Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Poole and Edinburgh

For one person, living costs are similar in Poole and in Edinburgh: $2,641 and $2,645 a month, rent and utilities included.

Poole, United Kingdom
Edinburgh, United Kingdom
Poole
🇬🇧 United Kingdom
$2,641
/mo nomad
Edinburgh
🇬🇧 United Kingdom
$2,645
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Poole and in Edinburgh

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Poole and in Edinburgh actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,641 per month in Poole vs $2,645 in Edinburgh, rent included.

  • Poole $2,641
  • Edinburgh $2,645

A couple spends around $3,917 per month in Poole vs $4,021 in Edinburgh, rent included.

  • Poole $3,917
  • Edinburgh $4,021

A family of three spends $5,193 per month in Poole vs $5,397 in Edinburgh, rent included.

  • Poole $5,193
  • Edinburgh $5,397

Poole and Edinburgh have comparable living costs – the differences are in the details.

Both Poole and Edinburgh sit above the global median – Poole by 94%, Edinburgh by 94%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Poole
Edinburgh
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$23.28 £17.38
$24.35 £18.18
-4.39%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$102 £75.9
$105 £78.6
-3.42%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.75 £8.03
$10.47 £7.81
2.67%
Cappuccino
$5.19 £3.87
$5.02 £3.75
3.39%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.08 £2.30
$2.41 £1.80
27.80%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.25 £1.68
$2.19 £1.64
2.74%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$6.86 £5.12
$8.04 £6.00
-14.68%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$7.08 £5.29
$7.91 £5.91
-10.49%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Poole
Edinburgh
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.70 £1.27
$1.75 £1.31
-2.86%
White Bread (500g)
$1.56 £1.16
$2.33 £1.74
-33.05%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.25 £1.68
$2.35 £1.75
-4.26%
Eggs
$4.21 £3.14
$5.13 £3.83
-17.93%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$6.50 £4.85
$9.05 £6.76
-28.18%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.76 £8.03
$9.26 £6.92
16.20%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.70 £9.48
$16.17 £12.08
-21.46%
Apples (1kg)
$2.26 £1.69
$3.05 £2.28
-25.90%
Banana (1kg)
$1.73 £1.29
$1.87 £1.40
-7.49%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.95 £1.46
$3.35 £2.50
-41.79%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.16 £1.62
$3.75 £2.80
-42.40%
Potato (1kg)
$2.03 £1.51
$2.05 £1.53
-0.98%
Onion (1kg)
$1.50 £1.12
$1.53 £1.14
-1.96%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.78 £1.33
$1.33 £1.00
33.83%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.92 £1.43
$1.89 £1.41
1.59%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$23.87 £17.82
$23.87 £17.82
-
Wine (Bottle)
$9.72 £7.26
$10.96 £8.18
-11.31%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$3.01 £2.25
$3.16 £2.36
-4.75%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.46 £1.84
$3.22 £2.40
-23.60%
🚌 Getting Around
Poole
Edinburgh
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$3.89 £2.90
$3.13 £2.34
24.28%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$76.0 £56.7
$99.8 £74.5
-23.88%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.28 £2.45
$5.45 £4.07
-39.82%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.45 £1.83
$1.90 £1.42
28.95%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$21.62 £16.15
$28.50 £21.28
-24.14%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.03 £1.52
$2.06 £1.54
-1.46%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$39.1K £29.2K
$38.2K £28.5K
2.15%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$40.5K £30.3K
$39.7K £29.7K
2.08%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Poole
Edinburgh
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$359 £268
$329 £246
9.02%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$20.32 £15.17
$16.81 £12.55
20.88%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$43.31 £32.33
$43.13 £32.20
0.42%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Poole
Edinburgh
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$80.8 £60.4
$41.84 £31.24
93.19%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$23.33 £17.42
-
Cinema Ticket
$20.54 £15.34
$14.67 £10.95
40.01%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Poole
Edinburgh
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$2,128 £1,589
$1,901 £1,419
11.99%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$33.8K £25.2K
$25.8K £19.2K
31.13%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Poole
Edinburgh
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$87.6 £65.4
$82.2 £61.4
6.56%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$39.27 £29.32
$50.0 £37.34
-21.46%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$102 £75.9
$106 £78.9
-3.78%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$83.8 £62.6
$115 £86.0
-27.30%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Poole
Edinburgh
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,176 £878
$1,691 £1,263
-30.45%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,210 £903
$1,205 £900
0.37%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,272 £1,697
$2,959 £2,209
-23.21%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,093 £1,563
$2,184 £1,631
-4.18%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
-
$6,388 £4,769
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,119 £1,582
$4,514 £3,370
-53.06%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Poole
Edinburgh
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,307 £2,469
$3,632 £2,712
-8.95%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.96
4.77
3.98%

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

Last update for Poole: October 27, 2026

Last update for Edinburgh: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Poole
$1.2K
Edinburgh
$1.2K 0.4% $4.5
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Poole
$423
Edinburgh
$389 7.9% $33
Eating Out
Poole
$351
Edinburgh
$361 2.9% $10
Groceries & Markets
Poole
$289
Edinburgh
$333 15.2% $44
Clothing & Footwear
Poole
$141
Edinburgh
$159 13.1% $18
Sport & Entertainment
Poole
$122
Edinburgh
$71 41.6% $51
Getting Around
Poole
$107
Edinburgh
$127 18.9% $20

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,176 in Poole versus $1,691 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 10% higher in Edinburgh. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $102 in Poole versus $105 in Edinburgh. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $289 vs $333 – making Poole the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇬🇧 Poole
🇬🇧 Edinburgh
🕒 Local time
02:56 2:56 AM
02:56 2:56 AM
Same time as Poole
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
154,718
488,050
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to GBP – British Pound Converter

British Pound exchange rates as of November 1, 2026: 1 USD = 0.747 GBP (1 GBP = 1.34 USD). 1 EUR = 0.834 GBP (1 GBP = 1.2 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Poole Edinburgh 590 km ≈ 1 h 15 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Poole
  • Edinburgh

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Poole vs Edinburgh: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,961 per month in Poole and $3,968 in Edinburgh. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Poole, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,176 there versus $1,691 in Edinburgh.
How do food prices compare in Poole and in Edinburgh?
Groceries cost about 15% more in Edinburgh, though the gap depends on what you buy.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $2,128 per month in Poole and $1,901 in Edinburgh. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Is $2,000 enough to cover costs in Poole or in Edinburgh?
$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,641 in Poole and $2,645 in Edinburgh. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.
Is it better to live in Poole or in Edinburgh?
It depends on your priorities. Edinburgh has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,641 in Poole to $2,645 in Edinburgh. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Which city is safer, Poole or Edinburgh?
Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Poole. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Edinburgh makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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