Cost of Living Comparison Between Glasgow and Barry Cost of Living Comparison Between Glasgow and Barry

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,453 per month in Glasgow vs $2,293 in Barry, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,732 per month in Glasgow vs $3,442 in Barry, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,012 per month in Glasgow vs $4,592 in Barry, rent included.

Glasgow costs about 7% more than Barry, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Glasgow and Barry sit above the global median – Glasgow by 84%, Barry by 72%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.64 £15.44

$20.21 £15.12

2.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$99.9 £74.7

$77.9 £58.3

28.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.31 £6.97

$10.28 £7.69

-9.44%

Cappuccino

$5.00 £3.74

$4.59 £3.44

8.93%

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

$2.17 £1.62

$2.21 £1.65

-1.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.49 £1.11

$1.77 £1.32

-15.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.61 £4.94

$6.94 £5.19

-4.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.91 £5.17

$7.63 £5.70

-9.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.72 £1.28

$1.94 £1.45

-11.34%

White Bread (500g)

$1.65 £1.23

$1.76 £1.32

-6.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.65 £1.99

$2.93 £2.19

-9.56%

Eggs

$3.93 £2.94

$5.37 £4.02

-26.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.04 £7.51

$10.16 £7.60

-1.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.37 £7.01

$9.00 £6.74

4.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.27 £10.68

$9.28 £6.94

53.77%

Apples (1kg)

$3.39 £2.53

$2.75 £2.06

23.27%

Banana (1kg)

$1.84 £1.38

$1.57 £1.18

17.20%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.41 £2.55

$3.25 £2.43

4.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.68 £2.75

$5.68 £4.25

-35.21%

Potato (1kg)

$1.63 £1.22

$1.78 £1.33

-8.43%

Onion (1kg)

$1.84 £1.37

$1.48 £1.11

24.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.26 £0.95

$1.01 £0.76

24.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.57 £1.18

$1.72 £1.29

-8.72%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$20.84 £15.59

$19.30 £14.44

7.98%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.89 £8.15

$11.20 £8.38

-2.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.96 £2.22

$3.59 £2.69

-17.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.33 £2.49

$4.61 £3.45

-27.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.14 £3.10

$3.36 £2.51

23.21%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$95.4 £71.4

$86.9 £65.0

9.73%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.34 £3.99

$4.64 £3.47

15.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.34 £1.75

$1.57 £1.17

49.04%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.59 £20.64

$20.32 £15.20

35.78%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.01 £1.51

$1.88 £1.40

6.91%

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

$38.1K £28.5K

$38.4K £28.7K

-0.73%

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

$39.0K £29.2K

$44.5K £33.3K

-12.47%

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

$377 £282

$293 £219

28.59%

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

$17.87 £13.37

$20.53 £15.36

-12.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.85 £30.56

$46.05 £34.45

-11.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.5 £38.49

$45.63 £34.13

12.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.58 £14.65

$5.95 £4.45

229.08%

Cinema Ticket

$17.32 £12.96

$8.10 £6.06

113.83%

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

$1,142 £854

$2,010 £1,503

-43.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.5K £13.9K

$33.3K £24.9K

-44.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$125 £93.5

$86.8 £65.0

44.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.5 £37.80

$40.53 £30.32

24.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$109 £81.2

$91.7 £68.6

18.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 £80.4

$81.7 £61.1

31.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,406 £1,052

$1,223 £915

14.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,017 £761

$990 £740

2.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,715 £2,031

$2,032 £1,520

33.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,872 £1,400

$1,706 £1,276

9.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,126 £3,086

$5,533 £4,139

-25.44%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,037 £2,272

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,468 £2,594

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.32

5.74

-7.32%

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

Last update for Glasgow: July 26, 2026

Last update for Barry: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,406 in Glasgow versus $1,223 in Barry. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $100 in Glasgow versus $78.0 in Barry. Groceries tell a different story – $315 in Glasgow vs $321 in Barry – so Glasgow 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 Barry: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Glasgow is pricier by about 7%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,679 per month in Glasgow and $3,439 in Barry. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $1,142 per month in Glasgow and $2,010 in Barry. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 2% cheaper in Glasgow – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Barry, where all-in costs run around $2,293, than in Glasgow at $2,453. In Barry it covers expenses comfortably, while in Glasgow it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Barry – 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 Barry. 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.