Cost of Living Comparison Between Reading and Edinburgh Cost of Living Comparison Between Reading and Edinburgh

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,774 per month in Reading vs $2,718 in Edinburgh, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,069 per month in Reading vs $4,120 in Edinburgh, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,364 per month in Reading vs $5,521 in Edinburgh, rent included.

Reading costs about 2% more than Edinburgh, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Reading and Edinburgh sit above the global median – Reading by 106%, Edinburgh by 102%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$26.78 £19.85

$19.99 £14.82

33.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$94.9 £70.3

$103 £76.1

-7.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.99 £7.41

$9.87 £7.31

1.22%

Cappuccino

$4.94 £3.66

$5.33 £3.95

-7.32%

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

$3.48 £2.58

$2.52 £1.86

38.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.82 £2.09

$1.96 £1.45

43.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.91 £5.86

$7.33 £5.43

7.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.89 £5.11

$6.66 £4.94

3.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.35 £1.00

$1.63 £1.21

-17.18%

White Bread (500g)

$1.35 £1.00

$1.74 £1.29

-22.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.69 £1.99

$2.07 £1.54

29.95%

Eggs

$3.70 £2.74

$4.41 £3.27

-16.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.20 £7.55

$11.78 £8.73

-13.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.99 £5.92

$10.59 £7.85

-24.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.07 £9.69

$18.60 £13.78

-29.73%

Apples (1kg)

$3.07 £2.28

$3.16 £2.34

-2.85%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 £1.11

$1.54 £1.14

-3.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.93 £2.17

$4.15 £3.07

-29.40%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.29 £2.44

$4.77 £3.53

-31.03%

Potato (1kg)

$1.43 £1.06

$1.76 £1.31

-18.75%

Onion (1kg)

$1.40 £1.03

$1.44 £1.06

-2.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.92 £0.68

$1.20 £0.89

-23.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.57 £1.16

$1.33 £0.98

18.05%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$20.62 £15.28

$20.25 £15.00

1.83%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.67 £10.13

$10.70 £7.93

27.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.36 £1.75

$2.63 £1.95

-10.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.36 £2.49

$3.27 £2.43

2.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.80 £2.08

$2.64 £1.96

6.06%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$85.6 £63.4

$88.3 £65.4

-3.07%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.24 £4.62

$5.40 £4.00

15.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.75 £1.30

$3.07 £2.28

-43.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.81 £10.98

$43.53 £32.25

-65.98%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.93 £1.43

$1.87 £1.39

3.21%

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

$39.0K £28.9K

$37.7K £27.9K

3.50%

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

$41.9K £31.0K

$39.6K £29.3K

5.77%

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

$226 £168

$378 £280

-40.21%

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

$19.02 £14.09

$17.18 £12.73

10.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$44.84 £33.23

$43.60 £32.31

2.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.19 £35.71

$54.3 £40.22

-11.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.25 £14.27

$24.78 £18.36

-22.32%

Cinema Ticket

$13.80 £10.22

$14.99 £11.11

-7.94%

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

$1,907 £1,413

$1,888 £1,399

1.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$25.4K £18.8K

$23.6K £17.5K

7.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$83.2 £61.6

$117 £86.9

-29.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.83 £36.19

$55.2 £40.91

-11.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 £83.3

$115 £85.5

-2.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$98.8 £73.2

$124 £92.2

-20.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,816 £1,346

$1,666 £1,235

9.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,401 £1,038

$1,241 £919

12.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,973 £2,203

$3,075 £2,278

-3.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,354 £1,744

$2,182 £1,617

7.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,224 £5,353

$6,772 £5,018

6.68%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,804 £4,301

$4,908 £3,637

18.26%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,538 £2,622

$3,670 £2,719

-3.60%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.53

5.63

-1.78%

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

Last update for Reading: April 14, 2026

Last update for Edinburgh: April 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,816 in Reading 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 4% higher in Edinburgh, 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 in Reading versus $103 in Edinburgh. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $290 vs $339 – making Reading 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

Reading vs Edinburgh: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Reading is pricier by about 2%, 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 $4,162 per month in Reading 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 Edinburgh, 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 Reading 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 $2,774 in Reading and $2,718 in Edinburgh. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,774 in Reading and $2,718 in Edinburgh. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Edinburgh – 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 Edinburgh. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Reading makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.