Cost of Living Comparison Between Glasgow and Guildford Cost of Living Comparison Between Glasgow and Guildford

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,453 per month in Glasgow vs $3,222 in Guildford, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,703 per month in Glasgow vs $4,479 in Guildford, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,952 per month in Glasgow vs $5,735 in Guildford, rent included.

Glasgow is about 24% cheaper than Guildford, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Glasgow and Guildford sit above the global median – Glasgow by 83%, Guildford by 141%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.10 £14.89

$20.57 £15.24

-2.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$99.2 £73.5

$88.3 £65.5

12.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.39 £6.96

$11.34 £8.40

-17.20%

Cappuccino

$4.91 £3.64

$4.72 £3.50

4.03%

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

$2.15 £1.60

$2.63 £1.95

-18.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.49 £1.10

$1.86 £1.38

-19.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.92 £5.13

$8.30 £6.15

-16.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.68 £4.95

$6.88 £5.10

-2.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 £1.26

$1.61 £1.19

5.59%

White Bread (500g)

$1.71 £1.27

$1.04 £0.77

64.42%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.65 £1.96

$1.81 £1.34

46.41%

Eggs

$3.78 £2.80

$4.52 £3.35

-16.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.86 £7.31

$14.84 £11.00

-33.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.43 £6.99

$10.28 £7.61

-8.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.32 £10.61

$16.13 £11.95

-11.22%

Apples (1kg)

$3.42 £2.54

$3.66 £2.71

-6.56%

Banana (1kg)

$1.87 £1.38

$2.19 £1.62

-14.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.27 £2.42

$4.40 £3.26

-25.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.60 £2.67

$4.94 £3.66

-27.13%

Potato (1kg)

$1.70 £1.26

$1.79 £1.33

-5.03%

Onion (1kg)

$1.82 £1.35

$1.45 £1.07

25.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.26 £0.93

$1.08 £0.80

16.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.61 £1.20

$1.22 £0.91

31.97%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$21.29 £15.77

$20.14 £14.92

5.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.32 £8.38

$13.52 £10.02

-16.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.03 £2.25

$2.44 £1.81

24.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.38 £2.50

$3.51 £2.60

-3.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.03 £2.98

$2.92 £2.17

38.01%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$95.4 £70.7

$94.5 £70.1

0.91%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.41 £4.01

$6.74 £5.00

-19.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.32 £1.72

$1.59 £1.18

45.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.74 £19.82

$23.17 £17.17

15.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.00 £1.48

$1.92 £1.42

4.17%

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

$39.0K £28.9K

$37.7K £27.9K

3.59%

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

$39.5K £29.3K

$40.9K £30.3K

-3.52%

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

$385 £286

$391 £289

-1.34%

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

$17.79 £13.18

$17.08 £12.66

4.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.53 £30.03

$41.49 £30.74

-2.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.7 £37.56

$71.6 £53.1

-29.19%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.41 £14.38

$16.55 £12.26

17.28%

Cinema Ticket

$17.86 £13.23

$16.69 £12.37

7.01%

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

$1,164 £863

$2,111 £1,564

-44.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.6K £13.8K

$24.7K £18.3K

-24.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$123 £91.0

$83.9 £62.2

46.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.46 £36.65

$67.1 £49.70

-26.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$108 £80.3

$95.0 £70.4

14.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 £79.9

$124 £92.2

-13.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,384 £1,026

$1,856 £1,375

-25.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,005 £745

$1,647 £1,220

-38.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,712 £2,010

$2,682 £1,987

1.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,834 £1,359

$2,490 £1,845

-26.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,266 £3,161

$7,764 £5,753

-45.06%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,067 £2,273

$7,138 £5,289

-57.03%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,602 £2,669

$3,665 £2,716

-1.72%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.32

6.24

-14.74%

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

Last update for Glasgow: April 27, 2026

Last update for Guildford: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,384 in Glasgow versus $1,856 in Guildford. 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 2% higher in Guildford, 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 $99.0 in Glasgow versus $88.0 in Guildford. Groceries tell a different story – $317 in Glasgow vs $343 in Guildford – so Glasgow wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Guildford: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,453 in Glasgow, $3,222 in Guildford – roughly 31% apart. Guildford costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,680 per month in Glasgow and $4,834 in Guildford. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $1,164 per month in Glasgow and $2,111 in Guildford. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 8% more in Guildford, 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 Glasgow, where all-in costs run around $2,453, than in Guildford at $3,222. In Glasgow it covers expenses comfortably, while in Guildford 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 $2,453 in Glasgow to $3,222 in Guildford. 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 Glasgow. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Guildford makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.