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Heat pump running cost in Edinburgh
What does an air-source heat pump actually cost to run in Edinburgh, what does it save vs keeping a gas boiler, and when does it break even? This page uses the same assumptions as our full heat pump calculator — a typical UK 3-bed semi with average insulation, SCOP 3.3, current Ofgem-cap tariff — scaled by the regional heat demand in Scotland.
What makes Edinburgh different
Edinburgh's drier east-coast climate is marginally kinder to heat pumps than Glasgow's — 2% lower heat demand and fewer high-humidity defrost cycles.
The figures above use a 3-bed semi-detached home with average insulation (SCOP 3.3), 14690 kWh of heat demand per year, and the current Ofgem default-tariff price cap (27.03p/kWh electricity, 6.04p/kWh gas). If your home is bigger, smaller, better or worse insulated, switch to the full heat pump calculator and pick your own archetype — the numbers can swing £200–£600/yr either way.
Don't forget the £7,500 BUS grant
The UK government's Boiler Upgrade Scheme covers up to £7,500 of a heat pump install for owner-occupiers and small landlords in England and Wales. Scotland has its own (more generous) Home Energy Scotland Grant and Loan. Either way, the grant is deducted from the installer's quote — you never handle the money. Check your eligibility in our BUS grant calculator .
Other cities in Scotland
Regional heat demand varies more than most people expect — coastal cities often beat inland ones by 5–10%.
| City | Multiplier | HP £/yr | Gas £/yr | Payback | 15-yr net |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Glasgow | 1.15 | £1447 | £1177 | 19.9 yrs | £-2042 |
| Edinburgh (this page) | 1.13 | £1426 | £1159 | 19.9 yrs | £-2014 |
| Aberdeen | 1.23 | £1532 | £1251 | 20.1 yrs | £-2153 |
| Dundee | 1.18 | £1479 | £1205 | 20.0 yrs | £-2083 |
| Inverness | 1.25 | £1554 | £1269 | 20.1 yrs | £-2181 |
| Stirling | 1.17 | £1468 | £1196 | 20.0 yrs | £-2069 |
Compare other cities
Pick any UK city to see its heat pump running cost side-by-side with Edinburgh.
Before you commit in Edinburgh
Three local factors decide your real running cost: your home's insulation level (a D-rated home runs 20% higher than C-rated), your radiator sizing (undersized rads drop SCOP fast), and installer pricing (the range within a single city can be £3k–£5k on the same job). Get at least three MCS-certified quotes before committing.
Insulate first, size second. Drop heat demand by 20–30% with a good cavity wall / loft insulation package and you'll buy a smaller heat pump for less up front — our heat loss calculator shows the size difference insulation makes. If you're also modelling solar, check the solar panel savings calculator — a heat pump running on cheap solar is one of the best UK home-energy combinations.