Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Shrewsbury, Shropshire and Edinburgh

For one person, living is cheaper in Shrewsbury, Shropshire: $2,060 a month against $2,601 in Edinburgh, rent and utilities included – about $6,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Shrewsbury, Shropshire
🇬🇧 United Kingdom
$2,060
/mo nomad
Edinburgh
🇬🇧 United Kingdom
$2,601
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,060 per month in Shrewsbury, Shropshire vs $2,601 in Edinburgh, rent included.

  • Shrewsbury, Shropshire $2,060
  • Edinburgh $2,601

A couple spends around $2,922 per month in Shrewsbury, Shropshire vs $3,985 in Edinburgh, rent included.

  • Shrewsbury, Shropshire $2,922
  • Edinburgh $3,985

A family of three spends $3,784 per month in Shrewsbury, Shropshire vs $5,369 in Edinburgh, rent included.

  • Shrewsbury, Shropshire $3,784
  • Edinburgh $5,369

Shrewsbury, Shropshire is about 21% cheaper than Edinburgh, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Shrewsbury, Shropshire and Edinburgh sit above the global median – Shrewsbury, Shropshire by 52%, Edinburgh by 92%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Shrewsbury, Shropshire
Edinburgh
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$19.87 £14.91
$23.67 £17.76
-16.05%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$56.1 £42.08
$108 £81.4
-48.29%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.76 £6.57
$10.71 £8.04
-18.21%
Cappuccino
$4.57 £3.43
$5.25 £3.94
-12.95%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.00 £2.25
$2.48 £1.86
20.97%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.47 £1.86
$2.17 £1.63
13.82%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.30 £3.98
$7.94 £5.96
-33.25%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$6.79 £5.10
$8.00 £6.00
-15.13%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Shrewsbury, Shropshire
Edinburgh
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.99 £1.50
$1.69 £1.27
17.75%
White Bread (500g)
$2.39 £1.79
$2.35 £1.77
1.70%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.15 £1.61
$2.36 £1.77
-8.90%
Eggs
$4.09 £3.07
$4.96 £3.72
-17.54%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.95 £5.96
$9.20 £6.91
-13.59%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.08 £6.81
$9.33 £7.00
-2.68%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$9.36 £7.02
$15.79 £11.85
-40.72%
Apples (1kg)
$2.07 £1.56
$3.01 £2.26
-31.23%
Banana (1kg)
$1.28 £0.96
$1.88 £1.41
-31.91%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.49 £1.87
$3.42 £2.57
-27.19%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.16 £0.87
$3.67 £2.75
-68.39%
Potato (1kg)
$1.47 £1.10
$2.01 £1.51
-26.87%
Onion (1kg)
$1.07 £0.80
$1.55 £1.16
-30.97%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.95 £0.71
$1.32 £0.99
-28.03%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.20 £0.90
$1.93 £1.45
-37.82%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$23.96 £17.97
$23.23 £17.43
3.14%
Wine (Bottle)
$9.07 £6.80
$11.20 £8.40
-19.02%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.62 £1.97
$3.12 £2.34
-16.03%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.54 £3.40
$3.27 £2.46
38.84%
🚌 Getting Around
Shrewsbury, Shropshire
Edinburgh
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.86 £2.15
$3.14 £2.35
-8.92%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$91.6 £68.7
$97.0 £72.8
-5.62%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$6.12 £4.59
$5.43 £4.08
12.71%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$3.96 £2.97
$1.82 £1.37
117.58%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
-
$28.32 £21.25
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.90 £1.42
$2.08 £1.56
-8.65%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$39.2K £29.4K
$38.6K £28.9K
1.58%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$40.3K £30.2K
$39.9K £29.9K
1.10%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Shrewsbury, Shropshire
Edinburgh
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$203 £152
$328 £246
-38.29%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$23.89 £17.93
$16.47 £12.36
45.05%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$39.81 £29.87
$42.32 £31.75
-5.93%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Shrewsbury, Shropshire
Edinburgh
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$76.8 £57.6
$44.41 £33.32
72.91%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$13.20 £9.91
$23.05 £17.30
-42.73%
Cinema Ticket
$15.15 £11.37
$14.39 £10.79
5.28%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Shrewsbury, Shropshire
Edinburgh
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,452 £1,090
$1,775 £1,331
-18.17%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$18.5K £13.9K
$25.6K £19.2K
-27.63%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Shrewsbury, Shropshire
Edinburgh
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$61.0 £45.74
$81.2 £60.9
-24.91%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$46.80 £35.11
$49.04 £36.79
-4.57%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$83.7 £62.8
$108 £81.2
-22.70%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$100 £75.3
$115 £85.9
-12.38%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Shrewsbury, Shropshire
Edinburgh
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,053 £790
$1,600 £1,200
-34.22%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$859 £645
$1,168 £876
-26.40%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,564 £1,174
$2,803 £2,103
-44.19%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,213 £910
$2,155 £1,617
-43.74%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,990 £2,993
$6,714 £5,037
-40.57%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,948 £2,212
$4,715 £3,538
-37.47%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Shrewsbury, Shropshire
Edinburgh
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$2,434 £1,826
$3,558 £2,669
-31.59%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.3
4.77
11.11%

