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Cost index: 102 (Scotland avg = 100) · 33% cheaper than London
Cost Index
102
vs London
33% cheaper
Avg Salary
£34,500
2-bed Rent
£800/m
Stirling sits close to the Scottish average cost of living, with a cost index of 102 (Scotland = 100) — 33% cheaper than London. A 2-bedroom rental runs to £800/month, which is 32% of median gross monthly income. At the average salary of £34,500, monthly outgoings are broadly in line with what most Scottish cities offer. Non-rent monthly essentials total around £539.
Pint of beer
£5.10
Coffee
£3.40
Meal for two
£48
Stirling is broadly average for Scottish living costs, with a cost index of 102 (Scotland = 100) and is 33% cheaper than London. Rents at £800/month for a 2-bed and the average salary of £34,500 put it in the middle of the Scottish range — neither particularly cheap nor expensive by local standards.
In Stirling, average monthly rents are: 1-bedroom — £650, 2-bedroom — £800, 3-bedroom — £1,050. These are private rented sector averages for 2026 based on Scottish Government Private Rent Statistics and Zoopla data. Rents vary significantly by neighbourhood — city centre and West End properties typically run 15–25% above these averages, while suburban and outer areas tend to be lower. Under Scotland's Private Residential Tenancy rules, rent increases must be notified 3 months in advance and are currently subject to the rent adjudication process.
A comfortable single-person lifestyle in Stirling — covering a 2-bedroom rent (or splitting with a flatmate), groceries, transport, utilities, and some savings — typically requires a gross salary of around £31,000. At this level, take-home pay after Scottish income tax and NI is approximately £1,704/month. A couple sharing a 2-bed flat would each need a gross income of roughly £19,000 to live comfortably. These figures do not include childcare, which adds £1,025/month if applicable.
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Data: Numbeo, ONS Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings, Zoopla, Scottish Government Private Rent Statistics, and local authority council tax schedules. Cost index: 100 = Scotland average. Figures are approximate and based on the most recent available data (April 2026). Childcare costs reflect full-time nursery averages.