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Brighton vs Edinburgh cost of living 2026
Which is cheaper, what exactly is cheaper, and how it feels on your money ยท Updated October 2026
๐ฌ๐ง Brighton
๐ฌ๐ง Edinburgh
At a glance
- Where Edinburgh is clearly cheaper: Street food (45%โ), Taxi (21%โ), Transit (20%โ)
- Where Brighton is clearly cheaper: Half-day tour (62%โ), Scooter rental (25%โ), Hotel night (17%โ)
By category
Salary equivalence
Travel difficulty
Both cities are about equally easy to travel. Closer to 1 is easier. Difficulty ranking โบ
Item by item
| Item | Brighton | Edinburgh | Cheaper |
|---|---|---|---|
| Local mealper person | ยฃ 15$20.3 | ยฃ 14$18.9 | Edinburgh โ7% |
| Street food1 item | ยฃ 10$13.5 | ยฃ 5.5$7.43 | Edinburgh โ45% |
| Restaurant dinnerper person | ยฃ 32$43.2 | ยฃ 30$40.5 | Edinburgh โ6% |
| Coffeeone cup | ยฃ 3.7$5 | ยฃ 3.8$5.14 | similar |
| Beerone bottle | ยฃ 6$8.11 | ยฃ 5.5$7.43 | Edinburgh โ8% |
| Cocktail & wineone cup | ยฃ 11$14.9 | ยฃ 9$12.2 | Edinburgh โ18% |
| Bottled water | ยฃ 1.1$1.49 | ยฃ 1.2$1.62 | Brighton โ8% |
| Convenience store1 snack or drink | ยฃ 1.8$2.43 | ยฃ 1.8$2.43 | similar |
| Taxi5 km in town | ยฃ 14$18.9 | ยฃ 11$14.9 | Edinburgh โ21% |
| Tuk-tuk / moto taxishort hop | ยฃ 7$9.46 | ยฃ 7$9.46 | similar |
| Transitone ride | ยฃ 3$4.05 | ยฃ 2.4$3.24 | Edinburgh โ20% |
| Scooter rentalper day | ยฃ 15$20.3 | ยฃ 20$27 | Brighton โ25% |
| Hotel night3-star | ยฃ 100$135 | ยฃ 120$162 | Brighton โ17% |
| Studio rent (month) | ยฃ 1,200$1,622 | ยฃ 1,050$1,419 | Edinburgh โ12% |
| Laundry | ยฃ 9$12.2 | ยฃ 9$12.2 | similar |
| SIM card1 week data | ยฃ 10$13.5 | ยฃ 10$13.5 | similar |
| Haircutcut | ยฃ 16$21.6 | ยฃ 18$24.3 | Brighton โ11% |
| Massage1 hour | ยฃ 55$74.3 | ยฃ 60$81.1 | Brighton โ8% |
| Half-day tourper person | ยฃ 15$20.3 | ยฃ 40$54.1 | Brighton โ62% |
| Entry ticketTourist town | ยฃ 21$28.4 | ยฃ 21.5$29.1 | similar |
Reference prices start as estimates from published price levels; items with 3+ traveler reports use the median of real reports. Hostels and local eateries cut both by 30%+.
FAQ
Which is cheaper, Brighton or Edinburgh?
Edinburgh is 8% cheaper than Brighton. Daily budget $302 vs $313; a month $6,817 vs $5,475.
Which is easier to travel, Brighton or Edinburgh?
About the same: Brighton 1.6/5, Edinburgh 1.6/5 (average of rip-offs, language, transport, payments and safety).
How do monthly costs compare between Brighton and Edinburgh?
With a short-term studio and living costs, Brighton is about $6,817 and Edinburgh about $5,475 per month.
Where do the numbers come from?
They start as estimates informed by published price levels; any item with 3+ traveler reports switches to the median of real reports. Live reports are in the app.