Cost of Living Comparison Between Glasgow and Derby Cost of Living Comparison Between Glasgow and Derby

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,466 per month in Glasgow vs $2,269 in Derby, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,727 per month in Glasgow vs $3,490 in Derby, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,988 per month in Glasgow vs $4,712 in Derby, rent included.

Glasgow costs about 9% more than Derby, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Glasgow and Derby sit above the global median – Glasgow by 80%, Derby by 66%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$22.79 £17.03

$26.47 £19.78

-13.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$67.1 £50.2

$96.3 £72.0

-30.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.70 £7.99

$10.82 £8.09

-1.11%

Cappuccino

$4.80 £3.59

$5.07 £3.79

-5.33%

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

$2.16 £1.62

$2.67 £1.99

-19.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.79 £1.34

$2.04 £1.53

-12.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.75 £4.30

$6.79 £5.07

-15.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.55 £4.89

$7.48 £5.59

-12.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 £1.22

$1.59 £1.19

3.14%

White Bread (500g)

$1.38 £1.03

$1.49 £1.12

-7.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.04 £1.53

$2.34 £1.75

-12.82%

Eggs

$3.71 £2.77

$3.93 £2.94

-5.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.89 £7.39

$8.65 £6.46

14.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.39 £7.01

$8.39 £6.27

11.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.64 £13.93

$23.34 £17.44

-20.14%

Apples (1kg)

$2.67 £2.00

$5.54 £4.14

-51.81%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 £1.19

$2.82 £2.11

-43.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.73 £2.04

$3.13 £2.34

-12.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.11 £2.32

$3.84 £2.87

-19.01%

Potato (1kg)

$1.80 £1.34

$1.55 £1.16

16.13%

Onion (1kg)

$1.58 £1.18

$1.66 £1.24

-4.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.15 £0.86

$1.07 £0.80

7.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.64 £1.22

$1.39 £1.04

17.99%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$24.30 £18.16

$24.25 £18.12

0.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.38 £8.50

$10.73 £8.02

6.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.25 £2.43

$3.21 £2.40

1.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 £2.39

$3.77 £2.82

-15.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.13 £3.09

$3.09 £2.31

33.66%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$104 £77.8

$94.3 £70.5

10.37%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.05 £4.52

$4.43 £3.31

36.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.21 £0.90

$1.69 £1.26

-28.40%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$61.7 £46.11

$32.16 £24.03

91.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.09 £1.57

$2.02 £1.51

3.47%

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

$39.4K £29.4K

$39.3K £29.3K

0.34%

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

$41.6K £31.1K

$41.5K £31.0K

0.18%

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

$340 £254

$365 £273

-6.80%

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

$19.53 £14.59

$20.35 £15.21

-4.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$41.39 £30.93

$41.00 £30.64

0.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.02 £32.89

$46.06 £34.42

-4.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.33 £15.19

$26.21 £19.58

-22.43%

Cinema Ticket

$16.49 £12.32

$15.63 £11.68

5.50%

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

$921 £689

$1,862 £1,391

-50.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.9K £16.3K

$20.3K £15.1K

7.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$140 £105

$119 £88.9

17.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.40 £34.68

$58.6 £43.78

-20.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 £77.1

$86.7 £64.8

19.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.1 £68.9

$100 £74.9

-8.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,332 £995

$798 £597

66.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,083 £809

$728 £544

48.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,725 £2,036

$1,638 £1,224

66.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,975 £1,476

$1,324 £990

49.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,101 £3,065

$5,757 £4,302

-28.76%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,128 £2,337

$3,148 £2,353

-0.65%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,483 £2,603

$3,612 £2,699

-3.58%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.78

4.88

-2.05%

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

Last update for Glasgow: September 14, 2026

Last update for Derby: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,332 in Glasgow versus $798 in Derby. 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 4% higher in Derby, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $67.0 in Glasgow versus $96.0 in Derby. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $313 vs $344 – making Glasgow 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 Derby: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Glasgow costs about 9% more than Derby, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,699 per month in Glasgow and $3,403 in Derby. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $921 per month in Glasgow and $1,862 in Derby. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 10% cheaper in Glasgow – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Derby, where all-in costs run around $2,269, than in Glasgow at $2,466. In Derby it covers expenses comfortably, while in Glasgow it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Derby costs $2,269 versus $2,466 in Glasgow. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

If budget matters most, go with Derby. 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.