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

Last update for Shrewsbury, Shropshire: October 20, 2026

Last update for Edinburgh: October 17, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Shrewsbury, Shropshire
$859
Edinburgh
$1.2K 35.9% $308
Eating Out
Shrewsbury, Shropshire
$302
Edinburgh
$359 18.8% $57
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Shrewsbury, Shropshire
$266
Edinburgh
$387 45.4% $121
Groceries & Markets
Shrewsbury, Shropshire
$265
Edinburgh
$332 25.2% $67
Clothing & Footwear
Shrewsbury, Shropshire
$131
Edinburgh
$159 21% $28
Getting Around
Shrewsbury, Shropshire
$129
Edinburgh
$124 3.7% $4.8
Sport & Entertainment
Shrewsbury, Shropshire
$107
Edinburgh
$73 31.7% $34

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,053 in Shrewsbury, Shropshire 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 46% 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 $56.0 in Shrewsbury, Shropshire versus $108 in Edinburgh. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $265 vs $332 – making Shrewsbury, Shropshire the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇬🇧 Shrewsbury, Shropshire
🇬🇧 Edinburgh
🕒 Local time
21:10 9:10 PM
21:10 9:10 PM
Same time as Shrewsbury, Shropshire
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
76,782
488,050
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to GBP – British Pound Converter

British Pound exchange rates as of October 23, 2026: 1 USD = 0.75 GBP (1 GBP = 1.33 USD). 1 EUR = 0.843 GBP (1 GBP = 1.19 EUR).

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City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

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Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index
Shrewsbury, Shropshire vs Edinburgh: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Edinburgh cheaper than Shrewsbury, Shropshire?
Yes – Edinburgh is pricier by about 26%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,090 per month in Shrewsbury, Shropshire 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 Shrewsbury, Shropshire, 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 Shrewsbury, Shropshire or in Edinburgh?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $56.0 in Shrewsbury, Shropshire 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 Shrewsbury, Shropshire and in Edinburgh?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,060 in Shrewsbury, Shropshire and $2,601 in Edinburgh. That's a gap of about 26%.
Is $2,000 a realistic budget for living in Shrewsbury, Shropshire or in Edinburgh?
A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Shrewsbury, Shropshire, where all-in costs run around $2,060, than in Edinburgh at $2,601. In Shrewsbury, Shropshire it covers expenses comfortably, while in Edinburgh it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Shrewsbury, Shropshire or Edinburgh more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Shrewsbury, Shropshire – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is safer, Shrewsbury, Shropshire 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 Shrewsbury, Shropshire. 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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