Cost of Living Comparison Between Edinburgh and Wigan Cost of Living Comparison Between Edinburgh and Wigan

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,709 per month in Edinburgh vs $1,984 in Wigan, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,062 per month in Edinburgh vs $2,965 in Wigan, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,415 per month in Edinburgh vs $3,945 in Wigan, rent included.

Edinburgh costs about 37% more than Wigan, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Edinburgh and Wigan sit above the global median – Edinburgh by 98%, Wigan by 45%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.26 £17.78

$20.21 £14.81

20.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$110 £80.3

$71.0 £52.0

54.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.23 £7.50

$10.16 £7.45

0.69%

Cappuccino

$5.25 £3.85

$3.69 £2.70

42.28%

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

$2.41 £1.77

$2.21 £1.62

9.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.23 £1.63

$1.60 £1.17

39.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.02 £5.88

$4.51 £3.31

77.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.29 £6.08

$4.44 £3.26

86.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.77 £1.30

$1.26 £0.93

40.48%

White Bread (500g)

$2.32 £1.70

$1.45 £1.06

60.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.34 £1.71

$1.32 £0.97

77.27%

Eggs

$5.07 £3.72

$3.66 £2.69

38.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.32 £6.84

$5.47 £4.01

70.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.54 £6.99

$5.87 £4.31

62.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.65 £11.47

$7.76 £5.69

101.68%

Apples (1kg)

$3.09 £2.26

$1.56 £1.14

98.08%

Banana (1kg)

$1.79 £1.32

$1.76 £1.29

1.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.37 £2.47

$3.53 £2.59

-4.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.70 £2.71

$3.84 £2.82

-3.65%

Potato (1kg)

$2.02 £1.48

$1.82 £1.34

10.99%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 £1.10

$1.77 £1.30

-15.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.30 £0.95

$1.22 £0.89

6.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 £1.30

$1.96 £1.44

-9.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$23.88 £17.50

$22.52 £16.51

6.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.32 £8.30

$9.59 £7.03

18.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.06 £2.24

$4.41 £3.23

-30.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.19 £2.34

$3.45 £2.53

-7.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.01 £2.21

$2.68 £1.97

12.31%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$100 £73.4

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.55 £4.07

$4.42 £3.24

25.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.86 £1.36

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.73 £21.79

$33.31 £24.42

-10.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.05 £1.51

$1.90 £1.39

7.89%

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

$38.5K £28.2K

$39.4K £28.9K

-2.29%

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

$41.6K £30.5K

$40.8K £29.9K

1.82%

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

$384 £281

$356 £261

7.78%

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

$17.45 £12.79

$16.04 £11.76

8.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$43.43 £31.83

$41.27 £30.25

5.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.98 £35.17

$59.4 £43.51

-19.16%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.30 £17.08

Cinema Ticket

$14.42 £10.57

$17.37 £12.73

-16.98%

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

$1,832 £1,343

$806 £591

127.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$25.9K £19.0K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$84.3 £61.8

$109 £79.8

-22.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.80 £36.50

$55.4 £40.61

-10.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 £82.5

$115 £84.2

-1.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 £83.5

$126 £92.2

-9.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,634 £1,198

$1,018 £746

60.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,246 £914

$762 £558

63.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,882 £2,113

$1,620 £1,187

77.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,151 £1,576

$1,400 £1,026

53.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,700 £4,911

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,775 £3,500

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,598 £2,638

$2,756 £2,020

30.54%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.77

6.4

-25.47%

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

Last update for Edinburgh: August 17, 2026

Last update for Wigan: August 16, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,634 in Edinburgh versus $1,018 in Wigan. 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 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 $109 in Edinburgh versus $71.0 in Wigan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $331 vs $253 – making Wigan 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 Wigan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Edinburgh is pricier by about 37%, 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 $4,063 per month in Edinburgh and $2,976 in Wigan. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Wigan, 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 $2,709 in Edinburgh and $1,984 in Wigan. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $1,832 per month in Edinburgh and $806 in Wigan. 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 Wigan, where all-in costs run around $1,984, than in Edinburgh at $2,709. In Wigan it covers expenses comfortably, while in Edinburgh it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Wigan – 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 Wigan. 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.