Cost of Living Comparison Between Cambridge and Glasgow Cost of Living Comparison Between Cambridge and Glasgow

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,308 per month in Cambridge vs $2,475 in Glasgow, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,557 per month in Cambridge vs $3,746 in Glasgow, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,805 per month in Cambridge vs $5,018 in Glasgow, rent included.

Cambridge costs about 34% more than Glasgow, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Cambridge and Glasgow sit above the global median – Cambridge by 141%, Glasgow by 80%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$22.32 £16.50

$23.02 £17.02

-3.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$91.2 £67.4

$68.8 £50.9

32.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.85 £8.02

$10.68 £7.89

1.59%

Cappuccino

$4.66 £3.44

$4.98 £3.68

-6.43%

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

$2.87 £2.12

$2.28 £1.68

25.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.87 £1.39

$1.82 £1.35

2.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.93 £5.86

$5.78 £4.27

37.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.56 £5.59

$6.58 £4.86

14.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 £1.21

White Bread (500g)

$1.81 £1.34

$1.39 £1.03

30.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.66 £1.97

$2.01 £1.49

32.34%

Eggs

$4.71 £3.48

$3.85 £2.84

22.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.24 £7.57

$9.93 £7.34

3.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.64 £7.13

$9.48 £7.01

1.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.91 £11.76

$18.95 £14.01

-16.04%

Apples (1kg)

$3.12 £2.30

$2.81 £2.07

11.03%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 £1.27

$1.68 £1.24

2.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.65 £2.70

$2.85 £2.11

28.07%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.51 £2.59

$3.08 £2.28

13.96%

Potato (1kg)

$1.81 £1.34

$1.78 £1.32

1.69%

Onion (1kg)

$1.82 £1.35

$1.53 £1.13

18.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.28 £0.95

$1.16 £0.86

10.34%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.97 £1.46

$1.69 £1.25

16.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$23.07 £17.05

$24.33 £17.98

-5.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.41 £8.43

$11.13 £8.23

2.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.37 £2.49

$3.32 £2.46

1.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.01 £2.97

$3.20 £2.36

25.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.68 £2.72

$4.12 £3.04

-10.68%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$96.3 £71.2

$103 £76.3

-6.78%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$8.00 £5.91

$5.85 £4.32

36.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.68 £1.98

$1.20 £0.89

123.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$52.0 £38.43

$63.4 £46.83

-17.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.07 £1.53

$2.03 £1.50

1.97%

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

$39.4K £29.2K

$39.7K £29.4K

-0.78%

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

$42.0K £31.1K

$41.9K £31.0K

0.38%

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

$344 £254

$342 £253

0.42%

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

$19.34 £14.29

$20.02 £14.80

-3.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$44.48 £32.88

$42.24 £31.22

5.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.8 £50.1

$45.13 £33.36

50.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.38 £15.80

$20.67 £15.28

3.43%

Cinema Ticket

$17.77 £13.14

$16.03 £11.85

10.85%

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

$2,574 £1,903

$931 £688

176.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$30.2K £22.3K

$21.8K £16.1K

38.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$91.2 £67.4

$138 £102

-33.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.47 £35.83

$46.04 £34.03

5.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.4 £69.8

$106 £78.1

-10.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$132 £97.3

$92.6 £68.4

42.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,134 £1,577

$1,382 £1,021

54.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,793 £1,325

$1,089 £805

64.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,280 £2,424

$2,775 £2,051

18.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,691 £1,990

$2,055 £1,519

30.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,088 £6,718

$4,208 £3,110

115.98%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,091 £4,502

$3,170 £2,343

92.13%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,436 £3,279

$3,459 £2,557

28.26%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.04

4.75

6.11%

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

Last update for Cambridge: August 31, 2026

Last update for Glasgow: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,134 in Cambridge versus $1,382 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 28% higher in Cambridge, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $91.0 in Cambridge versus $69.0 in Glasgow. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $334 vs $317 – 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

Cambridge vs Glasgow: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Cambridge is pricier by about 34%, and the gap shows up most in Sport & Entertainment. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,962 per month in Cambridge and $3,712 in Glasgow. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $91.0 in Cambridge and $69.0 in Glasgow. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $3,308 in Cambridge and $2,475 in Glasgow. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Glasgow, where all-in costs run around $2,475, than in Cambridge at $3,308. In Glasgow it covers expenses comfortably, while in Cambridge it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Glasgow – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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