Cost of Living Comparison Between Glasgow and Derry Cost of Living Comparison Between Glasgow and Derry

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,505 per month in Glasgow vs $1,730 in Derry, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,735 per month in Glasgow vs $2,582 in Derry, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,966 per month in Glasgow vs $3,433 in Derry, rent included.

Glasgow costs about 45% more than Derry, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Glasgow and Derry sit above the global median – Glasgow by 87%, Derry by 29%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.19 £15.01

$17.81 £13.24

13.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$98.0 £72.9

$80.9 £60.1

21.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.35 £6.95

$9.27 £6.89

0.86%

Cappuccino

$4.76 £3.54

$4.64 £3.45

2.59%

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

$2.18 £1.62

$2.22 £1.65

-1.80%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.43 £1.06

$1.45 £1.08

-1.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.68 £4.96

$5.65 £4.20

18.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.72 £4.99

$6.22 £4.63

8.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.77 £1.31

$1.80 £1.34

-1.67%

White Bread (500g)

$1.64 £1.22

$1.31 £0.97

25.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.64 £1.96

$2.03 £1.51

30.05%

Eggs

$3.85 £2.86

$3.37 £2.51

14.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.17 £7.56

$9.56 £7.11

6.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.21 £6.85

$9.08 £6.75

1.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.83 £10.28

$13.90 £10.33

-0.50%

Apples (1kg)

$3.26 £2.43

$2.78 £2.06

17.27%

Banana (1kg)

$1.79 £1.33

$1.32 £0.98

35.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.37 £2.50

$2.90 £2.16

16.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.69 £2.75

$3.57 £2.66

3.36%

Potato (1kg)

$1.65 £1.22

$1.38 £1.02

19.57%

Onion (1kg)

$1.91 £1.42

$1.37 £1.02

39.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.22 £0.90

$0.99 £0.74

23.23%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.59 £1.18

$1.61 £1.19

-1.24%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$21.49 £15.97

$21.10 £15.69

1.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.31 £8.41

$10.65 £7.92

6.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.01 £2.23

$2.58 £1.92

16.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.37 £2.51

$3.43 £2.55

-1.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.04 £3.00

$3.78 £2.81

6.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$95.0 £70.6

$53.7 £39.93

76.82%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.28 £3.92

$5.33 £3.96

-0.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.27 £1.68

$2.28 £1.70

-0.44%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.65 £20.55

$26.80 £19.92

3.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.94 £1.44

$1.92 £1.42

1.04%

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

$38.8K £28.9K

$38.0K £28.2K

2.30%

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

$38.0K £28.2K

$38.4K £28.5K

-1.01%

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

$378 £281

$138 £103

173.09%

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

$17.76 £13.20

$15.82 £11.76

12.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$41.41 £30.78

$40.68 £30.24

1.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.3 £38.16

$36.15 £26.87

41.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.32 £14.36

$13.77 £10.23

40.31%

Cinema Ticket

$17.62 £13.10

$10.75 £7.99

63.91%

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

$1,150 £855

$1,140 £848

0.83%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.0K £13.4K

$18.3K £13.6K

-1.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$125 £93.2

$96.8 £71.9

29.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.6 £37.64

$40.41 £30.04

25.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 £78.7

$103 £76.8

2.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 £79.3

$64.8 £48.18

64.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,393 £1,036

$835 £621

66.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,011 £751

$669 £497

51.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,716 £2,019

$1,327 £986

104.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,884 £1,401

$1,016 £755

85.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,173 £3,102

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,091 £2,297

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,453 £2,566

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.32

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

Last update for Glasgow: June 2, 2026

Last update for Derry: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,393 in Glasgow versus $835 in Derry. 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 $98.0 in Glasgow versus $81.0 in Derry. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $314 vs $291 – making Derry 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 Derry: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,505 in Glasgow, $1,730 in Derry – roughly 45% 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 $2,595 in Derry. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $1,150 per month in Glasgow and $1,140 in Derry. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 8% more in Glasgow, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Derry, where all-in costs run around $1,730, than in Glasgow at $2,505. In Derry 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 $1,730 in Derry to $2,505 in Glasgow. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Derry. 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.