Cost of Living Comparison Between Edinburgh and Sunderland Cost of Living Comparison Between Edinburgh and Sunderland

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,767 per month in Edinburgh vs $1,893 in Sunderland, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,064 per month in Edinburgh vs $2,843 in Sunderland, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,361 per month in Edinburgh vs $3,793 in Sunderland, rent included.

Edinburgh costs about 46% more than Sunderland, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Edinburgh and Sunderland sit above the global median – Edinburgh by 106%, Sunderland by 41%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.73 £15.44

$20.50 £15.27

1.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$104 £77.1

$80.4 £59.9

28.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.95 £7.41

$10.08 £7.51

-1.29%

Cappuccino

$5.32 £3.97

$4.95 £3.69

7.47%

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

$2.61 £1.94

$2.30 £1.71

13.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.01 £1.50

$1.61 £1.20

24.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.64 £5.69

$6.61 £4.92

15.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.93 £5.16

$5.39 £4.01

28.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 £1.23

$1.61 £1.20

2.48%

White Bread (500g)

$1.73 £1.29

$1.72 £1.28

0.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.18 £1.62

$2.12 £1.58

2.83%

Eggs

$4.37 £3.26

$3.58 £2.67

22.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.93 £8.88

$10.63 £7.92

12.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.25 £7.63

$9.10 £6.78

12.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.87 £14.06

$15.27 £11.37

23.58%

Apples (1kg)

$3.22 £2.40

$3.61 £2.69

-10.80%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 £1.11

$2.03 £1.51

-26.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.14 £3.09

$2.72 £2.02

52.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.74 £3.53

$3.91 £2.92

21.23%

Potato (1kg)

$1.82 £1.36

$1.96 £1.46

-7.14%

Onion (1kg)

$1.42 £1.06

$1.59 £1.19

-10.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.16 £0.87

$1.27 £0.95

-8.66%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 £0.99

$1.92 £1.43

-30.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$20.21 £15.06

$18.10 £13.48

11.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.36 £8.46

$10.84 £8.08

4.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.50 £1.86

$2.81 £2.09

-11.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.27 £2.44

$2.86 £2.13

14.34%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.64 £1.97

$3.21 £2.39

-17.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$89.4 £66.6

$76.1 £56.7

17.45%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.58 £4.16

$6.44 £4.80

-13.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.15 £2.34

$1.39 £1.03

126.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$42.77 £31.86

$16.46 £12.26

159.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.95 £1.45

$1.96 £1.46

-0.51%

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

$38.2K £28.5K

$38.6K £28.7K

-0.89%

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

$38.8K £28.9K

$42.6K £31.8K

-8.94%

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

$381 £284

$294 £219

29.47%

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

$17.32 £12.91

$17.19 £12.81

0.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$44.43 £33.10

$42.37 £31.57

4.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.5 £40.60

$42.48 £31.65

28.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.51 £18.26

$12.42 £9.25

97.34%

Cinema Ticket

$14.73 £10.98

$13.09 £9.75

12.53%

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

$1,944 £1,448

$1,238 £922

57.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.1K £18.0K

$6,732 £5,015

258.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$118 £88.1

$82.0 £61.1

44.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.6 £41.43

$43.01 £32.04

29.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$116 £86.7

$84.9 £63.3

36.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$126 £93.6

$81.4 £60.7

54.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,653 £1,231

$786 £586

110.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,201 £895

$616 £459

95.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,062 £2,281

$1,362 £1,015

124.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,168 £1,615

$1,002 £747

116.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,616 £4,929

$4,015 £2,991

64.77%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,869 £3,628

$2,146 £1,599

126.86%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,659 £2,726

$3,704 £2,760

-1.23%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.63

5.6

0.54%

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

Last update for Edinburgh: May 31, 2026

Last update for Sunderland: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,653 in Edinburgh versus $786 in Sunderland. 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 1% higher in Sunderland, 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 $80.0 in Sunderland. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $340 vs $319 – making Sunderland 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 Sunderland: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Edinburgh is pricier by about 46%, 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 $4,150 per month in Edinburgh and $2,839 in Sunderland. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Sunderland, 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 $80.0 in Sunderland. 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 $1,893 in Sunderland. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Sunderland, where all-in costs run around $1,893, than in Edinburgh at $2,767. In Sunderland it covers expenses comfortably, while in Edinburgh it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Sunderland – 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 Sunderland. 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.