Cost of Living Comparison Between Lerwick and Edinburgh Cost of Living Comparison Between Lerwick and Edinburgh

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,275 per month in Lerwick vs $2,718 in Edinburgh, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,421 per month in Lerwick vs $4,120 in Edinburgh, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,566 per month in Lerwick vs $5,521 in Edinburgh, rent included.

Lerwick is about 16% cheaper than Edinburgh, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Lerwick and Edinburgh sit above the global median – Lerwick by 69%, Edinburgh by 102%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.71 £15.30

$19.99 £14.78

3.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$81.9 £60.6

$103 £75.9

-20.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.08 £7.45

$9.87 £7.29

2.13%

Cappuccino

$4.78 £3.53

$5.33 £3.94

-10.32%

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

$2.35 £1.74

$2.52 £1.86

-6.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.66 £1.23

$1.96 £1.45

-15.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.07 £4.49

$7.33 £5.42

-17.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.24 £4.61

$6.66 £4.92

-6.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 £1.22

$1.63 £1.20

1.23%

White Bread (500g)

$1.66 £1.23

$1.74 £1.28

-4.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.18 £1.61

$2.07 £1.53

5.31%

Eggs

$3.84 £2.84

$4.41 £3.26

-12.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.72 £7.18

$11.78 £8.70

-17.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.73 £6.45

$10.59 £7.83

-17.56%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.32 £10.59

$18.60 £13.75

-23.01%

Apples (1kg)

$3.07 £2.27

$3.16 £2.33

-2.85%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 £1.20

$1.54 £1.14

5.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.94 £2.17

$4.15 £3.06

-29.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.44 £2.54

$4.77 £3.52

-27.88%

Potato (1kg)

$1.62 £1.20

$1.76 £1.30

-7.95%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 £1.14

$1.44 £1.06

6.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 £0.78

$1.20 £0.89

-11.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.47 £1.09

$1.33 £0.98

10.53%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$18.92 £13.98

$20.25 £14.96

-6.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.71 £7.91

$10.70 £7.90

0.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.81 £2.07

$2.63 £1.95

6.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 £2.36

$3.27 £2.42

-2.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.46 £2.56

$2.64 £1.95

31.06%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$88.2 £65.2

$88.3 £65.3

-0.16%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.48 £4.05

$5.40 £3.99

1.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.58 £1.17

$3.07 £2.27

-48.53%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$22.97 £16.97

$43.53 £32.17

-47.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.96 £1.45

$1.87 £1.39

4.81%

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

$37.9K £28.0K

$37.7K £27.8K

0.52%

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

$41.3K £30.5K

$39.6K £29.2K

4.39%

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

$301 £222

$378 £280

-20.57%

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

$17.12 £12.65

$17.18 £12.69

-0.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$43.41 £32.08

$43.60 £32.22

-0.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.43 £34.31

$54.3 £40.11

-14.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.78 £18.31

Cinema Ticket

$13.47 £9.96

$14.99 £11.08

-10.14%

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

$1,600 £1,182

$1,888 £1,395

-15.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.3K £13.5K

$23.6K £17.5K

-22.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$82.4 £60.9

$117 £86.6

-29.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 £32.73

$55.2 £40.80

-19.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.4 £67.5

$115 £85.3

-20.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$97.2 £71.8

$124 £91.9

-21.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,206 £891

$1,666 £1,231

-27.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$986 £729

$1,241 £917

-20.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,062 £1,524

$3,075 £2,272

-32.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,673 £1,236

$2,182 £1,613

-23.35%

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)

$3,670 £2,712

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 Lerwick: April 11, 2026

Last update for Edinburgh: April 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,206 in Lerwick 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $82 in Lerwick versus $103 in Edinburgh. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $299 vs $339 – making Lerwick 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

Lerwick vs Edinburgh: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Edinburgh is pricier by about 19%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,413 per month in Lerwick 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 Lerwick, 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 $82.0 in Lerwick 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 $2,275 in Lerwick and $2,718 in Edinburgh. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Lerwick, where all-in costs run around $2,275, than in Edinburgh at $2,718. In Lerwick it covers expenses comfortably, while in Edinburgh it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Lerwick – 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 Lerwick. 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.