Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Rugby and Edinburgh

For one person, living is cheaper in Rugby: $2,347 a month against $2,601 in Edinburgh, rent and utilities included – about $3,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Rugby
🇬🇧 United Kingdom
$2,347
/mo nomad
Edinburgh
🇬🇧 United Kingdom
$2,601
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,347 per month in Rugby vs $2,601 in Edinburgh, rent included.

  • Rugby $2,347
  • Edinburgh $2,601

A couple spends around $3,506 per month in Rugby vs $3,985 in Edinburgh, rent included.

  • Rugby $3,506
  • Edinburgh $3,985

A family of three spends $4,665 per month in Rugby vs $5,369 in Edinburgh, rent included.

  • Rugby $4,665
  • Edinburgh $5,369

Rugby is about 10% cheaper than Edinburgh, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Rugby and Edinburgh sit above the global median – Rugby by 73%, Edinburgh by 92%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Rugby
Edinburgh
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$19.62 £14.72
$23.67 £17.76
-17.11%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$79.2 £59.4
$108 £81.4
-26.98%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.53 £7.15
$10.71 £8.04
-11.02%
Cappuccino
$4.91 £3.68
$5.25 £3.94
-6.48%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.12 £1.59
$2.48 £1.86
-14.52%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.50 £1.13
$2.17 £1.63
-30.88%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$6.05 £4.54
$7.94 £5.96
-23.80%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$6.58 £4.94
$8.00 £6.00
-17.75%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Rugby
Edinburgh
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.70 £1.28
$1.69 £1.27
0.59%
White Bread (500g)
$1.75 £1.32
$2.35 £1.77
-25.53%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.55 £1.91
$2.36 £1.77
8.05%
Eggs
$3.77 £2.83
$4.96 £3.72
-23.99%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.32 £6.99
$9.20 £6.91
1.30%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.79 £5.85
$9.33 £7.00
-16.51%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$15.11 £11.34
$15.79 £11.85
-4.31%
Apples (1kg)
$2.59 £1.95
$3.01 £2.26
-13.95%
Banana (1kg)
$1.75 £1.31
$1.88 £1.41
-6.91%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.41 £1.81
$3.42 £2.57
-29.53%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.17 £2.37
$3.67 £2.75
-13.62%
Potato (1kg)
$1.66 £1.25
$2.01 £1.51
-17.41%
Onion (1kg)
$1.75 £1.31
$1.55 £1.16
12.90%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.24 £0.93
$1.32 £0.99
-6.06%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.58 £1.19
$1.93 £1.45
-18.13%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$21.66 £16.25
$23.23 £17.43
-6.76%
Wine (Bottle)
$11.81 £8.86
$11.20 £8.40
5.45%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$3.59 £2.70
$3.12 £2.34
15.06%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.38 £2.53
$3.27 £2.46
3.36%
🚌 Getting Around
Rugby
Edinburgh
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.64 £1.98
$3.14 £2.35
-15.92%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$106 £79.7
$97.0 £72.8
9.52%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.69 £3.52
$5.43 £4.08
-13.63%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.62 £1.21
$1.82 £1.37
-10.99%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$24.42 £18.32
$28.32 £21.25
-13.77%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.09 £1.56
$2.08 £1.56
0.48%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$39.2K £29.4K
$38.6K £28.9K
1.56%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$40.9K £30.7K
$39.9K £29.9K
2.50%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Rugby
Edinburgh
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$265 £199
$328 £246
-19.15%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$19.84 £14.88
$16.47 £12.36
20.46%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$46.42 £34.83
$42.32 £31.75
9.69%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Rugby
Edinburgh
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$57.0 £42.79
$44.41 £33.32
28.44%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$23.05 £17.30
-
Cinema Ticket
$14.91 £11.18
$14.39 £10.79
3.61%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Rugby
Edinburgh
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,600 £1,200
$1,775 £1,331
-9.85%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$22.5K £16.9K
$25.6K £19.2K
-11.98%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Rugby
Edinburgh
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$108 £81.4
$81.2 £60.9
33.58%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$31.56 £23.68
$49.04 £36.79
-35.64%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$83.0 £62.2
$108 £81.2
-23.37%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$113 £84.8
$115 £85.9
-1.33%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Rugby
Edinburgh
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,107 £831
$1,600 £1,200
-30.78%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,044 £783
$1,168 £876
-10.57%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,797 £1,348
$2,803 £2,103
-35.88%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,844 £1,383
$2,155 £1,617
-14.46%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,965 £3,725
$6,714 £5,037
-26.06%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,847 £2,886
$4,715 £3,538
-18.41%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Rugby
Edinburgh
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$4,705 £3,529
$3,558 £2,669
32.23%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.09
4.77
6.71%

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

Last update for Rugby: October 19, 2026

Last update for Edinburgh: October 17, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Rugby
$1K
Edinburgh
$1.2K 11.8% $123
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Rugby
$332
Edinburgh
$387 16.7% $55
Eating Out
Rugby
$302
Edinburgh
$359 18.7% $56
Groceries & Markets
Rugby
$302
Edinburgh
$332 10% $30
Clothing & Footwear
Rugby
$151
Edinburgh
$159 5.1% $7.7
Getting Around
Rugby
$130
Edinburgh
$124 4.2% $5.5
Sport & Entertainment
Rugby
$87
Edinburgh
$73 15.7% $14

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,107 in Rugby versus $1,600 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 32% higher in Rugby, 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 $79.0 in Rugby versus $108 in Edinburgh. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $302 vs $332 – making Rugby the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇬🇧 Rugby
🇬🇧 Edinburgh
🕒 Local time
14:19 2:19 PM
14:19 2:19 PM
Same time as Rugby
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
70,628
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
Between locations
  • Rugby Edinburgh 420 km
From you
  • Rugby
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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
Rugby vs Edinburgh: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Edinburgh cheaper than Rugby?
Yes – Edinburgh is pricier by about 11%, 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 $3,521 per month in Rugby and $3,902 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 Rugby, 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 Rugby or in Edinburgh?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $79.0 in Rugby and $108 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 Rugby and in Edinburgh?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,347 in Rugby and $2,601 in Edinburgh. That's a gap of about 11%.
Is $2,500 a realistic budget for living in Rugby or in Edinburgh?
A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Rugby, where all-in costs run around $2,347, than in Edinburgh at $2,601. In Rugby it covers expenses comfortably, while in Edinburgh it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Rugby or Edinburgh more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Rugby – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is safer, Rugby 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 Rugby. 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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