Around
Edinburgh
$124
Salisbury
$117 6.1% $7.5
Sport & Entertainment
Edinburgh
$73
Salisbury
$113 54.5% $40

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,600 in Edinburgh versus $1,209 in Salisbury. 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 4% higher in Salisbury, 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 $108 in Edinburgh versus $91.0 in Salisbury. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $332 vs $300 – making Salisbury the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇬🇧 Edinburgh
🇬🇧 Salisbury
🕒 Local time
06:22 6:22 AM
06:22 6:22 AM
Same time as Edinburgh
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
488,050
45,000
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to GBP – British Pound Converter

British Pound exchange rates as of October 22, 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 Salisbury 550 km ≈ 1 h 15 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Edinburgh
  • Salisbury

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 Salisbury: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Salisbury cheaper than Edinburgh?
Yes – Edinburgh is pricier by about 1%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in leisure.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,902 per month in Edinburgh and $3,868 in Salisbury. 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 Salisbury, 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 Salisbury?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $108 in Edinburgh and $91.0 in Salisbury. 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 Salisbury?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,601 in Edinburgh and $2,579 in Salisbury. That's a gap of about 1%.
Is $2,500 a realistic budget for living in Edinburgh or in Salisbury?
A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Salisbury, where all-in costs run around $2,579, than in Edinburgh at $2,601. In Salisbury it covers expenses comfortably, while in Edinburgh it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Edinburgh or Salisbury more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Salisbury – 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 Salisbury?
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 Salisbury. 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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