Cost of living in Shetland Islands
Data last updated: 14 May 2026
Page last reviewed: 14 May 2026
Rent in Shetland Islands
The average monthly rent in Shetland Islands is £723.
- 1 Bed£524 /mo
- 2 Bed£698 /mo
- 3 Bed£920 /mo
- 4+ Bed£1,438 /mo
Source: ONS Price Index of Private Rents (PIPR)
Scottish rent figures are based on Broad Rental Market Area (BRMA) averages from the Scottish Government Private Sector Rent Statistics and ONS PIPR, not directly at council level. Councils within the same BRMA share the same headline figure.
Earnings in Shetland Islands
The average annual salary for residents of Shetland Islands is £35,716.
We use the median (middle value) as the average throughout this site. This is more representative than the mean, which can be skewed by extremely high or low values.
Source: ONS Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE)
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Average house prices in Shetland Islands
Source: ONS / HM Land Registry. Historical trend based on quarterly rolling-year median prices.
Climate and weather in Shetland Islands
Summer daytime highs in Shetland Islands typically reach 15.0°C in August, dropping to around 6.0°C in February. Shetland Islands gets a fairly typical amount of rain for the UK, with rain falling on about 3.9 days a week. The area gets less sunshine than average for the UK, averaging around 4.3 hours per day in summer. Expect frost on around 76 days per year, mostly between November and April.
| Month | Daytime high | Rainfall | Rain days | Sunshine | Frost days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 6.3°C | 149mm | 22 | 24h | 12 |
| Feb | 6.0°C | 113mm | 19 | 52h | 12 |
| Mar | 6.9°C | 103mm | 19 | 93h | 11 |
| Apr | 8.7°C | 69mm | 15 | 135h | 8 |
| May | 10.9°C | 57mm | 12 | 186h | 5 |
| Jun | 12.9°C | 57mm | 11 | 141h | 1 |
| Jul | 14.7°C | 70mm | 12 | 124h | 0 |
| Aug | 15.0°C | 89mm | 13 | 129h | 0 |
| Sep | 13.3°C | 105mm | 16 | 96h | 1 |
| Oct | 10.6°C | 127mm | 20 | 71h | 4 |
| Nov | 8.3°C | 134mm | 22 | 32h | 8 |
| Dec | 6.8°C | 140mm | 23 | 15h | 13 |
How this is calculated
Climate data is based on Met Office 30-year averages (1991-2020), calculated from 57 observation grid points covering the Shetland Islands local authority area.
Source: Met Office HadUK-Grid , 1991-2020 averages. Crown copyright. Open Government Licence v3.0.
Council tax in Shetland Islands
Band D council tax in Shetland Islands is £1,488 per year.
- Band A£992
- Band B£1,157
- Band C£1,323
- Band DBenchmark£1,488
- Band E£1,955
- Band F£2,418
- Band G£2,914
- Band H£3,645
Source: MHCLG / Scottish Government / Welsh Government
Energy costs in Shetland Islands
A typical household in Shetland Islands pays approximately £1,641/year (£137/month) for gas and electricity.
Energy region: North Scotland
This estimate is based on the Ofgem price cap for a typical dual-fuel household using 2,700 kWh of electricity and 11,500 kWh of gas per year, paying by Direct Debit. Your actual costs will depend on your usage, tariff, and whether you're on a fixed deal.
Source: Ofgem Energy Price Cap, Q2 2026
Water costs in Shetland Islands
The average annual water and sewerage bill for Scottish Water customers is £480/year (£40/month).
Water company: Scottish Water
Water bills vary based on whether you have a meter and your household's water usage. This figure is the company average for unmetered customers.
Source: Water UK / Discover Water, 2026-27
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Crime in Shetland Islands
There were 180 recorded crimes per 10,000 people in Shetland Islands, which is below the national average of 813.2. Shetland Islands ranks #1 out of 303 areas for lowest crime rate.
Recorded crime statistics reflect crimes reported to and recorded by police. They may not capture the full picture of crime in an area, and recording practices vary between forces.
Source: Home Office police recorded crime, 2024-25
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Nearby areas
Explore the cost of living in areas close to Shetland Islands.
Frequently asked questions about Shetland Islands
Data on this page is sourced from: ONS Price Index of Private Rents (PIPR), Scottish Government Private Sector Rent Statistics, ONS Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings, ONS / HM Land Registry House Price Statistics, MHCLG / Scottish Government / Welsh Government council tax data, Ofgem Energy Price Cap, and Water UK / Discover Water. All official data is published under the Open Government Licence.