Manchester vs Edinburgh Cost of Living
Manchester (United Kingdom) · Overall index 57.5 — Edinburgh (United Kingdom) · Overall index 59.0
Summary
- Overall, Edinburgh is 3% more expensive than Manchester.
- Telecom in Edinburgh is 9% more expensive than in Manchester.
- Transport in Edinburgh is 6% more expensive than in Manchester.
| Item | Manchester | Edinburgh | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rent | -3% | ||
| 1-bedroom apartment, city centre (monthly) | $1,708 | $1,443 | -16% |
| 1-bedroom apartment, outside centre (monthly) | $1,022 | $1,162 | +14% |
| 3-bedroom apartment, city centre (monthly) | $2,649 | $2,865 | +8% |
| 3-bedroom apartment, outside centre (monthly) | $2,136 | $1,811 | -15% |
| Groceries | +4% | ||
| Milk (1L) | $0.92 | $0.92 | 0% |
| White bread (500g) | $2.87 | $3.19 | +11% |
| Rice (1kg) | $3.33 | $3.73 | +12% |
| Eggs (12) | $3.32 | $3.67 | +11% |
| Local cheese (1kg) | $11.2 | $11.8 | +5% |
| Chicken fillets (1kg) | $10.4 | $9.77 | -6% |
| Beef round (1kg) | $15.1 | $14.3 | -5% |
| Apples (1kg) | $3.94 | $4.4 | +12% |
| Bananas (1kg) | $1.37 | $1.49 | +9% |
| Oranges (1kg) | $3.67 | $3.65 | -1% |
| Tomatoes (1kg) | $4.39 | $4.12 | -6% |
| Potatoes (1kg) | $2.22 | $2.52 | +14% |
| Onions (1kg) | $2 | $2.33 | +17% |
| Lettuce (1 head) | $2.08 | $2.2 | +6% |
| Water (1.5L bottle) | $1.88 | $1.8 | -4% |
| Bottle of wine (mid-range) | $10.5 | $10.7 | +2% |
| Transport | +6% | ||
| Public transport, one-way ticket | $1.69 | $1.64 | -3% |
| Public transport, monthly pass | $73 | $74 | +1% |
| Taxi, base fare | $2.89 | $2.9 | 0% |
| Taxi, per km | $1.22 | $1.29 | +6% |
| Gasoline (1L) | $0.59 | $0.68 | +15% |
| New compact car (e.g., VW Golf) | $17,866 | $20,187 | +13% |
| Dining out | +1% | ||
| Meal, inexpensive restaurant | $14.8 | $14.3 | -3% |
| Meal for 2, mid-range restaurant (3 courses) | $87 | $93.6 | +8% |
| Fast food combo meal | $8.79 | $9.08 | +3% |
| Cappuccino | $4.09 | $3.72 | -9% |
| Coke/Pepsi (0.33L, restaurant) | $2 | $1.73 | -13% |
| Domestic beer (0.5L, restaurant) | $4.51 | $4.94 | +10% |
| Imported beer (0.33L, restaurant) | $5.43 | $5.59 | +3% |
| Water (0.33L, restaurant) | $1.27 | $1.43 | +13% |
| Telecom | +9% | ||
| Mobile plan, calls + 10GB+ data (monthly) | $49 | $54.3 | +11% |
| Broadband internet 60Mbps+ (monthly) | $46.5 | $53.6 | +15% |
| Prepaid mobile tariff (1 min) | $0.28 | $0.24 | -14% |
| Video streaming subscription (monthly) | $10.4 | $13 | +25% |
| Utilities & household | +2% | ||
| Basic utilities, 85m² apartment (monthly) | $122 | $122 | 0% |
| Electricity (1 kWh) | $0.17 | $0.16 | -6% |
| Tap water (1m³) | $3.22 | $3.41 | +6% |
| Natural gas (1m³) | $1.09 | $1.06 | -3% |
| Waste collection (monthly) | $18 | $18 | 0% |
| Fitness club (monthly) | $66.4 | $61.5 | -7% |
| Cinema ticket (1 seat) | $10.2 | $12.3 | +21% |
| Men's haircut | $24.6 | $26.7 | +9% |
| Domestic cleaning (1 hour) | $20 | $20.3 | +2% |
| Private kindergarten (monthly) | $1,443 | $1,472 | +2% |
3,094 total data points · Price data as of 2026-07-01 · Exchange rates as of 2026-07-15
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Estimates for reference only — not official statistics.
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