Cost of Living Comparison Between Glasgow and Barnsley Cost of Living Comparison Between Glasgow and Barnsley

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,475 per month in Glasgow vs $1,901 in Barnsley, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,746 per month in Glasgow vs $2,913 in Barnsley, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,018 per month in Glasgow vs $3,925 in Barnsley, rent included.

Glasgow costs about 30% more than Barnsley, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Glasgow and Barnsley sit above the global median – Glasgow by 80%, Barnsley by 38%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$23.02 £17.03

$24.10 £17.83

-4.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.8 £50.9

$84.6 £62.6

-18.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.68 £7.90

$10.86 £8.03

-1.66%

Cappuccino

$4.98 £3.68

$5.17 £3.83

-3.68%

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

$2.28 £1.69

$2.32 £1.71

-1.72%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.82 £1.35

$1.72 £1.27

5.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.78 £4.28

$6.12 £4.53

-5.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.58 £4.87

$6.82 £5.05

-3.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 £1.21

$1.66 £1.23

-1.20%

White Bread (500g)

$1.39 £1.03

$1.97 £1.46

-29.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.01 £1.49

$2.10 £1.56

-4.29%

Eggs

$3.85 £2.85

$4.02 £2.98

-4.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.93 £7.35

$8.90 £6.58

11.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.48 £7.02

$8.77 £6.48

8.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.95 £14.02

$15.00 £11.10

26.33%

Apples (1kg)

$2.81 £2.08

$3.02 £2.24

-6.95%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 £1.24

$1.96 £1.45

-14.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.85 £2.11

$2.59 £1.92

10.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.08 £2.28

$2.87 £2.13

7.32%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 £1.32

$1.93 £1.42

-7.77%

Onion (1kg)

$1.53 £1.13

$1.65 £1.22

-7.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.16 £0.86

$1.50 £1.11

-22.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 £1.25

$1.42 £1.05

19.01%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$24.33 £18.00

$23.59 £17.45

3.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 £8.23

$11.71 £8.66

-4.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.32 £2.46

$3.36 £2.49

-1.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 £2.37

$3.39 £2.51

-5.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.12 £3.05

$2.69 £1.99

53.16%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$103 £76.4

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.85 £4.32

$5.40 £4.00

8.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.20 £0.89

$1.46 £1.08

-17.81%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$63.4 £46.87

$19.57 £14.48

223.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.03 £1.50

$2.02 £1.49

0.50%

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

$39.7K £29.4K

$39.1K £28.9K

1.59%

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

$41.9K £31.0K

$41.1K £30.4K

1.99%

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

$342 £253

$291 £215

17.72%

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

$20.02 £14.81

$20.89 £15.45

-4.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.24 £31.25

$44.29 £32.77

-4.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.13 £33.38

$67.2 £49.69

-32.81%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.67 £15.29

Cinema Ticket

$16.03 £11.86

$12.84 £9.50

24.84%

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

$931 £688

$1,485 £1,098

-37.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.8K £16.1K

$16.5K £12.2K

31.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$138 £102

$62.6 £46.33

119.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.04 £34.06

$42.60 £31.52

8.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 £78.2

$94.2 £69.7

12.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.6 £68.5

$78.4 £58.0

18.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,382 £1,022

$938 £694

47.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,089 £806

$677 £501

60.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,775 £2,053

$1,389 £1,028

99.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,055 £1,520

$1,118 £827

83.75%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,208 £3,113

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,170 £2,345

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,459 £2,559

$3,030 £2,242

14.15%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.75

5.61

-15.33%

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

Last update for Glasgow: August 30, 2026

Last update for Barnsley: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,382 in Glasgow versus $938 in Barnsley. 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 14% higher in Glasgow, 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 $69.0 in Glasgow versus $85.0 in Barnsley. Groceries tell a different story – $317 in Glasgow vs $307 in Barnsley – so Barnsley wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Barnsley: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Glasgow is pricier by about 30%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,712 per month in Glasgow and $2,851 in Barnsley. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Barnsley, 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 $2,475 in Glasgow and $1,901 in Barnsley. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $931 per month in Glasgow and $1,485 in Barnsley. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Barnsley, where all-in costs run around $1,901, than in Glasgow at $2,475. In Barnsley it covers expenses comfortably, while in Glasgow it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Barnsley – 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 Barnsley. 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.