Cost of Living Comparison Between Kirkwall and Edinburgh Cost of Living Comparison Between Kirkwall and Edinburgh

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,318 per month in Kirkwall vs $2,718 in Edinburgh, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,450 per month in Kirkwall vs $4,120 in Edinburgh, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,582 per month in Kirkwall vs $5,521 in Edinburgh, rent included.

Kirkwall is about 15% cheaper than Edinburgh, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Kirkwall and Edinburgh sit above the global median – Kirkwall by 72%, Edinburgh by 102%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.28 £18.68

$19.99 £14.78

26.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$81.2 £60.0

$103 £75.9

-20.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 £7.31

$9.87 £7.29

0.20%

Cappuccino

$4.02 £2.97

$5.33 £3.94

-24.58%

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

$2.33 £1.72

$2.52 £1.86

-7.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.59 £1.17

$1.96 £1.45

-18.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.48 £4.05

$7.33 £5.42

-25.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.35 £4.70

$6.66 £4.92

-4.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.60 £1.18

$1.63 £1.20

-1.84%

White Bread (500g)

$1.65 £1.22

$1.74 £1.28

-5.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.22 £1.64

$2.07 £1.53

7.25%

Eggs

$3.97 £2.93

$4.41 £3.26

-9.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.75 £7.20

$11.78 £8.70

-17.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.61 £6.36

$10.59 £7.83

-18.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.32 £10.58

$18.60 £13.75

-23.01%

Apples (1kg)

$3.15 £2.33

$3.16 £2.33

-0.32%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 £1.20

$1.54 £1.14

5.84%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.87 £2.12

$4.15 £3.06

-30.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.54 £2.62

$4.77 £3.52

-25.79%

Potato (1kg)

$1.63 £1.21

$1.76 £1.30

-7.39%

Onion (1kg)

$1.55 £1.14

$1.44 £1.06

7.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 £0.79

$1.20 £0.89

-10.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.46 £1.08

$1.33 £0.98

9.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$19.36 £14.31

$20.25 £14.96

-4.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.71 £7.91

$10.70 £7.90

0.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.79 £2.06

$2.63 £1.95

6.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.08 £2.28

$3.27 £2.42

-5.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.27 £2.42

$2.64 £1.95

23.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$90.2 £66.7

$88.3 £65.3

2.12%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.59 £4.13

$5.40 £3.99

3.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.60 £1.18

$3.07 £2.27

-47.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.01 £17.00

$43.53 £32.17

-47.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.96 £1.45

$1.87 £1.39

4.81%

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

$39.0K £28.8K

$37.7K £27.8K

3.49%

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

$41.1K £30.4K

$39.6K £29.2K

3.80%

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

$291 £215

$378 £280

-23.08%

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

$17.00 £12.57

$17.18 £12.69

-1.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.62 £31.50

$43.60 £32.22

-2.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$26.29 £19.43

$54.3 £40.11

-51.57%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.78 £18.31

Cinema Ticket

$13.41 £9.91

$14.99 £11.08

-10.54%

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

$1,575 £1,164

$1,888 £1,395

-16.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.1K £13.4K

$23.6K £17.5K

-23.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$85.3 £63.0

$117 £86.6

-27.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.07 £32.57

$55.2 £40.80

-20.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.8 £69.3

$115 £85.3

-18.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$99.7 £73.7

$124 £91.9

-19.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,204 £890

$1,666 £1,231

-27.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$999 £739

$1,241 £917

-19.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,068 £1,528

$3,075 £2,272

-32.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,692 £1,251

$2,182 £1,613

-22.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,772 £5,004

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,908 £3,627

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,959 £1,448

$3,670 £2,712

-46.62%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.63

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

Last update for Kirkwall: April 12, 2026

Last update for Edinburgh: April 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,204 in Kirkwall versus $1,666 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 87% 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 $81 in Kirkwall versus $103 in Edinburgh. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $299 vs $339 – making Kirkwall 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

Kirkwall vs Edinburgh: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Edinburgh is pricier by about 17%, 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 $3,477 per month in Kirkwall and $4,078 in Edinburgh. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Kirkwall, 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 $81.0 in Kirkwall and $103 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 $2,318 in Kirkwall and $2,718 in Edinburgh. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Kirkwall, where all-in costs run around $2,318, than in Edinburgh at $2,718. In Kirkwall it covers expenses comfortably, while in Edinburgh it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Kirkwall – 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 Kirkwall. 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.