The Rural Scotland Price Survey.

The R.S.P.S was introduced in 1975 by the Scottish Consumer Council and the HIDB with a view to monitoring the various costs of living in Scottish rural and island regions. Currently, the survey is financed by Highlands and Islands Enterprise and is undertaken twice yearly by MacKay Consultants of Inverness. The 1991 Summer survey results are now available and a copy can be seen in the School library in Arinagour or can be obtained - free of charge - from MacKay's or the HIE.

This is the first RSPS report to include the Isle of Coll. The various tables of costs are very detailed in their comparisons of 47 rural and island areas together with 4 Scottish cities and the whole document deserves some serious browsing. At its simplest. we can see that it is costlier to live in the Highlands and Islands than in rural regions which are, in turn, more expensive than urban areas. This seems to be a function of remoteness and small populations. However, there are many detailed exceptions.

The following light-hearted outline may help give something of the flavour of the report: -

If you're really keen to save money living outside the cities, here's what to do!
1 . Rent a house in Kingussie and steer clear of Orkney; - this saves about £ 7.50 a week for Local Authority housing.
2. As a tradesman. you'll earn more in Lerwick but tradesmen's services are cheapest in rural Sutherland.
3. If you want cheap groceries, head for Ullapool and away from Coll and rural Lochaber: - an average saving of about £4 a week.
4. Even though you now live in Kingussie, on no account buy your fruit and veg. there - go to Ellon instead: nearly £2 a week saved here.
5 . Your fish should be purchased in Stornoway and definitely not Islay: a saving of £2.40 on an average week's shopping.
6. If that journey puts you off fish, try the meat at Girvan and not rural Inverness-shire: an average weekly saving of £5.40.
7. You'll be getting thirsty by now so, for alcoholic bargains try Girvan again or even Fort William or Dingwall – just keep clear of Shetland villages; a difference of about £2.80 for an average week.
8. And if this thrifty livestyle is leaving you rather low on petrol. Head without delay for Annan - and give Coll a wide berth! - this would save your about 50p per gallon. So, you see, there really are more expensive places to live than Coll but, across the board, only three of them and they're all in Shetland.

And the overall cheapest place to live? Well, try heading for the sun.