Cost of Living Comparison Between Guildford and Edinburgh Cost of Living Comparison Between Guildford and Edinburgh

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,302 per month in Guildford vs $2,722 in Edinburgh, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,600 per month in Guildford vs $4,091 in Edinburgh, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,898 per month in Guildford vs $5,461 in Edinburgh, rent included.

Guildford costs about 21% more than Edinburgh, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Guildford and Edinburgh sit above the global median – Guildford by 139%, Edinburgh by 97%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$29.97 £22.15

$24.69 £18.25

21.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$93.1 £68.8

$109 £80.7

-14.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.37 £8.41

$10.65 £7.87

6.76%

Cappuccino

$5.25 £3.88

$5.22 £3.86

0.57%

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

$2.91 £2.15

$2.44 £1.80

19.26%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.64 £1.21

$2.22 £1.64

-26.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.88 £6.56

$7.90 £5.84

12.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.86 £5.07

$8.20 £6.06

-16.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.49 £1.10

$1.78 £1.32

-16.29%

White Bread (500g)

$1.32 £0.98

$2.43 £1.80

-45.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.01 £1.49

$2.33 £1.72

-13.73%

Eggs

$4.43 £3.28

$5.06 £3.74

-12.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.18 £10.48

$9.14 £6.76

55.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.32 £7.62

$9.52 £7.04

8.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.35 £12.09

$16.05 £11.86

1.87%

Apples (1kg)

$3.71 £2.74

$3.06 £2.26

21.24%

Banana (1kg)

$2.16 £1.59

$1.88 £1.39

14.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.74 £2.76

$3.43 £2.54

9.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.25 £3.88

$3.68 £2.72

42.66%

Potato (1kg)

$2.03 £1.50

$2.19 £1.62

-7.31%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 £1.09

$1.57 £1.16

-5.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.12 £0.83

$1.27 £0.94

-11.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.52 £1.13

$1.89 £1.40

-19.58%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$24.32 £17.98

$24.18 £17.87

0.58%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.14 £8.97

$11.45 £8.46

6.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.57 £1.90

$3.01 £2.22

-14.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 £2.34

$3.29 £2.43

-3.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.02 £2.23

$3.05 £2.25

-0.98%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$99.9 £73.8

$98.5 £72.8

1.42%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.70 £3.47

$5.44 £4.02

-13.60%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.15 £1.59

$1.85 £1.37

16.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$40.18 £29.70

$29.19 £21.58

37.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.99 £1.47

$2.14 £1.58

-7.01%

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

$39.0K £28.9K

$38.7K £28.6K

0.80%

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

$41.7K £30.8K

$42.2K £31.2K

-1.05%

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

$399 £295

$341 £252

16.83%

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

$20.83 £15.39

$16.45 £12.16

26.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$47.39 £35.03

$43.79 £32.36

8.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.3 £39.38

$45.39 £33.54

17.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.52 £17.38

$23.68 £17.51

-0.68%

Cinema Ticket

$12.97 £9.59

$15.19 £11.23

-14.61%

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

$1,907 £1,410

$1,830 £1,352

4.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.2K £17.9K

$26.1K £19.3K

-7.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$113 £83.5

$85.1 £62.9

32.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$66.9 £49.44

$51.3 £37.91

30.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$120 £88.9

$108 £80.1

11.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$132 £97.6

$118 £87.3

11.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,943 £1,436

$1,622 £1,198

19.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,622 £1,199

$1,228 £907

32.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,955 £2,184

$2,843 £2,101

3.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,505 £1,852

$2,147 £1,587

16.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,680 £5,676

$6,738 £4,980

13.98%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,242 £5,353

$4,658 £3,443

55.48%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,695 £2,731

$3,617 £2,673

2.17%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.13

4.78

7.32%

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

Last update for Guildford: September 5, 2026

Last update for Edinburgh: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,943 in Guildford versus $1,622 in Edinburgh. 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 2% higher in Guildford, 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 $93.0 in Guildford versus $109 in Edinburgh. Groceries tell a different story – $345 in Guildford vs $336 in Edinburgh – so Edinburgh wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Guildford vs Edinburgh: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Guildford is pricier by about 21%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,953 per month in Guildford and $4,083 in Edinburgh. 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $93.0 in Guildford and $109 in Edinburgh. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $3,302 in Guildford and $2,722 in Edinburgh. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,302 in Guildford and $2,722 in Edinburgh. 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, Guildford makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.