Cost of Living Comparison Between Glasgow and Blackburn Cost of Living Comparison Between Glasgow and Blackburn

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,505 per month in Glasgow vs $2,070 in Blackburn, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,735 per month in Glasgow vs $3,079 in Blackburn, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,966 per month in Glasgow vs $4,088 in Blackburn, rent included.

Glasgow costs about 21% more than Blackburn, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Glasgow and Blackburn sit above the global median – Glasgow by 87%, Blackburn by 54%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.19 £15.04

$16.52 £12.30

22.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$98.0 £73.0

$58.6 £43.64

67.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.35 £6.97

$8.54 £6.36

9.48%

Cappuccino

$4.76 £3.54

$4.07 £3.03

16.95%

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

$2.18 £1.63

$2.31 £1.72

-5.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.43 £1.07

$1.44 £1.07

-0.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.68 £4.98

$4.89 £3.64

36.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.72 £5.00

$5.49 £4.09

22.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.77 £1.32

$1.55 £1.16

14.19%

White Bread (500g)

$1.64 £1.22

$1.66 £1.24

-1.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.64 £1.97

$1.38 £1.03

91.30%

Eggs

$3.85 £2.87

$3.13 £2.33

23.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.17 £7.58

$10.66 £7.94

-4.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.21 £6.86

$8.10 £6.03

13.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.83 £10.31

$17.29 £12.88

-20.01%

Apples (1kg)

$3.26 £2.43

$1.60 £1.19

103.75%

Banana (1kg)

$1.79 £1.33

$1.66 £1.24

7.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.37 £2.51

$2.39 £1.78

41.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.69 £2.75

$3.72 £2.77

-0.81%

Potato (1kg)

$1.65 £1.23

$1.37 £1.02

20.44%

Onion (1kg)

$1.91 £1.42

$1.74 £1.30

9.77%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.22 £0.91

$0.50 £0.37

144.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.59 £1.18

$1.88 £1.40

-15.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$21.49 £16.01

$18.30 £13.63

17.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.31 £8.43

$9.34 £6.96

21.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.01 £2.24

$2.24 £1.67

34.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.37 £2.51

$1.86 £1.38

81.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.04 £3.01

$2.70 £2.01

49.63%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$95.0 £70.8

$48.42 £36.07

96.18%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.28 £3.93

$2.69 £2.00

96.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.27 £1.69

$1.45 £1.08

56.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.65 £20.60

$16.33 £12.17

69.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.94 £1.44

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

$38.8K £28.9K

$38.9K £29.0K

-0.28%

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

$38.0K £28.3K

$41.9K £31.2K

-9.27%

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

$378 £281

$290 £216

30.06%

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

$17.76 £13.23

$17.42 £12.98

1.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$41.41 £30.85

$30.08 £22.41

37.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.3 £38.24

$40.44 £30.13

26.93%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.32 £14.39

$12.28 £9.15

57.33%

Cinema Ticket

$17.62 £13.13

$6.83 £5.09

157.98%

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

$1,150 £857

$1,095 £816

5.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.0K £13.4K

$6,923 £5,158

159.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$125 £93.4

$68.5 £51.0

83.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.6 £37.72

$43.62 £32.50

16.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 £78.9

$80.3 £59.8

31.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 £79.5

$69.9 £52.1

52.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,393 £1,038

$1,203 £896

15.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,011 £753

$964 £718

4.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,716 £2,023

$1,878 £1,399

44.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,884 £1,404

$1,717 £1,280

9.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,173 £3,109

$6,733 £5,016

-38.01%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,091 £2,303

$4,706 £3,506

-34.31%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,453 £2,572

$1,899 £1,415

81.81%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.32

5.6

-5.00%

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

Last update for Glasgow: June 2, 2026

Last update for Blackburn: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,393 in Glasgow versus $1,203 in Blackburn. 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 82% 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 $98.0 in Glasgow versus $59.0 in Blackburn. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $314 vs $286 – making Blackburn 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 Blackburn: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,505 in Glasgow, $2,070 in Blackburn – roughly 21% apart. Glasgow costs more across the board, with Getting Around showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,757 per month in Glasgow and $3,105 in Blackburn. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Blackburn, 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 $2,505 in Glasgow and $2,070 in Blackburn. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 96% less in Blackburn. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Blackburn, where all-in costs run around $2,070, than in Glasgow at $2,505. In Blackburn it covers expenses comfortably, while in Glasgow it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Glasgow has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,070 in Blackburn to $2,505 in Glasgow. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Blackburn. 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.