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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,691 per month in Edinburgh vs $1,915 in Sunderland, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,039 per month in Edinburgh vs $2,836 in Sunderland, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,386 per month in Edinburgh vs $3,757 in Sunderland, rent included.

Edinburgh costs about 41% more than Sunderland, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Edinburgh and Sunderland sit above the global median – Edinburgh by 96%, Sunderland by 39%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.27 £17.95

$19.16 £14.18

26.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$109 £81.0

$72.2 £53.4

51.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.91 £8.07

$10.03 £7.42

8.77%

Cappuccino

$5.18 £3.83

$5.04 £3.73

2.78%

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

$2.53 £1.87

$2.27 £1.68

11.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.17 £1.60

$2.08 £1.54

4.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.19 £6.06

$4.53 £3.35

80.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.12 £6.01

$4.36 £3.23

86.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.76 £1.30

$1.43 £1.05

23.08%

White Bread (500g)

$2.33 £1.72

$1.45 £1.08

60.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.33 £1.72

$2.35 £1.74

-0.85%

Eggs

$5.09 £3.76

$3.60 £2.66

41.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.30 £6.88

$10.15 £7.51

-8.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.54 £7.06

$9.36 £6.93

1.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.99 £11.83

$15.07 £11.15

6.10%

Apples (1kg)

$3.01 £2.22

$3.33 £2.47

-9.61%

Banana (1kg)

$1.79 £1.33

$1.68 £1.24

6.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.46 £2.56

$2.97 £2.19

16.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.53 £2.61

$3.84 £2.84

-8.07%

Potato (1kg)

$2.19 £1.62

$1.86 £1.38

17.74%

Onion (1kg)

$1.52 £1.12

$1.53 £1.13

-0.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.27 £0.94

$1.17 £0.86

8.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.91 £1.41

$1.55 £1.14

23.23%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$24.28 £17.96

$22.95 £16.98

5.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.30 £8.36

$10.65 £7.88

6.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.02 £2.23

$3.78 £2.79

-20.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 £2.35

$3.51 £2.60

-9.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.95 £2.18

$2.16 £1.59

36.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$101 £74.6

$122 £90.3

-17.43%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.45 £4.03

$4.50 £3.33

21.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 £1.44

$1.58 £1.17

23.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.94 £21.41

$28.73 £21.26

0.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.05 £1.52

$1.99 £1.47

3.02%

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

$39.3K £29.0K

$38.6K £28.6K

1.60%

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

$41.4K £30.6K

$41.8K £31.0K

-1.02%

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

$343 £254

$260 £192

32.10%

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

$17.03 £12.60

$18.38 £13.60

-7.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$43.01 £31.82

$42.62 £31.53

0.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.96 £35.48

$40.68 £30.09

17.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.68 £17.52

$12.36 £9.15

91.59%

Cinema Ticket

$15.04 £11.13

$10.80 £7.99

39.26%

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

$1,824 £1,350

$822 £608

121.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$25.5K £18.8K

$18.0K £13.3K

41.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$85.8 £63.5

$94.2 £69.7

-8.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.3 £37.21

$48.58 £35.94

3.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$108 £79.6

$110 £81.5

-2.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$118 £87.6

$98.6 £72.9

20.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 £1,217

$815 £603

101.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,229 £909

$609 £450

101.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,844 £2,104

$1,330 £984

113.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,187 £1,618

$979 £724

123.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,732 £4,980

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,734 £3,502

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,581 £2,649

$3,700 £2,737

-3.22%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.78

5.15

-7.18%

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

Last update for Edinburgh: September 1, 2026

Last update for Sunderland: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,644 in Edinburgh versus $815 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 3% 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 $109 in Edinburgh versus $72.0 in Sunderland. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $333 vs $312 – 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 41%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,037 per month in Edinburgh and $2,872 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 $109 in Edinburgh and $72.0 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 $2,691 in Edinburgh and $1,915 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 $1,915, than in Edinburgh at $2,691. 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.