Cost of Living Comparison Between Edinburgh and Surrey Cost of Living Comparison Between Edinburgh and Surrey

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,744 per month in Edinburgh vs $3,368 in Surrey, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,078 per month in Edinburgh vs $3,998 in Surrey, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,412 per month in Edinburgh vs $4,628 in Surrey, rent included.

Edinburgh is about 19% cheaper than Surrey, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Edinburgh and Surrey sit above the global median – Edinburgh by 106%, Surrey by 153%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.43 £15.47

$20.51 £15.53

-0.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$101 £76.3

$86.7 £65.7

16.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.83 £7.44

$8.98 £6.80

9.47%

Cappuccino

$5.38 £4.07

$4.64 £3.51

15.95%

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

$2.62 £1.99

$2.19 £1.66

19.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.01 £1.52

$1.64 £1.24

22.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.50 £5.68

$5.90 £4.47

27.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.68 £5.06

$5.40 £4.09

23.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 £1.29

$1.55 £1.17

10.32%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 £1.32

$1.57 £1.19

11.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.18 £1.65

$2.89 £2.19

-24.57%

Eggs

$4.18 £3.17

$3.31 £2.51

26.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.88 £9.00

$8.46 £6.41

40.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.55 £7.99

$7.28 £5.52

44.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.71 £14.17

$15.48 £11.73

20.87%

Apples (1kg)

$3.16 £2.39

$4.29 £3.25

-26.34%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 £1.17

$2.19 £1.66

-29.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.23 £3.20

$2.92 £2.22

44.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.64 £3.52

$4.87 £3.69

-4.72%

Potato (1kg)

$1.81 £1.37

$1.22 £0.93

48.36%

Onion (1kg)

$1.45 £1.10

$1.71 £1.29

-15.20%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 £0.89

$1.09 £0.83

7.34%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.30 £0.99

$1.85 £1.40

-29.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$20.50 £15.53

$13.71 £10.38

49.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.95 £8.29

$11.53 £8.73

-5.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.50 £1.90

$2.95 £2.23

-15.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.37 £2.56

$1.87 £1.42

80.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.70 £2.04

$4.06 £3.07

-33.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$89.7 £68.0

$135 £102

-33.65%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.54 £4.20

$4.52 £3.42

22.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.02 £2.29

$1.77 £1.34

70.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$43.60 £33.03

$40.08 £30.36

8.78%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.95 £1.48

$1.91 £1.44

2.09%

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

$39.1K £29.6K

$38.2K £28.9K

2.47%

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

$39.2K £29.7K

$40.5K £30.6K

-3.20%

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

$385 £291

$276 £209

39.29%

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

$17.24 £13.06

$15.60 £11.82

10.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$44.91 £34.02

$41.93 £31.77

7.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.4 £41.23

$55.2 £41.84

-1.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.17 £18.31

Cinema Ticket

$14.71 £11.14

$10.68 £8.09

37.73%

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

$1,944 £1,473

$1,284 £973

51.39%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.4K £17.7K

$18.2K £13.8K

28.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$117 £88.8

$85.7 £64.9

36.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.8 £42.24

$43.12 £32.66

29.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$114 £86.5

$89.4 £67.8

27.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$126 £95.4

$139 £105

-9.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,617 £1,225

$2,342 £1,774

-30.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,207 £914

$1,949 £1,477

-38.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,068 £2,324

$3,337 £2,528

-8.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,183 £1,654

$1,717 £1,301

27.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,686 £5,064

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,828 £3,657

$7,354 £5,571

-34.35%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,541 £2,683

$3,540 £2,681

0.05%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.63

5.9

-4.58%

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

Last update for Edinburgh: June 13, 2026

Last update for Surrey: June 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,617 in Edinburgh versus $2,342 in Surrey. 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 0% 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 $101 in Edinburgh versus $87.0 in Surrey. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $340 vs $310 – making Surrey 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 Surrey: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Surrey is pricier by about 23%, 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 $4,117 per month in Edinburgh and $5,052 in Surrey. 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 $101 in Edinburgh and $87.0 in Surrey. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,744 in Edinburgh and $3,368 in Surrey. 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 $2,744 in Edinburgh and $3,368 in Surrey. 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, Surrey makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.