Edinburgh vs Manchester
Renting in Edinburgh costs £42/month more than Manchester.
Rent comparison
Overall, renting in Manchester is £42/month cheaper than Edinburgh - that's £504/year.
Source: ONS Price Index of Private Rents (PIPR)
Earnings comparison
Residents of Edinburgh earn £7,313/year more than those in Manchester.
Source: ONS Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings
House prices comparison
House price data is not currently available for Edinburgh.
Source: ONS / HM Land Registry
Council tax comparison
You would pay £686/year more in council tax (Band D) living in Manchester than in Edinburgh.
| Band | Edinburgh | Manchester | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Band A | £1,084 | £1,541 | Manchester +£457/yr |
| Band B | £1,265 | £1,798 | Manchester +£533/yr |
| Band C | £1,445 | £2,055 | Manchester +£610/yr |
| Band D Benchmark | £1,626 | £2,312 | Manchester +£686/yr |
| Band E | £2,136 | £2,826 | Manchester +£690/yr |
| Band F | £2,642 | £3,340 | Manchester +£698/yr |
| Band G | £3,184 | £3,853 | Manchester +£669/yr |
| Band H | £3,984 | £4,624 | Manchester +£640/yr |
Source: MHCLG / Scottish Government / Welsh Government
Band D is used as the standard benchmark for comparing council tax across areas. Other bands are set as fixed proportions of the Band D amount.
Energy comparison
| Measure | Edinburgh | Manchester |
|---|---|---|
| Annual | £1,723 | £1,723 |
| Monthly | £144 | £144 |
| Energy region | South Scotland | North West |
Energy estimates are based on the Ofgem price cap, which is set nationally. Regional variation is small; we show the same headline figure across regions for transparency.
Source: Ofgem Energy Price Cap, Q4 2026
Water comparison
| Measure | Edinburgh | Manchester |
|---|---|---|
| Annual | £652 | £627 |
| Monthly | £54 | £52 |
| Water company | Scottish Water | United Utilities |
Water in Edinburgh costs about £25/year more than in Manchester.
Source: Water UK / Discover Water, 2026-27
Water company boundaries don't always align cleanly with local authority boundaries; the company shown here is the most common provider in each area.
Climate comparison
Edinburgh gets around 100mm less rainfall per year and 16 more hours of sunshine than Manchester.
Source: Met Office HadUK-Grid, 1991-2020 averages. Crown copyright. Open Government Licence v3.0.
Crime comparison
Edinburgh has a lower crime rate than Manchester, with 744 vs 1,430 recorded crimes per 10,000 people.
Source: Home Office / Scottish Government recorded crime
Recording practices vary between police forces. Crime rates reflect reported and recorded crime only.
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