Helsinki vs Edinburgh Cost of Living
Helsinki (Finland) · Overall index 62.2 — Edinburgh (United Kingdom) · Overall index 59.0
Summary
- Overall, Edinburgh is 5% cheaper than Helsinki.
- Dining out in Edinburgh is 12% cheaper than in Helsinki.
- Transport in Edinburgh is 9% cheaper than in Helsinki.
| Item | Helsinki | Edinburgh | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rent | +1% | ||
| 1-bedroom apartment, city centre (monthly) | $1,746 | $1,443 | -17% |
| 1-bedroom apartment, outside centre (monthly) | $997 | $1,162 | +17% |
| 3-bedroom apartment, city centre (monthly) | $2,744 | $2,865 | +4% |
| 3-bedroom apartment, outside centre (monthly) | $1,724 | $1,811 | +5% |
| Groceries | -5% | ||
| Milk (1L) | $0.99 | $0.92 | -7% |
| White bread (500g) | $3.01 | $3.19 | +6% |
| Rice (1kg) | $3.91 | $3.73 | -5% |
| Eggs (12) | $4.32 | $3.67 | -15% |
| Local cheese (1kg) | $11.2 | $11.8 | +5% |
| Chicken fillets (1kg) | $9.8 | $9.77 | 0% |
| Beef round (1kg) | $16.2 | $14.3 | -12% |
| Apples (1kg) | $4.96 | $4.4 | -11% |
| Bananas (1kg) | $1.58 | $1.49 | -6% |
| Oranges (1kg) | $3.37 | $3.65 | +8% |
| Tomatoes (1kg) | $4.6 | $4.12 | -10% |
| Potatoes (1kg) | $2.37 | $2.52 | +6% |
| Onions (1kg) | $2.08 | $2.33 | +12% |
| Lettuce (1 head) | $2.34 | $2.2 | -6% |
| Water (1.5L bottle) | $2.24 | $1.8 | -20% |
| Bottle of wine (mid-range) | $13.4 | $10.7 | -20% |
| Transport | -9% | ||
| Public transport, one-way ticket | $2.09 | $1.64 | -22% |
| Public transport, monthly pass | $84.3 | $74 | -12% |
| Taxi, base fare | $2.79 | $2.9 | +4% |
| Taxi, per km | $1.35 | $1.29 | -4% |
| Gasoline (1L) | $0.77 | $0.68 | -12% |
| New compact car (e.g., VW Golf) | $22,152 | $20,187 | -9% |
| Dining out | -12% | ||
| Meal, inexpensive restaurant | $19.6 | $14.3 | -27% |
| Meal for 2, mid-range restaurant (3 courses) | $83 | $93.6 | +13% |
| Fast food combo meal | $10.1 | $9.08 | -10% |
| Cappuccino | $4.31 | $3.72 | -14% |
| Coke/Pepsi (0.33L, restaurant) | $2.19 | $1.73 | -21% |
| Domestic beer (0.5L, restaurant) | $5.24 | $4.94 | -6% |
| Imported beer (0.33L, restaurant) | $6.59 | $5.59 | -15% |
| Water (0.33L, restaurant) | $1.65 | $1.43 | -13% |
| Telecom | +2% | ||
| Mobile plan, calls + 10GB+ data (monthly) | $52.3 | $54.3 | +4% |
| Broadband internet 60Mbps+ (monthly) | $51.1 | $53.6 | +5% |
| Prepaid mobile tariff (1 min) | $0.25 | $0.24 | -4% |
| Video streaming subscription (monthly) | $12.7 | $13 | +2% |
| Utilities & household | -8% | ||
| Basic utilities, 85m² apartment (monthly) | $140 | $122 | -13% |
| Electricity (1 kWh) | $0.2 | $0.16 | -20% |
| Tap water (1m³) | $3.56 | $3.41 | -4% |
| Natural gas (1m³) | $1.12 | $1.06 | -5% |
| Waste collection (monthly) | $20.4 | $18 | -12% |
| Fitness club (monthly) | $65.5 | $61.5 | -6% |
| Cinema ticket (1 seat) | $12.7 | $12.3 | -3% |
| Men's haircut | $25 | $26.7 | +7% |
| Domestic cleaning (1 hour) | $20.7 | $20.3 | -2% |
| Private kindergarten (monthly) | $1,828 | $1,472 | -19% |
3,351 total data points · Price data as of 2026-07-01 · Exchange rates as of 2026-07-15
Keep your standard of living
Estimates for reference only — not official statistics.
Compare other cities
vs