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Edinburgh vs London cost of living 2026
Which is cheaper, what exactly is cheaper, and how it feels on your money ยท Updated October 2026
๐ฌ๐ง Edinburgh
๐ฌ๐ง London
At a glance
- Where London is clearly cheaper: Laundry (67%โ), Transit (27%โ)
- Where Edinburgh is clearly cheaper: Street food (45%โ), Studio rent (month) (45%โ), Hotel night (33%โ)
By category
Salary equivalence
Travel difficulty
London is easier to travel (1.4 vs 1.6). Biggest gap: getting around โ Edinburgh 2 vs London 1. Closer to 1 is easier. Difficulty ranking โบ
Item by item
| Item | Edinburgh | London | Cheaper |
|---|---|---|---|
| Local mealper person | ยฃ 14$18.9 | ยฃ 17$23 | Edinburgh โ18% |
| Street food1 item | ยฃ 5.5$7.43 | ยฃ 10$13.5 | Edinburgh โ45% |
| Restaurant dinnerper person | ยฃ 30$40.5 | ยฃ 38$51.4 | Edinburgh โ21% |
| Coffeeone cup | ยฃ 3.8$5.14 | ยฃ 3.7$5 | similar |
| Beerone bottle | ยฃ 5.5$7.43 | ยฃ 6.8$9.19 | Edinburgh โ19% |
| Cocktail & wineone cup | ยฃ 9$12.2 | ยฃ 13$17.6 | Edinburgh โ31% |
| Bottled water | ยฃ 1.2$1.62 | ยฃ 1.3$1.76 | Edinburgh โ8% |
| Convenience store1 snack or drink | ยฃ 1.8$2.43 | ยฃ 2$2.7 | Edinburgh โ10% |
| Taxi5 km in town | ยฃ 11$14.9 | ยฃ 16$21.6 | Edinburgh โ31% |
| Tuk-tuk / moto taxishort hop | ยฃ 7$9.46 | ยฃ 9$12.2 | Edinburgh โ22% |
| Transitone ride | ยฃ 2.4$3.24 | ยฃ 1.75$2.36 | London โ27% |
| Scooter rentalper day | ยฃ 20$27 | ยฃ 25$33.8 | Edinburgh โ20% |
| Hotel night3-star | ยฃ 120$162 | ยฃ 180$243 | Edinburgh โ33% |
| Studio rent (month) | ยฃ 1,050$1,419 | ยฃ 1,900$2,568 | Edinburgh โ45% |
| Laundry | ยฃ 9$12.2 | ยฃ 3$4.05 | London โ67% |
| SIM card1 week data | ยฃ 10$13.5 | ยฃ 10$13.5 | similar |
| Haircutcut | ยฃ 18$24.3 | ยฃ 25$33.8 | Edinburgh โ28% |
| Massage1 hour | ยฃ 60$81.1 | ยฃ 65$87.8 | Edinburgh โ8% |
| Half-day tourper person | ยฃ 40$54.1 | ยฃ 50$67.6 | Edinburgh โ20% |
| Entry ticketTourist town | ยฃ 21.5$29.1 | ยฃ 32$43.2 | Edinburgh โ33% |
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, Edinburgh or London?
Edinburgh is 33% cheaper than London. Daily budget $313 vs $438; a month $5,475 vs $8,616.
Which is easier to travel, Edinburgh or London?
London is easier: London 1.4/5 vs Edinburgh 1.6/5 (average of rip-offs, language, transport, payments and safety).
How do monthly costs compare between Edinburgh and London?
With a short-term studio and living costs, Edinburgh is about $5,475 and London about $8,616 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.