Cost of Living Comparison Between Durham and Glasgow Cost of Living Comparison Between Durham and Glasgow

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,033 in Durham versus $2,453 in Glasgow.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,006 in Durham versus $3,703 in Glasgow.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,980 in Durham versus $4,952 in Glasgow.

Living in Durham costs roughly 17% less than in Glasgow, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Durham 52% above, Glasgow 83% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.92 £14.00

$20.10 £14.87

-5.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$96.8 £71.6

$99.2 £73.4

-2.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.02 £7.41

$9.39 £6.95

6.71%

Cappuccino

$4.37 £3.24

$4.91 £3.63

-11.00%

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

$2.50 £1.85

$2.15 £1.59

16.28%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.93 £1.43

$1.49 £1.10

29.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.09 £4.50

$6.92 £5.12

-11.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.37 £3.97

$6.68 £4.94

-19.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.79 £1.32

$1.70 £1.26

5.29%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 £1.20

$1.71 £1.26

-4.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.51 £1.86

$2.65 £1.96

-5.28%

Eggs

$4.00 £2.96

$3.78 £2.80

5.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.25 £6.85

$9.86 £7.30

-6.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.21 £6.08

$9.43 £6.98

-12.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.59 £7.09

$14.32 £10.60

-33.03%

Apples (1kg)

$3.66 £2.71

$3.42 £2.53

7.02%

Banana (1kg)

$2.28 £1.69

$1.87 £1.38

21.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.23 £2.39

$3.27 £2.42

-1.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.42 £2.53

$3.60 £2.66

-5.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 £0.85

$1.70 £1.26

-32.35%

Onion (1kg)

$1.57 £1.16

$1.82 £1.35

-13.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 £0.77

$1.26 £0.93

-17.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.82 £1.35

$1.61 £1.19

13.04%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$22.65 £16.76

$21.29 £15.75

6.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 £8.17

$11.32 £8.37

-2.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.09 £2.29

$3.03 £2.24

1.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.98 £2.20

$3.38 £2.50

-11.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.18 £2.35

$4.03 £2.98

-21.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$55.8 £41.28

$95.4 £70.6

-41.52%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.82 £3.57

$5.41 £4.00

-10.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.57 £1.16

$2.32 £1.72

-32.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.48 £17.38

$26.74 £19.79

-12.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.93 £1.43

$2.00 £1.48

-3.50%

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

$37.1K £27.5K

$39.0K £28.9K

-4.91%

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

$39.8K £29.5K

$39.5K £29.2K

0.91%

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

$276 £204

$385 £285

-28.41%

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

$15.57 £11.52

$17.79 £13.16

-12.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.37 £25.43

$40.53 £29.99

-15.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.3 £37.20

$50.7 £37.51

-0.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.41 £14.36

Cinema Ticket

$12.92 £9.56

$17.86 £13.21

-27.66%

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

$1,615 £1,195

$1,164 £861

38.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.2K £13.5K

$18.6K £13.8K

-1.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$102 £75.6

$123 £90.9

-16.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$60.1 £44.44

$49.46 £36.60

21.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$124 £91.4

$108 £80.2

14.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.2 £66.0

$108 £79.8

-17.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,463 £1,083

$1,384 £1,024

5.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$828 £613

$1,005 £744

-17.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,610 £1,932

$2,712 £2,007

-3.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,270 £939

$1,834 £1,357

-30.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,204 £3,851

$4,266 £3,157

22.00%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,964 £2,934

$3,067 £2,270

29.24%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,090 £1,547

$3,602 £2,665

-41.97%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.45

5.32

2.44%

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

Last update for Durham: April 25, 2026

Last update for Glasgow: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,463 in Durham and $1,384 in Glasgow. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Glasgow pays 72% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $97.0 in Durham vs $99.0 in Glasgow for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $296 vs $317 per month, with Durham cheaper across the board.

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

Durham vs Glasgow: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Durham and Glasgow differ by about 21% in total monthly costs ($2,033 vs $2,453 including rent). Durham is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Glasgow earns 72% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,463 in Durham versus $1,384 in Glasgow. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,033 per month in Durham versus $2,453 in Glasgow – a 21% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Durham runs roughly 71% less than in Glasgow. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $2,033 in Durham versus $2,453 in Glasgow, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Durham but tight or insufficient in Glasgow. The gap between the two cities makes Durham the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Durham and Glasgow are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Durham gentler on the wallet – expenses run 21% less than in Glasgow. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.