Cost of Living Comparison Between Glasgow and Belfast Cost of Living Comparison Between Glasgow and Belfast

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,475 in Glasgow versus $2,318 in Belfast.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,746 in Glasgow versus $3,367 in Belfast.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,018 in Glasgow versus $4,415 in Belfast.

Living in Glasgow is roughly 7% more expensive than in Belfast, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Glasgow 80% above, Belfast 69% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$23.02 £17.03

$20.31 £15.03

13.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.8 £50.9

$96.6 £71.5

-28.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.68 £7.90

$11.00 £8.14

-2.91%

Cappuccino

$4.98 £3.68

$4.96 £3.67

0.40%

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

$2.28 £1.69

$3.08 £2.28

-25.97%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.82 £1.35

$2.10 £1.55

-13.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.78 £4.28

$7.94 £5.87

-27.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.58 £4.87

$8.36 £6.19

-21.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 £1.21

$1.82 £1.35

-9.89%

White Bread (500g)

$1.39 £1.03

$2.41 £1.78

-42.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.01 £1.49

$2.67 £1.98

-24.72%

Eggs

$3.85 £2.85

$4.62 £3.42

-16.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.93 £7.35

$11.12 £8.23

-10.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.48 £7.02

$11.12 £8.22

-14.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.95 £14.02

$16.15 £11.95

17.34%

Apples (1kg)

$2.81 £2.08

$3.16 £2.34

-11.08%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 £1.24

$2.06 £1.52

-18.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.85 £2.11

$3.36 £2.49

-15.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.08 £2.28

$4.22 £3.12

-27.01%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 £1.32

$2.37 £1.76

-24.89%

Onion (1kg)

$1.53 £1.13

$1.64 £1.21

-6.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.16 £0.86

$1.38 £1.02

-15.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 £1.25

$1.91 £1.41

-11.52%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$24.33 £18.00

$24.67 £18.25

-1.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 £8.23

$12.22 £9.04

-8.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.32 £2.46

$2.86 £2.12

16.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 £2.37

$3.22 £2.38

-0.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.12 £3.05

$3.20 £2.37

28.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$103 £76.4

$102 £75.3

1.52%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.85 £4.32

$4.85 £3.59

20.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.20 £0.89

$1.52 £1.12

-21.05%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$63.4 £46.87

$20.52 £15.18

208.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.03 £1.50

$2.16 £1.60

-6.02%

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

$39.7K £29.4K

$39.2K £29.0K

1.43%

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

$41.9K £31.0K

$41.4K £30.6K

1.12%

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

$342 £253

$260 £192

31.72%

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

$20.02 £14.81

$23.48 £17.37

-14.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.24 £31.25

$47.29 £34.98

-10.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.13 £33.38

$48.65 £35.99

-7.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.67 £15.29

$10.60 £7.84

95.00%

Cinema Ticket

$16.03 £11.86

$14.35 £10.61

11.71%

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

$931 £688

$1,458 £1,078

-36.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.8K £16.1K

$18.3K £13.6K

18.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$138 £102

$84.6 £62.6

62.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.04 £34.06

$47.57 £35.20

-3.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 £78.2

$108 £79.7

-1.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.6 £68.5

$105 £77.5

-11.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,382 £1,022

$1,197 £886

15.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,089 £806

$969 £717

12.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,775 £2,053

$1,979 £1,464

40.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,055 £1,520

$1,416 £1,048

45.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,208 £3,113

$4,153 £3,072

1.32%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,170 £2,345

$2,590 £1,916

22.38%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,459 £2,559

$3,264 £2,415

5.97%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.75

4.91

-3.26%

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

Last update for Glasgow: August 30, 2026

Last update for Belfast: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,382 in Glasgow and $1,197 in Belfast. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Glasgow pays 6% 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: $69.0 in Glasgow vs $97.0 in Belfast for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $317 vs $356 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

Glasgow vs Belfast: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Belfast is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around. The 7% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 6% higher in Glasgow, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,382 in Glasgow versus $1,197 in Belfast. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $931 in Glasgow versus $1,458 in Belfast. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Glasgow pay roughly 12% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $2,318 in Belfast versus $2,475 in Glasgow, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Belfast but tight or insufficient in Glasgow. The gap between the two cities makes Belfast the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Belfast is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Glasgow, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Glasgow and Belfast 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 Belfast gentler on the wallet – expenses run 7% less than in Glasgow. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.