Cost of Living Comparison Between Edinburgh and Sheffield Cost of Living Comparison Between Edinburgh and Sheffield

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,772 per month in Edinburgh vs $2,182 in Sheffield, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,140 per month in Edinburgh vs $3,196 in Sheffield, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,508 per month in Edinburgh vs $4,210 in Sheffield, rent included.

Edinburgh costs about 27% more than Sheffield, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Edinburgh and Sheffield sit above the global median – Edinburgh by 107%, Sheffield by 63%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.15 £15.00

$17.73 £13.20

13.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$101 £74.9

$79.4 £59.1

26.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.00 £7.45

$11.06 £8.23

-9.58%

Cappuccino

$5.41 £4.03

$4.48 £3.33

20.76%

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

$2.51 £1.87

$2.41 £1.80

4.15%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 £1.51

$1.75 £1.30

16.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.52 £5.60

$5.61 £4.18

34.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.81 £5.07

$5.34 £3.98

27.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 £1.25

$1.60 £1.19

5.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.74 £1.30

$1.53 £1.14

13.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.08 £1.55

$2.20 £1.64

-5.45%

Eggs

$4.25 £3.17

$3.79 £2.82

12.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.14 £9.04

$9.37 £6.97

29.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.48 £7.80

$8.91 £6.64

17.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.73 £13.94

$11.62 £8.65

61.19%

Apples (1kg)

$3.12 £2.33

$3.34 £2.48

-6.59%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 £1.16

$1.49 £1.11

4.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.12 £3.07

$2.70 £2.01

52.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.60 £3.42

$3.01 £2.24

52.82%

Potato (1kg)

$1.83 £1.36

$1.83 £1.37

Onion (1kg)

$1.43 £1.07

$1.39 £1.04

2.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.22 £0.91

$1.04 £0.77

17.31%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.35 £1.01

$1.29 £0.96

4.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$20.18 £15.02

$20.16 £15.01

0.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.18 £8.32

$11.24 £8.36

-0.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.50 £1.86

$2.70 £2.01

-7.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.29 £2.45

$3.30 £2.45

-0.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.70 £2.01

$3.31 £2.47

-18.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$89.4 £66.6

$97.0 £72.2

-7.81%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.31 £3.95

$5.37 £4.00

-1.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.01 £2.24

$1.23 £0.91

144.72%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$42.48 £31.63

$19.98 £14.88

112.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.94 £1.44

$1.95 £1.45

-0.51%

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

$38.8K £28.9K

$38.0K £28.3K

2.03%

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

$39.9K £29.7K

$39.5K £29.4K

0.99%

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

$381 £283

$313 £233

21.70%

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

$17.69 £13.17

$18.41 £13.71

-3.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$43.83 £32.63

$43.39 £32.30

1.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.6 £39.91

$46.44 £34.58

15.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.17 £17.99

$8.07 £6.01

199.50%

Cinema Ticket

$15.01 £11.18

$11.67 £8.69

28.62%

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

$1,937 £1,442

$1,251 £931

54.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.8K £17.7K

$6,830 £5,085

248.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$119 £88.8

$74.9 £55.7

59.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.6 £40.63

$38.45 £28.63

41.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$117 £87.4

$85.7 £63.8

37.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$123 £91.3

$81.7 £60.8

50.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,616 £1,203

$1,121 £834

44.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,232 £918

$943 £702

30.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,098 £2,306

$1,861 £1,386

66.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,186 £1,627

$1,552 £1,155

40.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,544 £4,872

$5,781 £4,304

13.19%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,733 £3,523

$2,746 £2,044

72.34%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,601 £2,681

$3,222 £2,398

11.77%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.63

5.3

6.23%

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

Last update for Edinburgh: July 13, 2026

Last update for Sheffield: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,616 in Edinburgh versus $1,121 in Sheffield. 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 12% 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 $101 in Edinburgh versus $79.0 in Sheffield. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $340 vs $285 – making Sheffield 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 Sheffield: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Edinburgh is pricier by about 27%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,158 per month in Edinburgh and $3,273 in Sheffield. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Sheffield, 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 $101 in Edinburgh and $79.0 in Sheffield. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,772 in Edinburgh and $2,182 in Sheffield. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Sheffield, where all-in costs run around $2,182, than in Edinburgh at $2,772. In Sheffield it covers expenses comfortably, while in Edinburgh it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Sheffield – 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 Sheffield. 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.