Cost of Living Comparison Between Exeter and Glasgow Cost of Living Comparison Between Exeter and Glasgow

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,505 in Exeter versus $2,466 in Glasgow.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,948 in Exeter versus $3,727 in Glasgow.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,391 in Exeter versus $4,988 in Glasgow.

Living in Exeter is roughly 2% more expensive than in Glasgow, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Exeter 83% above, Glasgow 80% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.06 £14.86

$22.79 £16.88

-11.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$98.9 £73.3

$67.1 £49.73

47.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.37 £6.94

$10.70 £7.92

-12.43%

Cappuccino

$5.08 £3.76

$4.80 £3.56

5.83%

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

$3.15 £2.33

$2.16 £1.60

45.83%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.43 £1.80

$1.79 £1.32

35.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.23 £5.35

$5.75 £4.26

25.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.29 £4.66

$6.55 £4.85

-3.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.51 £1.12

$1.64 £1.21

-7.93%

White Bread (500g)

$1.65 £1.23

$1.38 £1.03

19.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.74 £1.29

$2.04 £1.51

-14.71%

Eggs

$4.37 £3.24

$3.71 £2.75

17.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.98 £6.65

$9.89 £7.32

-9.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.96 £6.64

$9.39 £6.95

-4.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$24.15 £17.89

$18.64 £13.81

29.56%

Apples (1kg)

$3.04 £2.25

$2.67 £1.98

13.86%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 £1.08

$1.59 £1.18

-8.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.64 £1.96

$2.73 £2.02

-3.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.16 £2.34

$3.11 £2.30

1.61%

Potato (1kg)

$2.32 £1.72

$1.80 £1.33

28.89%

Onion (1kg)

$1.97 £1.46

$1.58 £1.17

24.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.62 £1.20

$1.15 £0.85

40.87%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.89 £1.40

$1.64 £1.21

15.24%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$24.38 £18.06

$24.30 £18.00

0.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.25 £6.85

$11.38 £8.43

-18.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.63 £2.69

$3.25 £2.41

11.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 £3.26

$3.20 £2.37

37.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.95 £2.93

$4.13 £3.06

-4.36%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$107 £79.2

$104 £77.1

2.74%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.80 £4.30

$6.05 £4.48

-4.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.56 £1.89

$1.21 £0.90

111.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.15 £17.89

$61.7 £45.70

-60.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.01 £1.49

$2.09 £1.55

-3.83%

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

$39.5K £29.3K

$39.4K £29.2K

0.35%

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

$41.2K £30.5K

$41.6K £30.8K

-0.80%

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

$475 £352

$340 £252

39.53%

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

$15.89 £11.77

$19.53 £14.47

-18.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$46.57 £34.49

$41.39 £30.65

12.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.46 £32.93

$44.02 £32.60

1.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.39 £9.92

$20.33 £15.06

-34.14%

Cinema Ticket

$12.87 £9.53

$16.49 £12.21

-21.95%

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

$1,470 £1,089

$921 £683

59.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.7K £13.1K

$21.9K £16.2K

-18.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.7 £50.9

$140 £104

-50.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.74 £23.51

$46.40 £34.37

-31.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 £76.0

$103 £76.5

-0.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$110 £81.1

$92.1 £68.3

18.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,176 £871

$1,332 £987

-11.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$931 £690

$1,083 £802

-14.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,526 £1,871

$2,725 £2,018

-7.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,093 £1,551

$1,975 £1,463

6.00%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,439 £4,029

$4,101 £3,038

32.62%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,608 £4,895

$3,128 £2,317

111.28%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,117 £2,309

$3,483 £2,580

-10.52%

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 Exeter: September 13, 2026

Last update for Glasgow: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,176 in Exeter and $1,332 in Glasgow. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Glasgow pays 12% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $99.0 in Exeter vs $67.0 in Glasgow for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $336 vs $313 per month, with Glasgow 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

Exeter vs Glasgow: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Exeter and Glasgow differ by about 2% in total monthly costs ($2,505 vs $2,466 including rent). Glasgow is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 12% lower in Glasgow. 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: $1,176 in Exeter versus $1,332 in Glasgow. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Glasgow – a meal for two runs $67.0 versus $99.0 in Exeter. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,505 per month in Exeter versus $2,466 in Glasgow – a 2% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,466 in Glasgow versus $2,505 in Exeter, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Glasgow but tight or insufficient in Exeter. The gap between the two cities makes Glasgow 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, Exeter 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 Glasgow gentler on the wallet – expenses run 2% less than in Exeter. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.