Cost of Living Comparison Between Glasgow and Kingston upon Thames Cost of Living Comparison Between Glasgow and Kingston upon Thames

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,466 per month in Glasgow vs $3,304 in Kingston upon Thames, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,727 per month in Glasgow vs $4,818 in Kingston upon Thames, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,988 per month in Glasgow vs $6,332 in Kingston upon Thames, rent included.

Glasgow is about 25% cheaper than Kingston upon Thames, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Glasgow and Kingston upon Thames sit above the global median – Glasgow by 80%, Kingston upon Thames by 141%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$22.79 £17.06

$22.67 £16.97

0.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$67.1 £50.3

$87.5 £65.5

-23.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.70 £8.01

$10.85 £8.12

-1.38%

Cappuccino

$4.80 £3.60

$5.54 £4.14

-13.36%

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

$2.16 £1.62

$2.92 £2.19

-26.03%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.79 £1.34

$1.78 £1.33

0.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.75 £4.31

$9.70 £7.26

-40.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.55 £4.90

$8.86 £6.63

-26.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 £1.23

$1.68 £1.26

-2.38%

White Bread (500g)

$1.38 £1.04

$1.80 £1.35

-23.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.04 £1.53

$2.48 £1.86

-17.74%

Eggs

$3.71 £2.78

$4.99 £3.73

-25.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.89 £7.40

$8.86 £6.63

11.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.39 £7.03

$9.03 £6.76

3.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.64 £13.96

$13.06 £9.78

42.73%

Apples (1kg)

$2.67 £2.00

$3.33 £2.49

-19.82%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 £1.19

$1.49 £1.12

6.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.73 £2.04

$2.63 £1.97

3.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.11 £2.32

$2.95 £2.21

5.42%

Potato (1kg)

$1.80 £1.35

$1.69 £1.26

6.51%

Onion (1kg)

$1.58 £1.19

$1.75 £1.31

-9.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.15 £0.86

$1.24 £0.93

-7.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.64 £1.23

$1.89 £1.41

-13.23%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$24.30 £18.19

$24.08 £18.03

0.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.38 £8.52

$9.73 £7.28

16.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.25 £2.43

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 £2.40

$4.62 £3.46

-30.74%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.13 £3.10

$2.42 £1.81

70.66%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$104 £77.9

$42.66 £31.94

143.95%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.05 £4.53

$4.86 £3.64

24.49%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.21 £0.91

$1.51 £1.13

-19.87%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$61.7 £46.19

$24.08 £18.03

156.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.09 £1.57

$1.98 £1.49

5.56%

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

$39.4K £29.5K

$39.3K £29.5K

0.14%

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

$41.6K £31.1K

$41.9K £31.3K

-0.76%

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

$340 £255

$370 £277

-8.08%

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

$19.53 £14.62

$15.97 £11.96

22.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$41.39 £30.99

$42.13 £31.54

-1.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.02 £32.95

$107 £79.8

-58.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.33 £15.22

$10.87 £8.14

87.03%

Cinema Ticket

$16.49 £12.35

$20.52 £15.36

-19.64%

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

$921 £690

$2,740 £2,051

-66.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.9K £16.4K

$22.6K £16.9K

-3.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$140 £105

$114 £85.5

22.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.40 £34.74

$53.6 £40.11

-13.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 £77.3

$81.7 £61.2

26.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.1 £69.0

$110 £82.4

-16.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,332 £997

$2,052 £1,536

-35.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,083 £811

$1,890 £1,415

-42.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,725 £2,040

$3,651 £2,734

-25.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,975 £1,479

$3,186 £2,385

-38.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,101 £3,071

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,128 £2,342

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,483 £2,608

$5,466 £4,093

-36.28%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.78

4.67

2.36%

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

Last update for Glasgow: September 14, 2026

Last update for Kingston upon Thames: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,332 in Glasgow versus $2,052 in Kingston upon Thames. 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 57% higher in Kingston upon Thames, 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 $67.0 in Glasgow versus $88.0 in Kingston upon Thames. Groceries tell a different story – $313 in Glasgow vs $308 in Kingston upon Thames – so Kingston upon Thames 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 Kingston upon Thames: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,466 in Glasgow, $3,304 in Kingston upon Thames – roughly 34% apart. Kingston upon Thames costs more across the board, with Sport & Entertainment showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,699 per month in Glasgow and $4,956 in Kingston upon Thames. 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 $921 per month in Glasgow and $2,740 in Kingston upon Thames. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 2% cheaper in Kingston upon Thames – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Glasgow, where all-in costs run around $2,466, than in Kingston upon Thames at $3,304. In Glasgow it covers expenses comfortably, while in Kingston upon Thames 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 $2,466 in Glasgow to $3,304 in Kingston upon Thames. 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, Kingston upon Thames makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.