Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Rotherham and Edinburgh

For one person, living is cheaper in Rotherham: $2,330 a month against $2,617 in Edinburgh, rent and utilities included – about $3,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Rotherham
🇬🇧 United Kingdom
$2,330
/mo nomad
Edinburgh
🇬🇧 United Kingdom
$2,617
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Rotherham 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 Rotherham and in Edinburgh actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,330 per month in Rotherham vs $2,617 in Edinburgh, rent included.

  • Rotherham $2,330
  • Edinburgh $2,617

A couple spends around $3,403 per month in Rotherham vs $3,956 in Edinburgh, rent included.

  • Rotherham $3,403
  • Edinburgh $3,956

A family of three spends $4,475 per month in Rotherham vs $5,295 in Edinburgh, rent included.

  • Rotherham $4,475
  • Edinburgh $5,295

Rotherham is about 11% cheaper than Edinburgh, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Rotherham and Edinburgh sit above the global median – Rotherham by 73%, Edinburgh by 94%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Rotherham
Edinburgh
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$19.78 £14.84
$23.64 £17.73
-16.33%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$86.6 £65.0
$104 £78.2
-16.94%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.64 £7.98
$10.48 £7.86
1.53%
Cappuccino
$4.86 £3.65
$5.08 £3.81
-4.33%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.30 £1.72
$2.50 £1.87
-8.00%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.31 £0.99
$2.15 £1.61
-39.07%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$6.11 £4.58
$8.06 £6.04
-24.19%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$6.06 £4.55
$8.13 £6.10
-25.46%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Rotherham
Edinburgh
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.43 £1.08
$1.68 £1.26
-14.88%
White Bread (500g)
$1.86 £1.39
$2.29 £1.71
-18.78%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.91 £1.43
$2.25 £1.69
-15.11%
Eggs
$3.95 £2.96
$5.05 £3.79
-21.78%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.33 £7.00
$9.05 £6.79
3.09%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.25 £6.19
$9.49 £7.12
-13.07%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$14.46 £10.85
$16.12 £12.10
-10.30%
Apples (1kg)
$2.98 £2.23
$3.05 £2.29
-2.30%
Banana (1kg)
$1.23 £0.92
$1.93 £1.45
-36.27%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.89 £2.17
$3.36 £2.52
-13.99%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.24 £2.43
$3.68 £2.76
-11.96%
Potato (1kg)
$1.80 £1.35
$2.07 £1.55
-13.04%
Onion (1kg)
$1.34 £1.01
$1.54 £1.16
-12.99%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.20 £0.90
$1.25 £0.94
-4.00%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.39 £1.05
$1.94 £1.45
-28.35%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$20.64 £15.48
$23.67 £17.76
-12.80%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.90 £8.18
$11.13 £8.35
-2.07%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.50 £1.87
$3.22 £2.42
-22.36%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.11 £2.33
$3.19 £2.40
-2.51%
🚌 Getting Around
Rotherham
Edinburgh
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.60 £1.95
$3.20 £2.40
-18.75%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$96.0 £72.1
$96.7 £72.6
-0.70%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.97 £3.73
$5.18 £3.89
-4.05%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.58 £1.18
$1.86 £1.40
-15.05%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$20.14 £15.11
$28.69 £21.52
-29.80%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.09 £1.57
$2.14 £1.60
-2.34%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$38.4K £28.8K
$38.6K £29.0K
-0.50%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$39.9K £30.0K
$41.2K £30.9K
-2.98%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Rotherham
Edinburgh
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$331 £249
$330 £248
0.36%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$16.55 £12.42
$16.39 £12.30
0.98%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$40.10 £30.08
$42.15 £31.63
-4.86%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Rotherham
Edinburgh
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$44.28 £33.22
$44.13 £33.11
0.34%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$23.04 £17.28
-
Cinema Ticket
$13.15 £9.86
$14.30 £10.73
-8.04%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Rotherham
Edinburgh
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,218 £913
$1,759 £1,319
-30.76%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$19.8K £14.9K
$25.4K £19.0K
-21.88%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Rotherham
Edinburgh
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$83.5 £62.7
$80.6 £60.4
3.67%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$41.69 £31.27
$49.45 £37.10
-15.69%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$91.6 £68.7
$106 £79.2
-13.16%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$104 £78.0
$115 £86.0
-9.28%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Rotherham
Edinburgh
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,219 £915
$1,611 £1,209
-24.34%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,013 £760
$1,185 £889
-14.48%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,108 £1,582
$2,738 £2,054
-23.01%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,647 £1,235
$2,106 £1,580
-21.81%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$5,094 £3,821
$6,632 £4,976
-23.20%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,794 £2,847
$4,609 £3,458
-17.68%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Rotherham
Edinburgh
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,849 £1,387
$3,522 £2,642
-47.51%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.82
4.77
1.05%

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

Last update for Rotherham: October 12, 2026

Last update for Edinburgh: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Rotherham
$1K
Edinburgh
$1.2K 16.9% $172
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Rotherham
$388
Edinburgh
$389 0.2% $0.7
Eating Out
Rotherham
$306
Edinburgh
$357 16.7% $51
Groceries & Markets
Rotherham
$289
Edinburgh
$333 15.1% $44
Clothing & Footwear
Rotherham
$144
Edinburgh
$158 9.1% $13
Getting Around
Rotherham
$119
Edinburgh
$124 4% $4.7
Sport & Entertainment
Rotherham
$71
Edinburgh
$73 3% $2.2

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,219 in Rotherham versus $1,611 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 91% 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 $87.0 in Rotherham versus $104 in Edinburgh. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $289 vs $333 – making Rotherham the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇬🇧 Rotherham
🇬🇧 Edinburgh
🕒 Local time
05:16 5:16 AM
05:16 5:16 AM
Same time as Rotherham
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
117,262
488,050
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to GBP – British Pound Converter

British Pound exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 0.75 GBP (1 GBP = 1.33 USD). 1 EUR = 0.843 GBP (1 GBP = 1.19 EUR).

On the map
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City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

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Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index
Rotherham vs Edinburgh: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Edinburgh cheaper than Rotherham?
Yes – Edinburgh is pricier by about 12%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,495 per month in Rotherham and $3,925 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 Rotherham, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Is eating out cheaper in Rotherham or in Edinburgh?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $87.0 in Rotherham and $104 in Edinburgh. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
What are total monthly expenses in Rotherham and in Edinburgh?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,330 in Rotherham and $2,617 in Edinburgh. That's a gap of about 12%.
Is $2,000 a realistic budget for living in Rotherham or in Edinburgh?
A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Rotherham, where all-in costs run around $2,330, than in Edinburgh at $2,617. In Rotherham it covers expenses comfortably, while in Edinburgh it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Rotherham or Edinburgh more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Rotherham – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is safer, Rotherham or Edinburgh?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Rotherham. 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.

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