Cost of Living Comparison Between Edinburgh and Wakefield Cost of Living Comparison Between Edinburgh and Wakefield

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,772 per month in Edinburgh vs $1,917 in Wakefield, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,140 per month in Edinburgh vs $3,112 in Wakefield, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,508 per month in Edinburgh vs $4,307 in Wakefield, rent included.

Edinburgh costs about 45% more than Wakefield, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Edinburgh and Wakefield sit above the global median – Edinburgh by 107%, Wakefield by 44%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.15 £15.00

$17.58 £13.09

14.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$101 £74.9

$76.7 £57.1

31.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.00 £7.45

$9.05 £6.74

10.50%

Cappuccino

$5.41 £4.03

$4.28 £3.18

26.40%

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

$2.51 £1.87

$1.89 £1.40

32.80%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 £1.51

$1.29 £0.96

57.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.52 £5.60

$5.34 £3.97

40.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.81 £5.07

$5.46 £4.07

24.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 £1.25

$1.57 £1.17

7.01%

White Bread (500g)

$1.74 £1.30

$1.50 £1.11

16.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.08 £1.55

$2.17 £1.62

-4.15%

Eggs

$4.25 £3.17

$3.89 £2.89

9.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.14 £9.04

$7.90 £5.88

53.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.48 £7.80

$8.48 £6.31

23.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.73 £13.94

$11.80 £8.78

58.73%

Apples (1kg)

$3.12 £2.33

$3.22 £2.40

-3.11%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 £1.16

$1.51 £1.12

2.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.12 £3.07

$2.67 £1.99

54.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.60 £3.42

$3.12 £2.32

47.44%

Potato (1kg)

$1.83 £1.36

$0.76 £0.57

140.79%

Onion (1kg)

$1.43 £1.07

$1.40 £1.04

2.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.22 £0.91

$1.04 £0.77

17.31%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.35 £1.01

$1.27 £0.95

6.30%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$20.18 £15.02

$13.71 £10.21

47.19%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.18 £8.32

$10.83 £8.07

3.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.50 £1.86

$2.77 £2.06

-9.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.29 £2.45

$2.30 £1.72

43.04%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.70 £2.01

$2.64 £1.96

2.27%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$89.4 £66.6

$108 £80.1

-16.91%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.31 £3.95

$4.16 £3.10

27.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.01 £2.24

$1.10 £0.82

173.64%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$42.48 £31.63

$13.23 £9.85

221.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.94 £1.44

$1.89 £1.40

2.65%

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

$38.8K £28.9K

$38.2K £28.5K

1.46%

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

$39.9K £29.7K

$36.4K £27.1K

9.54%

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

$381 £283

$320 £238

18.93%

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

$17.69 £13.17

$18.75 £13.96

-5.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$43.83 £32.63

$43.67 £32.51

0.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.6 £39.91

$36.35 £27.06

47.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.17 £17.99

$27.41 £20.41

-11.82%

Cinema Ticket

$15.01 £11.18

$11.32 £8.43

32.60%

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

$1,937 £1,442

$1,226 £913

58.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.8K £17.7K

$6,698 £4,986

255.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$119 £88.8

$75.9 £56.5

57.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.6 £40.63

$54.6 £40.68

-0.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$117 £87.4

$85.7 £63.8

37.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$123 £91.3

$80.9 £60.2

51.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,616 £1,203

$1,014 £755

59.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,232 £918

$713 £531

72.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,098 £2,306

$2,176 £1,620

42.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,186 £1,627

$1,594 £1,186

37.15%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,544 £4,872

$3,966 £2,953

64.99%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,733 £3,523

$2,666 £1,985

77.52%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,601 £2,681

$2,484 £1,850

44.94%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.63

5.3

6.23%

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

Last update for Edinburgh: July 13, 2026

Last update for Wakefield: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,616 in Edinburgh versus $1,014 in Wakefield. 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 45% 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 $77.0 in Wakefield. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $340 vs $272 – making Wakefield 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 Wakefield: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Edinburgh is pricier by about 45%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,158 per month in Edinburgh and $2,876 in Wakefield. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Wakefield, 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 $77.0 in Wakefield. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,772 in Edinburgh and $1,917 in Wakefield. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Wakefield, where all-in costs run around $1,917, than in Edinburgh at $2,772. In Wakefield it covers expenses comfortably, while in Edinburgh it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Wakefield – 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 Wakefield. 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.