Cost of Living Comparison Between Edinburgh and Swansea Cost of Living Comparison Between Edinburgh and Swansea

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,744 per month in Edinburgh vs $2,203 in Swansea, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,078 per month in Edinburgh vs $3,195 in Swansea, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,412 per month in Edinburgh vs $4,188 in Swansea, rent included.

Edinburgh costs about 25% more than Swansea, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Edinburgh and Swansea sit above the global median – Edinburgh by 106%, Swansea by 65%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.43 £15.47

$23.96 £18.15

-14.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$101 £76.3

$68.0 £51.5

48.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.83 £7.44

$10.22 £7.74

-3.82%

Cappuccino

$5.38 £4.07

$5.04 £3.81

6.75%

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

$2.62 £1.99

$2.27 £1.72

15.42%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.01 £1.52

$1.18 £0.90

70.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.50 £5.68

$5.95 £4.51

26.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.68 £5.06

$6.91 £5.23

-3.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 £1.29

$1.91 £1.44

-10.47%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 £1.32

$1.91 £1.45

-8.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.18 £1.65

$1.80 £1.37

21.11%

Eggs

$4.18 £3.17

$3.78 £2.86

10.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.88 £9.00

$8.52 £6.46

39.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.55 £7.99

$8.83 £6.69

19.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.71 £14.17

$13.37 £10.13

39.94%

Apples (1kg)

$3.16 £2.39

$3.10 £2.35

1.94%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 £1.17

$1.27 £0.96

22.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.23 £3.20

$2.27 £1.72

86.34%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.64 £3.52

$3.61 £2.73

28.53%

Potato (1kg)

$1.81 £1.37

$2.06 £1.56

-12.14%

Onion (1kg)

$1.45 £1.10

$1.68 £1.27

-13.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 £0.89

$1.00 £0.76

17.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.30 £0.99

$1.94 £1.47

-32.99%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$20.50 £15.53

$22.05 £16.70

-7.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.95 £8.29

$10.57 £8.01

3.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.50 £1.90

$2.69 £2.03

-7.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.37 £2.56

$3.96 £3.00

-14.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.70 £2.04

$3.98 £3.01

-32.16%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$89.7 £68.0

$96.3 £72.9

-6.83%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.54 £4.20

$4.05 £3.07

36.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.02 £2.29

$2.47 £1.87

22.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$43.60 £33.03

$33.72 £25.54

29.30%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.95 £1.48

$1.89 £1.43

3.17%

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

$39.1K £29.6K

$39.0K £29.5K

0.40%

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

$39.2K £29.7K

$47.8K £36.2K

-18.05%

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

$385 £291

$314 £238

22.62%

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

$17.24 £13.06

$15.37 £11.64

12.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$44.91 £34.02

$46.14 £34.95

-2.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.4 £41.23

$35.88 £27.18

51.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.17 £18.31

$16.24 £12.30

48.83%

Cinema Ticket

$14.71 £11.14

$10.13 £7.67

45.21%

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

$1,944 £1,473

$1,496 £1,133

29.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.4K £17.7K

$18.4K £14.0K

27.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$117 £88.8

$57.4 £43.49

104.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.8 £42.24

$40.11 £30.39

39.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$114 £86.5

$120 £90.9

-4.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$126 £95.4

$85.9 £65.1

46.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,617 £1,225

$1,096 £830

47.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,207 £914

$894 £677

34.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,068 £2,324

$1,652 £1,251

85.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,183 £1,654

$1,406 £1,065

55.26%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,686 £5,064

$3,694 £2,798

80.97%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,828 £3,657

$2,740 £2,076

76.18%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,541 £2,683

$3,140 £2,378

12.80%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.63

6.1

-7.70%

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

Last update for Edinburgh: June 13, 2026

Last update for Swansea: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,617 in Edinburgh versus $1,096 in Swansea. 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 13% higher in Edinburgh, 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 $101 in Edinburgh versus $68.0 in Swansea. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $340 vs $300 – making Swansea 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 Swansea: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Edinburgh is pricier by about 25%, 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 $4,117 per month in Edinburgh and $3,304 in Swansea. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Swansea, 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 $68.0 in Swansea. 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 $2,203 in Swansea. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Swansea, where all-in costs run around $2,203, than in Edinburgh at $2,744. In Swansea it covers expenses comfortably, while in Edinburgh it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Swansea – 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 Swansea. 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.