Cost of Living Comparison Between Glasgow and Ipswich Cost of Living Comparison Between Glasgow and Ipswich

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,505 per month in Glasgow vs $2,092 in Ipswich, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,735 per month in Glasgow vs $3,185 in Ipswich, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,966 per month in Glasgow vs $4,279 in Ipswich, rent included.

Glasgow costs about 20% more than Ipswich, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Glasgow and Ipswich sit above the global median – Glasgow by 87%, Ipswich by 56%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.19 £15.01

$20.14 £14.97

0.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$98.0 £72.9

$88.0 £65.4

11.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.35 £6.95

$10.90 £8.10

-14.22%

Cappuccino

$4.76 £3.54

$4.55 £3.38

4.62%

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

$2.18 £1.62

$1.51 £1.12

44.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.43 £1.06

$1.05 £0.78

36.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.68 £4.96

$6.89 £5.12

-3.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.72 £4.99

$6.17 £4.58

8.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.77 £1.31

$1.44 £1.07

22.92%

White Bread (500g)

$1.64 £1.22

$1.42 £1.05

15.49%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.64 £1.96

$1.51 £1.12

74.83%

Eggs

$3.85 £2.86

$3.57 £2.65

7.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.17 £7.56

$8.51 £6.32

19.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.21 £6.85

$7.03 £5.23

31.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.83 £10.28

$13.18 £9.80

4.93%

Apples (1kg)

$3.26 £2.43

$2.32 £1.72

40.52%

Banana (1kg)

$1.79 £1.33

$1.38 £1.03

29.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.37 £2.50

$2.08 £1.55

62.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.69 £2.75

$2.11 £1.57

74.88%

Potato (1kg)

$1.65 £1.22

$1.72 £1.28

-4.07%

Onion (1kg)

$1.91 £1.42

$1.58 £1.17

20.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.22 £0.90

$0.86 £0.64

41.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.59 £1.18

$0.96 £0.71

65.63%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$21.49 £15.97

$16.49 £12.26

30.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.31 £8.41

$10.70 £7.96

5.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.01 £2.23

$1.73 £1.28

73.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.37 £2.51

$2.41 £1.79

39.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.04 £3.00

$2.78 £2.07

45.32%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$95.0 £70.6

$88.4 £65.7

7.52%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.28 £3.92

$6.26 £4.65

-15.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.27 £1.68

$1.11 £0.82

104.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.65 £20.55

$33.39 £24.82

-17.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.94 £1.44

$1.91 £1.42

1.57%

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

$38.8K £28.9K

$38.1K £28.3K

2.01%

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

$38.0K £28.2K

$41.6K £30.9K

-8.71%

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

$378 £281

$335 £249

12.58%

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

$17.76 £13.20

$14.22 £10.57

24.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$41.41 £30.78

$34.95 £25.98

18.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.3 £38.16

$73.6 £54.7

-30.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.32 £14.36

$11.07 £8.23

74.53%

Cinema Ticket

$17.62 £13.10

$13.48 £10.02

30.71%

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

$1,150 £855

$1,910 £1,420

-39.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.0K £13.4K

$22.3K £16.6K

-19.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$125 £93.2

$81.2 £60.4

54.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.6 £37.64

$40.50 £30.11

25.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 £78.7

$88.3 £65.6

19.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 £79.3

$70.0 £52.1

52.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,393 £1,036

$1,069 £795

30.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,011 £751

$849 £631

19.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,716 £2,019

$1,523 £1,132

78.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,884 £1,401

$1,544 £1,147

22.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,173 £3,102

$5,198 £3,864

-19.71%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,091 £2,297

$3,975 £2,955

-22.25%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,453 £2,566

$3,033 £2,254

13.84%

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 2, 2026

Last update for Ipswich: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,393 in Glasgow versus $1,069 in Ipswich. 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 14% higher in Glasgow, 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 $98.0 in Glasgow versus $88.0 in Ipswich. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $314 vs $246 – making Ipswich 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 Ipswich: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,505 in Glasgow, $2,092 in Ipswich – roughly 20% apart. Glasgow costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,757 per month in Glasgow and $3,138 in Ipswich. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Ipswich, 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 $1,910 in Ipswich. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 28% 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 Ipswich, where all-in costs run around $2,092, than in Glasgow at $2,505. In Ipswich 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 $2,092 in Ipswich 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 Ipswich. 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.