Cost of Living Comparison Between Ilford and Edinburgh Cost of Living Comparison Between Ilford and Edinburgh

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,454 per month in Ilford vs $2,691 in Edinburgh, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,903 per month in Ilford vs $4,039 in Edinburgh, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,353 per month in Ilford vs $5,386 in Edinburgh, rent included.

Ilford is about 9% cheaper than Edinburgh, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Ilford and Edinburgh sit above the global median – Ilford by 79%, Edinburgh by 96%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$22.21 £16.41

$24.27 £17.94

-8.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$94.5 £69.9

$109 £80.9

-13.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.69 £7.91

$10.91 £8.06

-2.02%

Cappuccino

$4.76 £3.52

$5.18 £3.83

-8.11%

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

$2.88 £2.13

$2.53 £1.87

13.83%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 £1.46

$2.17 £1.60

-9.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.26 £6.10

$8.19 £6.05

0.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.51 £5.55

$8.12 £6.00

-7.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.67 £1.23

$1.76 £1.30

-5.11%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 £1.35

$2.33 £1.72

-21.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.48 £1.83

$2.33 £1.72

6.44%

Eggs

$4.66 £3.45

$5.09 £3.76

-8.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.93 £7.34

$9.30 £6.87

6.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.49 £7.01

$9.54 £7.06

-0.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.04 £11.86

$15.99 £11.82

0.31%

Apples (1kg)

$3.01 £2.22

Banana (1kg)

$1.48 £1.09

$1.79 £1.33

-17.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.81 £2.08

$3.46 £2.56

-18.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.59 £2.65

$3.53 £2.61

1.70%

Potato (1kg)

$1.75 £1.29

$2.19 £1.62

-20.09%

Onion (1kg)

$1.85 £1.37

$1.52 £1.12

21.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.29 £0.95

$1.27 £0.94

1.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.85 £1.37

$1.91 £1.41

-3.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$22.97 £16.98

$24.28 £17.95

-5.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.39 £8.42

$11.30 £8.35

0.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.20 £2.36

$3.02 £2.23

5.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.27 £3.16

$3.17 £2.35

34.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.52 £2.60

$2.95 £2.18

19.32%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$94.3 £69.7

$101 £74.5

-6.45%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.61 £4.14

$5.45 £4.03

2.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.67 £1.98

$1.95 £1.44

36.92%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.50 £18.11

$28.94 £21.39

-15.34%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.08 £1.53

$2.05 £1.51

1.46%

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

$40.2K £29.7K

$39.3K £29.0K

2.31%

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

$41.0K £30.3K

$41.4K £30.6K

-1.13%

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

$348 £257

$343 £253

1.57%

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

$18.48 £13.66

$17.03 £12.59

8.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.02 £31.06

$43.01 £31.80

-2.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.26 £35.67

$47.96 £35.45

0.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.68 £17.50

Cinema Ticket

$17.34 £12.82

$15.04 £11.12

15.29%

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

$2,583 £1,909

$1,824 £1,349

41.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$30.5K £22.5K

$25.5K £18.8K

19.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$91.8 £67.9

$85.8 £63.4

6.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.09 £35.55

$50.3 £37.18

-4.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.9 £68.7

$108 £79.5

-13.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$99.8 £73.8

$118 £87.6

-15.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,428 £1,056

$1,644 £1,216

-13.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,030 £761

$1,229 £909

-16.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,093 £2,286

$2,844 £2,103

8.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,141 £1,582

$2,187 £1,617

-2.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,242 £3,875

$6,732 £4,976

-22.13%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,595 £2,657

$4,734 £3,499

-24.07%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,694 £2,730

$3,581 £2,647

3.15%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.04

4.78

5.44%

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

Last update for Ilford: August 30, 2026

Last update for Edinburgh: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,428 in Ilford versus $1,644 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 3% higher in Ilford, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $95.0 in Ilford versus $109 in Edinburgh. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $326 vs $333 – making Ilford 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

Ilford vs Edinburgh: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Edinburgh is pricier by about 10%, 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 $3,681 per month in Ilford and $4,037 in Edinburgh. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Ilford, 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 $95.0 in Ilford 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 $2,454 in Ilford and $2,691 in Edinburgh. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,454 in Ilford and $2,691 in Edinburgh. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Ilford – 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 Ilford. 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.