Cost of Living

Scotland is relatively expensive when compared to some other European countries, but is lower than many other regions in the UK. Costs are highest in Edinburgh, and in remote areas like Stornoway where supplies are difficult to access.

When travelling, expect to pay about 50 GBP per person for mid-range accommodations and meals. Backpackers using hostels and cooking their own meals can get by on as little as 25 GBP a day, not including transport.

Estimates on cost of living:
• Rent (Studio): 120 GBP/week
• Rent (Shared Flat): 90 GBP/week
• Gas/electricity: 11-15 GBP per week
• Internet: 5-8 GBP per week
• Mobile phones: 10-15 GBP per week
• Laundry/toiletries: 8 GBP per week
• Cinema ticket: 3.50-7.50 GBP per week
• Haircut: 8-30 GBP
• Monthly Bus Pass: 45 GBP
• Lunch with drink: 15 GBP
• Milk (2 L): 1.50 GBP
• Whole Chicken: 4.00 GBP
• Bacon: 2.80 GBP

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Departure

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Destination

Choose country Choose country AfghanistanAlbaniaAlgeriaAmerican SamoaAndorraAngolaAnguillaAntigua and BarbudaArgentinaArmeniaArubaAustraliaAustriaAzerbaijanBahamasBahrainBangladeshBarbadosBelarusBelgiumBelizeBeninBermudaBhutanBoliviaBosnia and HerzegovinaBotswanaBrazilBritish Virgin IslandsBruneiBulgariaBurkina FasoBurundiCambodiaCameroonCanadaCape VerdeCayman IslandsCentral African RepublicChadChileChinaColombiaComorosCongoCook IslandsCosta RicaCroatiaCubaCyprusCzech RepublicDemocratic Republic of CongoDenmarkDjiboutiDominicaDominican RepublicEcuadorEgyptEl salvadorEquatorial GuineaEritreaEstoniaEthiopiaFaroe IslandsFijiFinlandFranceFrench GuianaFrench PolynesiaGabonGambiaGeorgiaGermanyGhanaGibraltarGreeceGreenlandGrenadaGuadeloupeGuatemalaGuinea-BissauGuinea-ConakryGuyanaHaitiHondurasHong KongHungaryIcelandIndiaIndonesiaIranIraqIrelandIsraelItalyIvory CoastJamaicaJapanJordanKazakhstanKenyaKiribatiKosovoKuwaitKyrgyzstanLaosLatviaLebanonLesothoLiberiaLibyaLiechtensteinLithuaniaLuxembourgMacauMacedoniaMadagascarMalawiMalaysiaMaldivesMaliMaltaMartiniqueMauritaniaMauritiusMayotteMexicoMicronesiaMoldovaMonacoMongoliaMontenegroMoroccoMozambiqueMyanmarNamibiaNepalNetherlandsNetherlands AntillesNew CaledoniaNew ZealandNicaraguaNigerNigeriaNorth KoreaNorthern Mariana IslandsNorwayOmanPakistanPalauPalestinePanamaPapua New GuineaParaguayPeruPhilippinesPolandPortugalPuerto RicoQatarReunionRomaniaRussiaRwandaSaint Kitts and NevisSaint LuciaSaint Vincent and the GrenadinesSamoaSan MarinoSao Tome and PrincipeSaudi ArabiaSenegalSerbiaSeychellesSierra LeoneSingaporeSlovakiaSloveniaSolomon IslandsSomaliaSouth AfricaSouth KoreaSpainSri LankaSudanSurinameSwazilandSwedenSwitzerlandSyriaTaiwanTajikistanTanzaniaThailandTimor-LesteTogoTokelauTongaTrinidad and TobagoTunisiaTurkeyTurkmenistanTuvaluUgandaUkraineUnited Arab EmiratesUnited KingdomUnited StatesUruguayUzbekistanVanuatuVenezuelaVietnamVirgin IslandsWallis and FutunaYemenZambiaZimbabwe

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Prepare for your Housing Search

Research, research, and introspection should define your pre-accommodation search. Familiarize yourself with the different areas of Edinburgh and find where you want to live. Read blogs from the area, find official resources, visit the different areas. Ask yourself questions like:
How big a place do you want? A studio? A three room flat?
Where do you want to live? Somewhere close to your work?
What's your price range? What are you comfortable paying?
With answers to these important questions you can begin to think of a specific place.

Flatsharing

A flatshare can be an excellent way to save money on your accommodations. It also offers an opportunity to get to know a new city with a local. Shared accommodation in cities ranges from around 300 GBP per month (out of the city center) to 400 GBP or more per month in the city center.

However, an important trait in any roommate situation is having boundaries and a clear understanding of what each roommate requires. To protect yourself against potential problems should the worst happen, try to arrange it so that your roommates co-sign the lease. This makes all the roommates responsible for whatever happens to the property. If the worst was to happen, such as your roommate losing their job and not being able to pay rent, they will be held financially responsible- not you.

Hostel

Hostels are plentiful across the UK and Scotland is no exception. Most are clustered around the cities, although a few are interspersed in the countryside. Most youth hostels only charge 10 GBP per bed, per night.

The Scottish Youth Hostel Association (SYHA) has a searchable network of Independent Hostels. The SYHA traditionally involved guests performing chores and a ban on alcohol. However, as time marches on many new hostels are abandoning these rules.

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