Cost of Living Comparison Between Edinburgh and Sutton Cost of Living Comparison Between Edinburgh and Sutton

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,691 per month in Edinburgh vs $2,229 in Sutton, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,039 per month in Edinburgh vs $3,085 in Sutton, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,386 per month in Edinburgh vs $3,941 in Sutton, rent included.

Edinburgh costs about 21% more than Sutton, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Edinburgh and Sutton sit above the global median – Edinburgh by 96%, Sutton by 62%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.27 £17.95

$27.18 £20.11

-10.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$109 £81.0

$95.0 £70.3

15.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.91 £8.07

$11.00 £8.13

-0.82%

Cappuccino

$5.18 £3.83

$4.99 £3.69

3.81%

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

$2.53 £1.87

$2.87 £2.12

-11.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.17 £1.60

$2.13 £1.57

1.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.19 £6.06

$8.90 £6.58

-7.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.12 £6.01

$6.96 £5.15

16.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.76 £1.30

$1.96 £1.45

-10.20%

White Bread (500g)

$2.33 £1.72

$1.73 £1.28

34.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.33 £1.72

$2.44 £1.81

-4.51%

Eggs

$5.09 £3.76

$3.70 £2.74

37.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.30 £6.88

$11.42 £8.45

-18.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.54 £7.06

$8.75 £6.48

9.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.99 £11.83

$12.65 £9.36

26.40%

Apples (1kg)

$3.01 £2.22

$3.03 £2.24

-0.66%

Banana (1kg)

$1.79 £1.33

$1.48 £1.10

20.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.46 £2.56

$2.80 £2.07

23.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.53 £2.61

$3.25 £2.41

8.62%

Potato (1kg)

$2.19 £1.62

$1.62 £1.20

35.19%

Onion (1kg)

$1.52 £1.12

$1.37 £1.01

10.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.27 £0.94

$1.02 £0.75

24.51%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.91 £1.41

$1.56 £1.15

22.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$24.28 £17.96

$23.87 £17.66

1.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.30 £8.36

$13.57 £10.04

-16.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.02 £2.23

$2.33 £1.72

29.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 £2.35

$3.24 £2.40

-2.16%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.95 £2.18

$3.29 £2.44

-10.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$101 £74.6

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.45 £4.03

$5.53 £4.09

-1.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 £1.44

$3.33 £2.47

-41.44%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.94 £21.41

$13.37 £9.89

116.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.05 £1.52

$1.99 £1.48

3.02%

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

$39.3K £29.0K

$38.9K £28.8K

0.84%

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

$41.4K £30.6K

$41.5K £30.7K

-0.24%

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

$343 £254

$284 £210

20.68%

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

$17.03 £12.60

$18.14 £13.42

-6.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$43.01 £31.82

$41.20 £30.48

4.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.96 £35.48

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.68 £17.52

Cinema Ticket

$15.04 £11.13

$15.08 £11.16

-0.27%

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

$1,824 £1,350

$1,821 £1,347

0.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$25.5K £18.8K

$30.1K £22.3K

-15.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$85.8 £63.5

$76.3 £56.4

12.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.3 £37.21

$54.8 £40.55

-8.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$108 £79.6

$118 £87.4

-8.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$118 £87.6

$108 £80.0

9.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 £1,217

$1,550 £1,146

6.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,229 £909

$940 £695

30.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,844 £2,104

$2,660 £1,968

6.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,187 £1,618

$1,160 £858

88.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,732 £4,980

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,734 £3,502

$7,651 £5,660

-38.13%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,581 £2,649

$4,389 £3,247

-18.42%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.78

-4.40%

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

Last update for Edinburgh: September 1, 2026

Last update for Sutton: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,644 in Edinburgh versus $1,550 in Sutton. 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 23% higher in Sutton, 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 $95.0 in Sutton. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $333 vs $305 – making Sutton 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 Sutton: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Edinburgh is pricier by about 21%, 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 $4,037 per month in Edinburgh and $3,344 in Sutton. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Sutton, 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 $2,691 in Edinburgh and $2,229 in Sutton. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $1,824 per month in Edinburgh and $1,821 in Sutton. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Sutton, where all-in costs run around $2,229, than in Edinburgh at $2,691. In Sutton it covers expenses comfortably, while in Edinburgh it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Sutton – 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 Sutton. 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.