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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,453 per month in Glasgow vs $2,209 in Aberdeen, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,703 per month in Glasgow vs $3,452 in Aberdeen, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,952 per month in Glasgow vs $4,695 in Aberdeen, rent included.

Glasgow costs about 11% more than Aberdeen, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Glasgow and Aberdeen sit above the global median – Glasgow by 83%, Aberdeen by 65%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.10 £14.89

$21.45 £15.89

-6.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$99.2 £73.5

$82.2 £60.9

20.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.39 £6.96

$10.03 £7.43

-6.38%

Cappuccino

$4.91 £3.64

$4.50 £3.34

9.11%

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

$2.15 £1.60

$2.04 £1.51

5.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.49 £1.10

$1.51 £1.12

-1.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.92 £5.13

$6.16 £4.56

12.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.68 £4.95

$6.93 £5.13

-3.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 £1.26

$1.71 £1.27

-0.58%

White Bread (500g)

$1.71 £1.27

$1.66 £1.23

3.01%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.65 £1.96

$1.85 £1.37

43.24%

Eggs

$3.78 £2.80

$4.16 £3.08

-9.13%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.86 £7.31

$8.76 £6.49

12.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.43 £6.99

$11.73 £8.69

-19.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.32 £10.61

$13.48 £9.99

6.23%

Apples (1kg)

$3.42 £2.54

$3.04 £2.25

12.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.87 £1.38

$1.67 £1.23

11.98%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.27 £2.42

$2.82 £2.09

15.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.60 £2.67

$4.17 £3.09

-13.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.70 £1.26

$1.19 £0.88

42.86%

Onion (1kg)

$1.82 £1.35

$1.39 £1.03

30.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.26 £0.93

$1.20 £0.89

5.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.61 £1.20

$1.41 £1.04

14.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$21.29 £15.77

$19.13 £14.17

11.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.32 £8.38

$11.35 £8.41

-0.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.03 £2.25

$2.27 £1.68

33.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.38 £2.50

$2.36 £1.75

43.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.03 £2.98

$5.45 £4.04

-26.06%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$95.4 £70.7

$109 £80.8

-12.49%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.41 £4.01

$4.74 £3.51

14.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.32 £1.72

$1.70 £1.26

36.47%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.74 £19.82

$34.90 £25.86

-23.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.00 £1.48

$1.95 £1.44

2.56%

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

$39.0K £28.9K

$38.6K £28.6K

1.08%

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

$39.5K £29.3K

$40.8K £30.2K

-3.14%

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

$385 £286

$407 £302

-5.31%

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

$17.79 £13.18

$24.46 £18.12

-27.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.53 £30.03

$44.90 £33.27

-9.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.7 £37.56

$63.8 £47.29

-20.57%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.41 £14.38

$10.58 £7.84

83.46%

Cinema Ticket

$17.86 £13.23

$9.02 £6.69

98.00%

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

$1,164 £863

$1,882 £1,394

-38.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.6K £13.8K

$15.6K £11.6K

18.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$123 £91.0

$82.5 £61.2

48.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.46 £36.65

$41.01 £30.39

20.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$108 £80.3

$95.2 £70.5

13.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 £79.9

$120 £89.0

-10.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,384 £1,026

$883 £654

56.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,005 £745

$780 £578

28.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,712 £2,010

$1,662 £1,231

63.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,834 £1,359

$1,594 £1,181

15.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,266 £3,161

$2,338 £1,733

82.43%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,067 £2,273

$3,517 £2,606

-12.77%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,602 £2,669

$3,680 £2,727

-2.12%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.32

6.2

-14.19%

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

Last update for Glasgow: April 27, 2026

Last update for Aberdeen: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,384 in Glasgow versus $883 in Aberdeen. 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 2% 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 $99.0 in Glasgow versus $82.0 in Aberdeen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $317 vs $307 – making Aberdeen 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

Glasgow vs Aberdeen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Glasgow costs about 11% more than Aberdeen, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,680 per month in Glasgow and $3,313 in Aberdeen. 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 $2,453 in Glasgow and $2,209 in Aberdeen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 14% 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 $2,209, than in Glasgow at $2,453. 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 $2,209 versus $2,453 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.