How much do you need to earn to live in Edinburgh? We calculate the gross monthly salary required to cover rent, food, transport, and utilities — accounting for U.K.'s tax system.
You need at least £2,100/month gross to live in Edinburgh on a budget.
For a comfortable lifestyle, aim for £2,771/month gross (£2,197 net after ~21% tax).
| Expense | Budget | Comfortable | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rent (1BR) | £850 Cheapest neighborhood (Leith) | £1,200 Median neighborhood | £1,600 Premium neighborhood (New Town) |
| Groceries | £300 | £360 | £450 |
| Transport | £73 | £73 | £73 |
| Utilities | £310 | £310 | £310 |
| Dining & Entertainment | £212 | £254 | £318 |
| Total Monthly Expenses | £1,745 | £2,197 | £2,751 |
£2,100/month gross
£2,771/month gross
£3,598/month gross
1-bedroom second-hand rents across 15 neighborhoods in Edinburgh
Leith
15 min by bus
£850 - £1,100
Dalry
12 min by walk
£850 - £1,100
Gorgie
15 min by bus
£850 - £1,050
New Town
5 min by walk
£1,500 - £1,700
Stockbridge
10 min by walk
£1,400 - £1,600
Fountainbridge
10 min by walk
£1,200 - £1,400
See all 15 neighborhoods, detailed expense breakdowns, and savings projections.
Explore EdinburghEnter your actual salary to see your take-home pay, affordable neighborhoods, and savings potential.
Open calculatorWe total monthly expenses (rent, groceries, transport, utilities, dining out) for each lifestyle tier, then reverse-calculate the gross salary needed to cover those expenses after U.K.'s income tax and social contributions. Rent data comes from second-hand market listings (what expats actually pay). All figures are based on 2026 data from official government statistics. See our data sources for full attribution.
On a budget lifestyle, you need at least £2,100/month gross salary to cover basic expenses in Edinburgh. For a comfortable lifestyle, aim for £2,771/month gross. These figures include rent, food, transport, utilities, and dining out, with taxes calculated for U.K..
The average 1-bedroom rent across 15 neighborhoods in Edinburgh is approximately £1,187/month. Rents range from £850 in Leith to £1,700 in New Town.
Monthly groceries for a single person in Edinburgh cost approximately £300. This covers basic home cooking. Dining out and premium food will add to this budget.
Tax rates in U.K. are progressive. At the budget salary level of £2,100/month, the effective tax rate is approximately 17%. At the comfortable level of £2,771/month, it rises to approximately 21%. This includes income tax and social contributions.