You heard of London as THE place to go alongside many capitals in Europe, but it is often the smaller cities in a country that will give you a truly authentic and unique experience. Edinburgh is no different. The capital of Scotland has a different atmosphere and affordances, and so we wanted to give you a few pointers to start you off on your stay as a digital nomad or remote worker in Edinburgh.
Cost of Living in Edinburgh
If you saw the cost of living in London and thought to yourself: ‘that’s a bit too much’ then Edinburgh may be the suitable alternative for you. While not the cheapest city in Britain, you can rent a single bedroom apartment outside the city centre for around €750 per month. A three-bedroom apartment in the city centre averages about €1750 per month. This is almost half of what you would pay in London.
Edinburgh is an excellent opportunity for those who want to live in the UK but need to be a bit more budget-conscious.
On the other hand, groceries are essentially the same as everywhere else in the UK, with commodities such as milk, a kilo of rice, and a kilo of potatoes, each costing between €1-1,5. Restaurants and bars are also very similar in their prices, with around €17 for a simple meal and €5 for a pint of domestic draught beer.
As a digital nomad, you’ll often stay in bars and cafés to work, especially once all the public places reopen after COVID-19, so knowing the prices in advance should help you decide if Edinburgh is the right place for you.
Weather in Edinburgh
Though it is one of the northern cities in the UK, you might be surprised to know that, as far as average temperatures go, it is rare that even winters in Edinburgh should be colder than 1°C. Granted, winters in Scotland’s capital can be very wet and windy, so be sure to pack an extra sweater with you, but only rarely will you have to deal with frost or blizzards.
The summers are likewise reasonably mild.
With temperatures averaging between 11°C and 19°C, summers rarely grow unbearably hot. Occasionally, the temperatures crawl up to around 31°C in August or July. As some locals say, Edinburgh is a place where you can experience all four seasons in a single day – and it’s undoubtedly true.
Public Transport in Edinburgh
Edinburgh runs on three main types of public transportation: busses, trams, and bikes. Though London’s more ecologically conscious sister, Edinburgh, also has more traditional taxi services and cars for hire, it offers many opportunities to stretch your legs a little.
The city is constantly adding more biking lanes and lowering speed limits for cars to ensure a safer and easier biking experience. Its historical sights and many parks make strolling through Edinburgh an unforgettable experience.
