Cost of Living Comparison Between Glasgow and Durham Cost of Living Comparison Between Glasgow and Durham

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,448 in Glasgow versus $2,084 in Durham.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,719 in Glasgow versus $3,090 in Durham.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,990 in Glasgow versus $4,097 in Durham.

Living in Glasgow is roughly 17% more expensive than Durham, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Glasgow 84% above, Durham 56% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.64 £15.37

$18.77 £13.98

9.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$98.8 £73.6

$93.7 £69.8

5.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.40 £7.00

$10.15 £7.56

-7.39%

Cappuccino

$4.92 £3.66

$4.42 £3.29

11.31%

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

$2.25 £1.67

$2.51 £1.87

-10.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.44 £1.08

$2.01 £1.50

-28.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.69 £4.98

$5.99 £4.46

11.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.70 £4.99

$5.54 £4.12

20.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 £1.29

$1.82 £1.36

-4.40%

White Bread (500g)

$1.67 £1.24

$1.69 £1.26

-1.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.68 £2.00

$2.45 £1.82

9.39%

Eggs

$3.84 £2.86

$4.07 £3.03

-5.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.96 £7.41

$9.13 £6.80

9.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.04 £6.74

$8.05 £5.99

12.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.84 £10.31

$9.54 £7.10

45.07%

Apples (1kg)

$3.31 £2.47

$3.59 £2.67

-7.80%

Banana (1kg)

$1.77 £1.32

$2.21 £1.65

-19.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.35 £2.50

$3.23 £2.40

3.72%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.68 £2.74

$3.31 £2.47

11.18%

Potato (1kg)

$1.63 £1.21

$1.18 £0.88

38.14%

Onion (1kg)

$1.81 £1.35

$1.59 £1.18

13.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.26 £0.94

$1.00 £0.75

26.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.64 £1.22

$1.79 £1.34

-8.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$21.51 £16.02

$22.90 £17.06

-6.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.01 £8.20

$10.94 £8.15

0.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.92 £2.17

$3.02 £2.25

-3.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.27 £2.44

$2.91 £2.17

12.37%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.11 £3.06

$3.28 £2.45

25.30%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$95.4 £71.1

$55.4 £41.24

72.35%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.54 £4.12

$4.63 £3.45

19.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.26 £1.69

$1.60 £1.19

41.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.68 £19.87

$23.31 £17.36

14.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.93 £1.44

$1.99 £1.49

-3.02%

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

$38.5K £28.7K

$36.8K £27.4K

4.41%

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

$39.3K £29.2K

$40.1K £29.9K

-2.08%

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

$377 £281

$273 £203

38.19%

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

$17.85 £13.30

$15.65 £11.66

14.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.09 £29.86

$34.11 £25.40

17.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.6 £37.68

$50.8 £37.85

-0.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.65 £14.64

Cinema Ticket

$17.74 £13.21

$13.08 £9.74

35.63%

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

$1,148 £855

$1,617 £1,204

-28.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.4K £13.7K

0.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$124 £92.5

$102 £76.0

21.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.7 £37.78

$60.1 £44.75

-15.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$107 £80.0

$121 £89.8

-10.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 £78.9

$88.7 £66.0

19.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,382 £1,029

$1,443 £1,075

-4.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$984 £733

$831 £619

18.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,801 £2,086

$2,552 £1,901

9.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,858 £1,384

$1,237 £922

50.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,072 £3,033

$5,129 £3,820

-20.60%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,035 £2,260

$3,824 £2,848

-20.64%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,512 £2,615

$2,070 £1,542

69.62%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.32

5.45

-2.39%

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

Last update for Glasgow: June 13, 2026

Last update for Durham: June 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,382 in Glasgow and $1,443 in Durham. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Glasgow pays 70% 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: $99.0 in Glasgow vs $94.0 in Durham for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $312 vs $293 per month, with Durham 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 Durham: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Glasgow and Durham differ by about 17% in total monthly costs ($2,448 vs $2,084 including rent). Durham is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Glasgow pays 70% more on average, 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 $1,443 in Durham. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,448 per month in Glasgow versus $2,084 in Durham – a 17% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Durham runs roughly 72% less than in Glasgow. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $2,084 in Durham versus $2,448 in Glasgow, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Durham but tight or insufficient in Glasgow. The gap between the two cities makes Durham 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 Durham 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 Durham gentler on the wallet – expenses run 17% less than in Glasgow. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.