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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,696 per month in Edinburgh vs $3,063 in Surrey, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,099 per month in Edinburgh vs $4,476 in Surrey, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,502 per month in Edinburgh vs $5,888 in Surrey, rent included.

Edinburgh is about 12% cheaper than Surrey, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Edinburgh and Surrey sit above the global median – Edinburgh by 97%, Surrey by 124%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.27 £18.17

$23.33 £17.47

4.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$108 £80.9

$58.5 £43.80

84.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.91 £8.17

$9.72 £7.28

12.24%

Cappuccino

$5.13 £3.84

$4.98 £3.72

3.01%

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

$2.39 £1.79

$2.34 £1.75

2.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.21 £1.66

$1.44 £1.08

53.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.21 £6.14

$6.89 £5.16

19.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.99 £5.98

$6.10 £4.56

30.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.79 £1.34

$1.36 £1.02

31.62%

White Bread (500g)

$2.42 £1.81

$2.07 £1.55

16.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.28 £1.71

$1.59 £1.19

43.40%

Eggs

$5.02 £3.76

$4.14 £3.10

21.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.60 £7.19

$8.39 £6.28

14.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.59 £7.18

$9.00 £6.74

6.56%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.75 £11.79

$16.47 £12.33

-4.37%

Apples (1kg)

$3.11 £2.33

$3.21 £2.40

-3.12%

Banana (1kg)

$1.84 £1.38

$1.52 £1.14

21.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.31 £2.48

$2.05 £1.54

61.46%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.53 £2.64

$3.43 £2.57

2.92%

Potato (1kg)

$2.07 £1.55

$1.45 £1.09

42.76%

Onion (1kg)

$1.51 £1.13

$1.83 £1.37

-17.49%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.31 £0.98

$1.48 £1.11

-11.49%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.92 £1.44

$1.24 £0.93

54.84%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$23.51 £17.60

$23.62 £17.69

-0.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.02 £8.25

$10.67 £7.99

3.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.13 £2.35

$2.38 £1.78

31.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.33 £2.49

$2.52 £1.89

32.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.94 £2.20

$4.14 £3.10

-28.99%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$96.9 £72.5

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.34 £4.00

$5.24 £3.93

1.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.85 £1.38

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.78 £21.55

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.07 £1.55

$1.95 £1.46

6.15%

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

$38.8K £29.0K

$38.9K £29.2K

-0.46%

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

$40.7K £30.4K

$42.1K £31.6K

-3.54%

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

$335 £251

$266 £199

25.70%

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

$16.42 £12.29

$13.66 £10.23

20.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.73 £31.99

$36.33 £27.20

17.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.98 £34.43

$54.9 £41.10

-16.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.69 £17.74

$18.84 £14.11

25.74%

Cinema Ticket

$14.71 £11.01

$13.63 £10.20

7.92%

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

$1,843 £1,380

$2,139 £1,602

-13.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$26.1K £19.5K

$30.1K £22.6K

-13.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$85.2 £63.8

$53.3 £39.93

59.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.0 £38.15

$40.04 £29.98

27.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$108 £80.9

$90.0 £67.4

20.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$118 £88.1

$93.7 £70.2

25.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,608 £1,204

$1,935 £1,449

-16.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,225 £917

$1,913 £1,432

-35.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,862 £2,143

$3,414 £2,556

-16.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,163 £1,619

$3,344 £2,503

-35.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,804 £5,094

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,688 £3,510

$7,325 £5,484

-35.99%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,512 £2,629

$4,601 £3,445

-23.68%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.78

5.4

-11.48%

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

Last update for Edinburgh: September 12, 2026

Last update for Surrey: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,608 in Edinburgh versus $1,935 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 31% higher in Surrey, 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 $108 in Edinburgh versus $58.0 in Surrey. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $335 vs $294 – 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 14%, 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 $4,043 per month in Edinburgh and $4,595 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.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,696 in Edinburgh and $3,063 in Surrey. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $1,843 per month in Edinburgh and $2,139 in Surrey. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,696 in Edinburgh and $3,063 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.