Cost of Living Comparison Between Glasgow and Bristol Cost of Living Comparison Between Glasgow and Bristol

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,475 in Glasgow versus $2,954 in Bristol.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,746 in Glasgow versus $4,234 in Bristol.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,018 in Glasgow versus $5,515 in Bristol.

Living in Glasgow costs roughly 16% less than in Bristol, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Glasgow 80% above, Bristol 115% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$23.02 £17.03

$24.11 £17.84

-4.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.8 £50.9

$114 £84.7

-39.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.68 £7.90

$10.91 £8.07

-2.11%

Cappuccino

$4.98 £3.68

$5.36 £3.97

-7.09%

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

$2.28 £1.69

$2.72 £2.01

-16.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.82 £1.35

$1.88 £1.39

-3.19%

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

$6.59 £4.88

-0.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 £1.21

$1.59 £1.18

3.14%

White Bread (500g)

$1.39 £1.03

$1.76 £1.30

-21.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.01 £1.49

$2.02 £1.49

-0.50%

Eggs

$3.85 £2.85

$4.42 £3.27

-12.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.93 £7.35

$8.68 £6.42

14.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.48 £7.02

$9.48 £7.01

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.95 £14.02

$13.15 £9.73

44.11%

Apples (1kg)

$2.81 £2.08

$3.23 £2.39

-13.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 £1.24

$1.76 £1.31

-4.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.85 £2.11

$2.65 £1.96

7.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.08 £2.28

$4.22 £3.12

-27.01%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 £1.32

$2.17 £1.60

-17.97%

Onion (1kg)

$1.53 £1.13

$1.55 £1.15

-1.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.16 £0.86

$1.23 £0.91

-5.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 £1.25

$2.07 £1.53

-18.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$24.33 £18.00

$24.16 £17.87

0.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 £8.23

$10.66 £7.89

4.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.32 £2.46

$2.93 £2.16

13.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 £2.37

$3.72 £2.76

-13.98%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.12 £3.05

$3.36 £2.49

22.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$103 £76.4

$122 £90.3

-15.38%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.85 £4.32

$3.44 £2.55

70.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.20 £0.89

$1.74 £1.28

-31.03%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$63.4 £46.87

$27.57 £20.40

129.78%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.03 £1.50

$2.14 £1.59

-5.14%

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

$39.7K £29.4K

$39.9K £29.5K

-0.27%

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

$41.9K £31.0K

$42.1K £31.1K

-0.41%

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

$342 £253

$332 £245

3.30%

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

$20.02 £14.81

$17.23 £12.75

16.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.24 £31.25

$40.04 £29.62

5.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.13 £33.38

$49.68 £36.75

-9.16%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.67 £15.29

$11.98 £8.86

72.54%

Cinema Ticket

$16.03 £11.86

$14.16 £10.47

13.21%

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

$931 £688

$2,311 £1,710

-59.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.8K £16.1K

$25.3K £18.7K

-14.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$138 £102

$104 £77.0

32.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.04 £34.06

$49.20 £36.40

-6.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 £78.2

$110 £81.6

-4.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.6 £68.5

$98.0 £72.5

-5.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,382 £1,022

$1,959 £1,450

-29.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,089 £806

$1,473 £1,089

-26.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,775 £2,053

$3,227 £2,387

-13.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,055 £1,520

$2,397 £1,773

-14.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,208 £3,113

$7,023 £5,196

-40.09%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,170 £2,345

$5,306 £3,925

-40.25%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,459 £2,559

$3,973 £2,940

-12.95%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.75

4.87

-2.46%

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

Last update for Glasgow: August 30, 2026

Last update for Bristol: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,382 in Glasgow and $1,959 in Bristol. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bristol pays 15% 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 $114 in Bristol. Groceries flip the comparison at $317 vs $313, with Bristol cheaper for home cooking.

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 Bristol: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Glasgow and Bristol differ by about 19% in total monthly costs ($2,475 vs $2,954 including rent). Glasgow is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 15% lower in Bristol. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,382 in Glasgow versus $1,959 in Bristol. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Bristol pay roughly 1% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Dining out is cheaper in Glasgow – a meal for two runs $69.0 versus $114 in Bristol. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $2,475 in Glasgow versus $2,954 in Bristol, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Glasgow but tight or insufficient in Bristol. The gap between the two cities makes Glasgow the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Glasgow and Bristol 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 Glasgow gentler on the wallet – expenses run 19% less than in Bristol. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.