Cost of Living Comparison Between Glasgow and Leicester Cost of Living Comparison Between Glasgow and Leicester

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,505 per month in Glasgow vs $2,263 in Leicester, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,735 per month in Glasgow vs $3,227 in Leicester, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,966 per month in Glasgow vs $4,192 in Leicester, rent included.

Glasgow costs about 11% more than Leicester, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Glasgow and Leicester sit above the global median – Glasgow by 87%, Leicester by 69%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.19 £15.04

$20.77 £15.47

-2.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$98.0 £73.0

$68.3 £50.9

43.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.35 £6.97

$8.90 £6.63

5.06%

Cappuccino

$4.76 £3.54

$3.63 £2.71

31.13%

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

$2.18 £1.63

$1.96 £1.46

11.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.43 £1.07

$1.16 £0.86

23.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.68 £4.97

$5.40 £4.02

23.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.72 £5.00

$6.22 £4.63

8.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.77 £1.32

$1.92 £1.43

-7.81%

White Bread (500g)

$1.64 £1.22

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.64 £1.97

$2.35 £1.75

12.34%

Eggs

$3.85 £2.87

$3.60 £2.68

6.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.17 £7.58

$12.13 £9.03

-16.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.21 £6.86

$9.64 £7.18

-4.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.83 £10.30

$12.10 £9.01

14.30%

Apples (1kg)

$3.26 £2.43

$2.33 £1.74

39.91%

Banana (1kg)

$1.79 £1.33

$1.74 £1.30

2.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.37 £2.51

$2.67 £1.99

26.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.69 £2.75

$3.19 £2.37

15.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.65 £1.23

$1.25 £0.93

32.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.91 £1.42

$1.64 £1.22

16.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.22 £0.91

$0.81 £0.60

50.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.59 £1.18

$1.43 £1.06

11.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$21.49 £16.00

$20.58 £15.33

4.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.31 £8.42

$11.25 £8.38

0.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.01 £2.24

$2.82 £2.10

6.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.37 £2.51

$2.76 £2.05

22.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.04 £3.01

$3.30 £2.46

22.42%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$95.0 £70.8

$85.8 £63.9

10.69%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.28 £3.93

$5.29 £3.94

-0.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.27 £1.69

$1.36 £1.01

66.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.65 £20.59

$40.88 £30.45

-32.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.94 £1.44

$1.96 £1.46

-1.02%

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

$38.8K £28.9K

$38.7K £28.8K

0.25%

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

$38.0K £28.3K

$42.1K £31.4K

-9.82%

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

$378 £281

$282 £210

34.02%

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

$17.76 £13.23

$17.10 £12.73

3.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$41.41 £30.84

$41.75 £31.10

-0.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.3 £38.23

$40.14 £29.90

27.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.32 £14.39

$32.26 £24.03

-40.11%

Cinema Ticket

$17.62 £13.12

$14.96 £11.14

17.78%

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

$1,150 £856

$1,028 £765

11.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.0K £13.4K

$33.6K £25.0K

-46.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$125 £93.4

$95.6 £71.2

31.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.6 £37.71

$36.79 £27.40

37.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 £78.9

$132 £98.1

-19.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 £79.4

$94.5 £70.4

12.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,393 £1,038

$1,029 £767

35.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,011 £753

$1,031 £768

-1.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,716 £2,023

$1,727 £1,286

57.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,884 £1,403

$1,512 £1,126

24.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,173 £3,108

$5,122 £3,815

-18.52%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,091 £2,302

$3,562 £2,653

-13.21%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,453 £2,571

$2,882 £2,147

19.80%

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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Leicester: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,393 in Glasgow versus $1,029 in Leicester. 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 20% 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 $68.0 in Leicester. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $314 vs $299 – making Leicester 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 Leicester: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,505 in Glasgow, $2,263 in Leicester – roughly 11% apart. Glasgow costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,757 per month in Glasgow and $3,394 in Leicester. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Leicester, 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 $1,028 in Leicester. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 5% 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 $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Leicester, where all-in costs run around $2,263, than in Glasgow at $2,505. In Leicester 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 $2,263 in Leicester to $2,505 in Glasgow. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Leicester. 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.