Cost of Living Comparison Between Glasgow and Livingston Cost of Living Comparison Between Glasgow and Livingston

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,464 per month in Glasgow vs $2,206 in Livingston, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,698 per month in Glasgow vs $3,384 in Livingston, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,932 per month in Glasgow vs $4,562 in Livingston, rent included.

Glasgow costs about 12% more than Livingston, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Glasgow and Livingston sit above the global median – Glasgow by 83%, Livingston by 64%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.20 £15.02

$20.37 £15.14

-0.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$97.5 £72.5

$95.0 £70.6

2.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.63 £7.16

$9.91 £7.37

-2.83%

Cappuccino

$4.93 £3.66

$4.86 £3.61

1.44%

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

$2.23 £1.66

$2.74 £2.04

-18.61%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.49 £1.11

$2.19 £1.63

-31.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.63 £4.93

$6.98 £5.19

-5.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.83 £5.08

$6.76 £5.02

1.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 £1.27

White Bread (500g)

$1.64 £1.22

$1.74 £1.29

-5.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.71 £2.02

$2.14 £1.59

26.64%

Eggs

$3.79 £2.81

$3.60 £2.68

5.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.96 £7.41

$10.80 £8.03

-7.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.12 £6.78

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.96 £10.38

$16.44 £12.22

-15.09%

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 £2.44

$3.14 £2.33

4.46%

Banana (1kg)

$1.85 £1.38

$1.64 £1.22

12.80%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.38 £2.51

$2.60 £1.93

30.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.73 £2.77

Potato (1kg)

$1.64 £1.22

$1.76 £1.31

-6.82%

Onion (1kg)

$1.91 £1.42

$1.44 £1.07

32.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.21 £0.90

$1.14 £0.85

6.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 £1.18

$1.73 £1.28

-8.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$20.83 £15.49

$19.00 £14.13

9.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.21 £8.33

$10.76 £8.00

4.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.98 £2.21

$2.59 £1.92

15.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.37 £2.51

$3.36 £2.50

0.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.12 £3.06

$3.24 £2.41

27.16%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$96.8 £72.0

$76.6 £56.9

26.36%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.30 £3.94

$5.31 £3.95

-0.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.33 £1.73

$1.27 £0.94

83.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.95 £20.04

$22.37 £16.63

20.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.93 £1.44

$1.99 £1.48

-3.02%

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

$38.3K £28.5K

$39.0K £29.0K

-1.75%

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

$38.5K £28.7K

$39.9K £29.6K

-3.31%

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

$385 £287

$385 £286

0.08%

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

$17.52 £13.03

$17.70 £13.16

-1.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.49 £30.10

$45.03 £33.48

-10.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.9 £37.87

$60.4 £44.93

-15.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.19 £14.27

$33.88 £25.19

-43.36%

Cinema Ticket

$17.59 £13.07

$10.82 £8.05

62.57%

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

$1,180 £877

$1,254 £933

-5.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.2K £13.5K

$18.3K £13.6K

-0.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$124 £92.3

$107 £79.9

15.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.99 £37.17

$54.8 £40.73

-8.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 £78.5

$115 £85.5

-8.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 £78.6

$82.9 £61.6

27.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,426 £1,060

$879 £653

62.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$991 £737

$784 £583

26.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,744 £2,040

$1,960 £1,457

40.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,875 £1,394

$1,557 £1,157

20.48%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,090 £3,041

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,080 £2,290

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,499 £2,601

$3,491 £2,596

0.21%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.32

5.7

-6.67%

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

Last update for Glasgow: June 6, 2026

Last update for Livingston: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,426 in Glasgow versus $879 in Livingston. 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 0% 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 $97.0 in Glasgow versus $95.0 in Livingston. Groceries tell a different story – $313 in Glasgow vs $314 in Livingston – 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 Livingston: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,464 in Glasgow, $2,206 in Livingston – roughly 12% apart. Glasgow costs more across the board, with Getting Around showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,696 per month in Glasgow and $3,309 in Livingston. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $1,180 per month in Glasgow and $1,254 in Livingston. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 0% cheaper in Glasgow – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Livingston, where all-in costs run around $2,206, than in Glasgow at $2,464. In Livingston 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 $2,206 in Livingston to $2,464 in Glasgow. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Livingston. 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.