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Bristol 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 Bristol
๐ฌ๐ง Edinburgh
At a glance
- Where Edinburgh is clearly cheaper: Street food (31%โ), Cocktail & wine (18%โ)
- Where Bristol is clearly cheaper: Laundry (77%โ), Massage (17%โ)
By category
Salary equivalence
Travel difficulty
Bristol is easier to travel (1.4 vs 1.6). Biggest gap: rip-offs & haggling โ Bristol 1 vs Edinburgh 2. Closer to 1 is easier. Difficulty ranking โบ
Item by item
| Item | Bristol | Edinburgh | Cheaper |
|---|---|---|---|
| Local mealper person | ยฃ 16$21.6 | ยฃ 14$18.9 | Edinburgh โ12% |
| Street food1 item | ยฃ 8$10.8 | ยฃ 5.5$7.43 | Edinburgh โ31% |
| Restaurant dinnerper person | ยฃ 35$47.3 | ยฃ 30$40.5 | Edinburgh โ14% |
| Coffeeone cup | ยฃ 4$5.41 | 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 1.2$1.62 | ยฃ 1.2$1.62 | similar |
| Convenience store1 snack or drink | ยฃ 1.9$2.57 | ยฃ 1.8$2.43 | Edinburgh โ5% |
| Taxi5 km in town | ยฃ 10$13.5 | ยฃ 11$14.9 | Bristol โ9% |
| Tuk-tuk / moto taxishort hop | ยฃ 6.5$8.78 | ยฃ 7$9.46 | Bristol โ7% |
| Transitone ride | ยฃ 2.6$3.51 | ยฃ 2.4$3.24 | Edinburgh โ8% |
| Scooter rentalper day | ยฃ 20$27 | ยฃ 20$27 | similar |
| Hotel night3-star | ยฃ 110$149 | ยฃ 120$162 | Bristol โ8% |
| Studio rent (month) | ยฃ 1,230$1,662 | ยฃ 1,050$1,419 | Edinburgh โ15% |
| Laundry | ยฃ 2.1$2.84 | ยฃ 9$12.2 | Bristol โ77% |
| SIM card1 week data | ยฃ 10$13.5 | ยฃ 10$13.5 | similar |
| Haircutcut | ยฃ 16$21.6 | ยฃ 18$24.3 | Bristol โ11% |
| Massage1 hour | ยฃ 50$67.6 | ยฃ 60$81.1 | Bristol โ17% |
| Half-day tourper person | ยฃ 40$54.1 | ยฃ 40$54.1 | similar |
| Entry ticketTourist town | ยฃ 22$29.7 | 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, Bristol or Edinburgh?
Edinburgh is 6% cheaper than Bristol. Daily budget $311 vs $313; a month $6,237 vs $5,475.
Which is easier to travel, Bristol or Edinburgh?
Bristol is easier: Bristol 1.4/5 vs Edinburgh 1.6/5 (average of rip-offs, language, transport, payments and safety).
How do monthly costs compare between Bristol and Edinburgh?
With a short-term studio and living costs, Bristol is about $6,237 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.