Cost of Living Comparison Between Glasgow and Isle of Islay Cost of Living Comparison Between Glasgow and Isle of Islay

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,448 per month in Glasgow vs $2,314 in Isle of Islay, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,723 per month in Glasgow vs $3,486 in Isle of Islay, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,998 per month in Glasgow vs $4,658 in Isle of Islay, rent included.

Glasgow costs about 6% more than Isle of Islay, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Glasgow and Isle of Islay sit above the global median – Glasgow by 82%, Isle of Islay by 72%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.26 £14.97

$20.71 £15.30

-2.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$97.0 £71.7

$95.0 £70.2

2.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.65 £7.13

$10.39 £7.68

-7.12%

Cappuccino

$4.76 £3.52

$4.41 £3.26

7.94%

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

$2.16 £1.59

$2.22 £1.64

-2.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 £1.11

$1.32 £0.98

13.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.84 £5.06

$5.72 £4.23

19.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.94 £5.13

$5.82 £4.30

19.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 £1.28

$2.09 £1.54

-17.22%

White Bread (500g)

$1.74 £1.29

$1.50 £1.11

16.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.65 £1.96

$2.49 £1.84

6.43%

Eggs

$3.92 £2.90

$4.72 £3.49

-16.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.89 £7.31

$8.04 £5.94

23.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.28 £6.86

$9.55 £7.06

-2.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.95 £10.31

$15.72 £11.62

-11.26%

Apples (1kg)

$3.37 £2.49

$3.09 £2.29

9.06%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 £1.34

$2.44 £1.80

-25.82%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.35 £2.47

$2.71 £2.00

23.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.72 £2.75

$4.61 £3.41

-19.31%

Potato (1kg)

$1.70 £1.26

$2.16 £1.60

-21.30%

Onion (1kg)

$1.85 £1.37

$1.87 £1.38

-1.07%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.25 £0.93

$1.26 £0.93

-0.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.64 £1.21

$2.10 £1.55

-21.90%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$21.47 £15.87

$19.10 £14.12

12.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.19 £8.27

$12.11 £8.95

-7.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.88 £2.13

$3.17 £2.34

-9.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.31 £2.44

$2.96 £2.19

11.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.20 £3.10

$3.42 £2.52

22.81%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$93.9 £69.4

$88.3 £65.3

6.29%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.46 £4.03

$4.85 £3.59

12.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.32 £1.71

$1.53 £1.13

51.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.48 £20.31

$23.37 £17.27

17.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.02 £1.49

$1.89 £1.39

6.88%

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

$38.8K £28.7K

$38.6K £28.5K

0.71%

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

$38.3K £28.3K

$47.8K £35.3K

-19.95%

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

$386 £285

$236 £175

63.14%

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

$17.85 £13.19

$14.48 £10.70

23.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.08 £29.62

$47.06 £34.78

-14.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.6 £37.36

$46.24 £34.17

9.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.75 £14.60

Cinema Ticket

$17.92 £13.24

$12.71 £9.40

40.99%

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

$1,178 £871

$1,602 £1,184

-26.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.1K £13.4K

$16.1K £11.9K

12.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$124 £91.5

$97.6 £72.1

26.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.1 £37.00

$65.8 £48.62

-23.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$107 £79.3

$138 £102

-22.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 £79.9

$120 £88.7

-9.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,394 £1,030

$1,230 £909

13.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$993 £734

$1,005 £742

-1.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,738 £2,023

$2,022 £1,494

35.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,865 £1,378

$1,695 £1,253

10.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,135 £3,056

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,067 £2,266

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,644 £2,693

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.32

5.9

-9.83%

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

Last update for Glasgow: April 13, 2026

Last update for Isle of Islay: April 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,394 in Glasgow versus $1,230 in Isle of Islay. 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 $97 in Glasgow versus $95 in Isle of Islay. Groceries tell a different story – $316 in Glasgow vs $334 in Isle of Islay – 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 Isle of Islay: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,448 in Glasgow, $2,314 in Isle of Islay – roughly 6% apart. Glasgow costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,673 per month in Glasgow and $3,472 in Isle of Islay. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $1,178 per month in Glasgow and $1,602 in Isle of Islay. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 6% cheaper in Glasgow – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Isle of Islay, where all-in costs run around $2,314, than in Glasgow at $2,448. In Isle of Islay 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 $2,314 in Isle of Islay to $2,448 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 Isle of Islay. 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.