Scoop Index
What does a scoop really cost?
Forget about big scoop energy. It's the cost (and quality) that count.
The Scoop Index compares the cost of a scoop of ice cream or gelato against local disposable income so you can see how far a treat really stretches. A higher index means a scoop costs more relative to income. Currently, the comparison is just for Cambridge, London (Hackney) and Edinburgh.
Cambridge
1.04
Cheapest scoop: Jack's Gelato, £2.90
Disposable income per head: £27,979 (2024, ONS)
Most affordable
London (Hackney)
1.15
Cheapest scoop: Romeo & Giulietta Artisan Gelateria, £4.00
Disposable income per head: £34,929 (2024, ONS)
+10% vs most affordable
Edinburgh
1.27
Cheapest scoop: Joelato and Mary's Milk Bar, £3.95
Disposable income per head: £31,043 (2024, ONS)
+23% vs most affordable
| Shop | City | Price | Index | vs most affordable |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jack's Gelato Cambridge | Cambridge | £2.90 | 1.04 | Most affordable |
| Dulcis Cambridge | Cambridge | £2.95 | 1.05 | +2% |
| Aromi Cambridge | Cambridge | £3.00 | 1.07 | +3% |
| Romeo & Giulietta Artisan Gelateria London (Hackney) | London (Hackney) | £4.00 | 1.15 | +10% |
| Wave Gelato London (Hackney) | London (Hackney) | £4.30 | 1.23 | +19% |
| Joelato Edinburgh | Edinburgh | £3.95 | 1.27 | +23% |
| Mary's Milk Bar Edinburgh | Edinburgh | £3.95 | 1.27 | +23% |
| Basement Gelato Co. Edinburgh | Edinburgh | £4.00 | 1.29 | +24% |
| Ciccetta’s Edinburgh | Edinburgh | £4.00 | 1.29 | +24% |
| Moo Pie Gelato Edinburgh | Edinburgh | £4.00 | 1.29 | +24% |
| Artisan Gelato Edinburgh | Edinburgh | £4.25 | 1.37 | +32% |
| Benets Cafe Cambridge | Cambridge | £3.95 | 1.41 | +36% |
| Darlish London (Hackney) | London (Hackney) | £4.99 | 1.43 | +38% |
| Spoonstruck Cambridge | Cambridge | £4.00 | 1.43 | +38% |
| Tano Gelato London (Hackney) | London (Hackney) | £5.00 | 1.43 | +38% |
| Alandas Edinburgh | Edinburgh | £4.50 | 1.45 | +40% |
How the scoop index is calculated
The scoop index shows how much a scoop of ice cream costs compared with how much disposable income people have, on average, in that city. A scoop is one scoop of a standard flavour, in a cone or cup, whichever is cheaper. The index is the scoop price, divided by the city's disposable income per head, multiplied by 10,000 to make the result easier to read.
That is: scoop price ÷ disposable income per head × 10,000
Each city's figure is the scoop index of its cheapest scoop.
Each shop's index is compared with the most affordable, so you can see how much more you're paying for a scoop, relative to local income.
Disposable income per head isn't my ideal measure. I'd prefer median household income after housing costs, which might be more meaningful and could change the rankings. But when I asked an economist at the Scottish Government, they told me it's only published by region, with the whole of Scotland counted as one region. The House of Commons Library briefing on income inequality in the UK has more on regional disposable incomes.
Notes about shops
I list shops I have visited or can easily find prices for online. If you'd like to see a shop listed or another city, please send the shop name, city and a photo of their prices to scoopindex@gmail.com.
Shops are listed regardless of ratings but they do make their own product. Please get in touch if there's an error. I'm still deciding whether to list shops that sell a locally made product, for example Hackney Gelato.
Disposable income figures are gross disposable household income per head from the Office for National Statistics.
Prices last updated on 12 October 2026.