Cost of Living Comparison Between Aberdeen and Glasgow Cost of Living Comparison Between Aberdeen and Glasgow

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,329 per month in Aberdeen vs $2,466 in Glasgow, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,684 per month in Aberdeen vs $3,727 in Glasgow, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,038 per month in Aberdeen vs $4,988 in Glasgow, rent included.

Aberdeen is about 6% cheaper than Glasgow, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Aberdeen and Glasgow sit above the global median – Aberdeen by 70%, Glasgow by 80%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.55 £15.35

$22.79 £17.02

-9.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$99.7 £74.5

$67.1 £50.1

48.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.96 £8.18

$10.70 £7.99

2.43%

Cappuccino

$4.93 £3.68

$4.80 £3.59

2.71%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.65 £1.98

$2.16 £1.62

22.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.00 £1.49

$1.79 £1.33

11.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.06 £5.27

$5.75 £4.30

22.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.20 £5.38

$6.55 £4.89

9.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.53 £1.14

$1.64 £1.22

-6.71%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 £1.36

$1.38 £1.03

32.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.98 £1.48

$2.04 £1.52

-2.94%

Eggs

$4.59 £3.43

$3.71 £2.77

23.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.90 £6.65

$9.89 £7.38

-10.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.96 £8.93

$9.39 £7.01

27.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.53 £12.34

$18.64 £13.92

-11.32%

Apples (1kg)

$2.91 £2.17

$2.67 £1.99

8.99%

Banana (1kg)

$1.40 £1.05

$1.59 £1.19

-11.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.90 £2.17

$2.73 £2.04

6.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.91 £2.92

$3.11 £2.32

25.72%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 £1.33

$1.80 £1.34

-1.11%

Onion (1kg)

$1.49 £1.11

$1.58 £1.18

-5.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.26 £0.94

$1.15 £0.86

9.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.65 £1.23

$1.64 £1.22

0.61%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$22.30 £16.65

$24.30 £18.15

-8.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.27 £8.42

$11.38 £8.50

-0.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.74 £2.05

$3.25 £2.43

-15.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.01 £2.25

$3.20 £2.39

-5.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.87 £2.15

$4.13 £3.09

-30.51%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$123 £92.2

$104 £77.7

18.59%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.10 £3.06

$6.05 £4.52

-32.23%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.45 £1.83

$1.21 £0.90

102.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.37 £18.20

$61.7 £46.07

-60.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.04 £1.52

$2.09 £1.56

-2.39%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$38.6K £28.8K

$39.4K £29.4K

-2.09%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$42.0K £31.4K

$41.6K £31.0K

1.19%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$420 £314

$340 £254

23.57%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$27.99 £20.90

$19.53 £14.58

43.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.65 £31.85

$41.39 £30.90

3.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.4 £40.60

$44.02 £32.87

23.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.84 £17.05

$20.33 £15.18

12.35%

Cinema Ticket

$11.46 £8.56

$16.49 £12.31

-30.50%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$1,809 £1,351

$921 £688

96.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.1K £17.3K

$21.9K £16.3K

5.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$98.7 £73.7

$140 £105

-29.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.46 £36.19

$46.40 £34.65

4.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$107 £80.1

$103 £77.1

3.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 £85.0

$92.1 £68.8

23.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 £626

$1,332 £995

-37.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$799 £597

$1,083 £809

-26.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,541 £1,151

$2,725 £2,035

-43.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,714 £1,280

$1,975 £1,475

-13.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,310 £1,725

$4,101 £3,062

-43.68%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,533 £2,638

$3,128 £2,336

12.95%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,705 £2,766

$3,483 £2,601

6.37%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.11

4.78

6.90%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Aberdeen: September 13, 2026

Last update for Glasgow: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $838 in Aberdeen versus $1,332 in Glasgow. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 6% higher in Aberdeen, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $100 in Aberdeen versus $67.0 in Glasgow. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $325 vs $313 – making Glasgow the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Aberdeen vs Glasgow: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Glasgow costs about 6% more than Aberdeen, with the gap driven mainly by Getting Around. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,494 per month in Aberdeen and $3,699 in Glasgow. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Aberdeen, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,329 in Aberdeen and $2,466 in Glasgow. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 19% less in Aberdeen. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Aberdeen, where all-in costs run around $2,329, than in Glasgow at $2,466. In Aberdeen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Glasgow it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Aberdeen costs $2,329 versus $2,466 in Glasgow. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Aberdeen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Glasgow makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.