Cost of Living Comparison Between Harlow and Edinburgh Cost of Living Comparison Between Harlow and Edinburgh

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,655 per month in Harlow vs $2,767 in Edinburgh, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,928 per month in Harlow vs $4,064 in Edinburgh, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,202 per month in Harlow vs $5,361 in Edinburgh, rent included.

Harlow is about 4% cheaper than Edinburgh, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Harlow and Edinburgh sit above the global median – Harlow by 98%, Edinburgh by 106%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$27.58 £20.54

$20.73 £15.44

33.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$95.6 £71.2

$104 £77.1

-7.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.27 £7.65

$9.95 £7.41

3.22%

Cappuccino

$3.84 £2.86

$5.32 £3.97

-27.82%

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

$3.49 £2.60

$2.61 £1.94

33.72%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.01 £1.49

$2.01 £1.50

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.88 £3.64

$7.64 £5.69

-36.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.53 £3.38

$6.93 £5.16

-34.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.36 £1.02

$1.65 £1.23

-17.58%

White Bread (500g)

$1.32 £0.98

$1.73 £1.29

-23.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.65 £1.97

$2.18 £1.62

21.56%

Eggs

$3.54 £2.64

$4.37 £3.26

-18.99%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.18 £7.58

$11.93 £8.88

-14.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.91 £5.89

$10.25 £7.63

-22.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.26 £9.87

$18.87 £14.06

-29.73%

Apples (1kg)

$3.07 £2.28

$3.22 £2.40

-4.66%

Banana (1kg)

$0.97 £0.73

$1.49 £1.11

-34.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.92 £2.17

$4.14 £3.09

-29.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.28 £2.44

$4.74 £3.53

-30.80%

Potato (1kg)

$0.63 £0.47

$1.82 £1.36

-65.38%

Onion (1kg)

$1.14 £0.85

$1.42 £1.06

-19.72%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.56 £0.42

$1.16 £0.87

-51.72%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.69 £0.52

$1.33 £0.99

-48.12%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$16.78 £12.50

$20.21 £15.05

-16.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.34 £6.95

$11.36 £8.46

-17.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.33 £1.74

$2.50 £1.86

-6.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 £2.49

$3.27 £2.44

2.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.75 £2.05

$2.64 £1.97

4.17%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$84.4 £62.9

$89.4 £66.6

-5.58%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.49 £4.09

$5.58 £4.16

-1.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.66 £1.24

$3.15 £2.34

-47.30%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.23 £11.34

$42.77 £31.85

-64.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.93 £1.44

$1.95 £1.45

-1.03%

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

$32.7K £24.3K

$38.2K £28.5K

-14.58%

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

$40.4K £30.1K

$38.8K £28.9K

3.97%

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

$221 £165

$381 £284

-41.99%

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

$13.38 £9.96

$17.32 £12.90

-22.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.11 £27.64

$44.43 £33.09

-16.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$27.41 £20.41

$54.5 £40.59

-49.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.51 £18.26

Cinema Ticket

$12.37 £9.22

$14.73 £10.97

-16.02%

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

$1,917 £1,428

$1,944 £1,448

-1.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$26.1K £19.4K

$24.1K £18.0K

8.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$84.5 £62.9

$118 £88.1

-28.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.37 £36.03

$55.6 £41.42

-13.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$110 £82.1

$116 £86.6

-5.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$99.4 £74.0

$126 £93.6

-20.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,649 £1,228

$1,653 £1,231

-0.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,481 £1,103

$1,201 £895

23.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,568 £1,913

$3,062 £2,281

-16.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,407 £1,793

$2,168 £1,615

10.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,616 £4,928

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,869 £3,627

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,032 £2,258

$3,659 £2,725

-17.12%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.63

-11.19%

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

Last update for Harlow: June 1, 2026

Last update for Edinburgh: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,649 in Harlow versus $1,653 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 21% 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 $96.0 in Harlow versus $104 in Edinburgh. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $262 vs $340 – making Harlow 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

Harlow vs Edinburgh: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Edinburgh is pricier by about 4%, 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 $3,982 per month in Harlow and $4,150 in Edinburgh. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Harlow, 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 $96.0 in Harlow and $104 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 $2,655 in Harlow and $2,767 in Edinburgh. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

$3,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,655 in Harlow and $2,767 in Edinburgh. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Harlow – 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 Harlow. 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.