Cost of Living Comparison Between Glasgow and Merthyr Tydfil Cost of Living Comparison Between Glasgow and Merthyr Tydfil

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,505 per month in Glasgow vs $2,208 in Merthyr Tydfil, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,735 per month in Glasgow vs $3,061 in Merthyr Tydfil, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,966 per month in Glasgow vs $3,915 in Merthyr Tydfil, rent included.

Glasgow costs about 13% more than Merthyr Tydfil, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Glasgow and Merthyr Tydfil sit above the global median – Glasgow by 87%, Merthyr Tydfil by 65%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.19 £15.04

$20.20 £15.05

-0.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$98.0 £73.0

$62.0 £46.17

58.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.35 £6.97

$8.12 £6.05

15.15%

Cappuccino

$4.76 £3.54

$3.72 £2.77

27.96%

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

$2.18 £1.63

$2.29 £1.70

-4.80%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.43 £1.07

$1.74 £1.30

-17.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.68 £4.97

$5.16 £3.84

29.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.72 £5.00

$4.54 £3.38

48.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.77 £1.32

$1.85 £1.38

-4.32%

White Bread (500g)

$1.64 £1.22

$1.68 £1.25

-2.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.64 £1.97

$2.82 £2.10

-6.38%

Eggs

$3.85 £2.87

$5.49 £4.09

-29.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.17 £7.58

$14.52 £10.82

-29.96%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.21 £6.86

$8.93 £6.65

3.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.83 £10.30

$14.14 £10.53

-2.19%

Apples (1kg)

$3.26 £2.43

$4.08 £3.04

-20.10%

Banana (1kg)

$1.79 £1.33

$1.54 £1.15

16.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.37 £2.51

$3.17 £2.36

6.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.69 £2.75

$5.71 £4.25

-35.38%

Potato (1kg)

$1.65 £1.23

$1.64 £1.22

0.61%

Onion (1kg)

$1.91 £1.42

$1.98 £1.48

-3.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.22 £0.91

$1.05 £0.78

16.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.59 £1.18

$2.06 £1.54

-22.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$21.49 £16.00

$19.75 £14.71

8.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.31 £8.42

$11.99 £8.93

-5.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.01 £2.24

$3.47 £2.58

-13.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.37 £2.51

$4.59 £3.42

-26.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.04 £3.01

$3.39 £2.52

19.17%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$95.0 £70.8

$102 £75.6

-6.47%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.28 £3.93

$8.32 £6.20

-36.54%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.27 £1.69

$1.45 £1.08

56.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.65 £20.59

$33.77 £25.16

-18.12%

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

$37.7K £28.1K

3.03%

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

$38.0K £28.3K

$44.8K £33.4K

-15.14%

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

$378 £281

$380 £283

-0.65%

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

$17.76 £13.23

$18.76 £13.97

-5.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$41.41 £30.84

$47.49 £35.37

-12.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.3 £38.23

$45.79 £34.10

12.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.32 £14.39

Cinema Ticket

$17.62 £13.12

$14.68 £10.93

20.03%

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

$1,150 £856

$1,754 £1,306

-34.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.0K £13.4K

$18.3K £13.6K

-1.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$125 £93.4

$94.1 £70.1

33.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.6 £37.71

$52.9 £39.37

-4.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 £78.9

$92.9 £69.2

14.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 £79.4

$120 £89.1

-10.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,393 £1,038

$812 £605

71.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,011 £753

$781 £582

29.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,716 £2,023

$1,181 £880

129.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,884 £1,403

$1,033 £769

82.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,173 £3,108

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,091 £2,302

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,453 £2,571

$1,606 £1,196

115.01%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.32

5.74

-7.32%

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

Last update for Glasgow: June 2, 2026

Last update for Merthyr Tydfil: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,393 in Glasgow versus $812 in Merthyr Tydfil. 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 115% 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 $62.0 in Merthyr Tydfil. Groceries tell a different story – $314 in Glasgow vs $358 in Merthyr Tydfil – 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 Merthyr Tydfil: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,505 in Glasgow, $2,208 in Merthyr Tydfil – roughly 13% 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 $3,311 in Merthyr Tydfil. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Merthyr Tydfil, 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 $1,754 in Merthyr Tydfil. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 14% cheaper in Glasgow – 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 Merthyr Tydfil, where all-in costs run around $2,208, than in Glasgow at $2,505. In Merthyr Tydfil 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 $2,208 in Merthyr Tydfil to $2,505 in Glasgow. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Merthyr Tydfil. 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.