Cost of Living Comparison Between Glasgow and Oldham Cost of Living Comparison Between Glasgow and Oldham

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,505 per month in Glasgow vs $2,097 in Oldham, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,735 per month in Glasgow vs $3,037 in Oldham, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,966 per month in Glasgow vs $3,976 in Oldham, rent included.

Glasgow costs about 19% more than Oldham, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Glasgow and Oldham sit above the global median – Glasgow by 87%, Oldham by 56%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.19 £15.04

$20.61 £15.35

-2.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$98.0 £73.0

$87.4 £65.1

12.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.35 £6.97

$10.23 £7.62

-8.60%

Cappuccino

$4.76 £3.54

$4.86 £3.62

-2.06%

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

$2.18 £1.63

$2.61 £1.95

-16.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.43 £1.07

$1.74 £1.29

-17.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.68 £4.97

$6.83 £5.09

-2.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.72 £5.00

$5.93 £4.42

13.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.77 £1.32

$1.63 £1.22

8.59%

White Bread (500g)

$1.64 £1.22

$1.71 £1.27

-4.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.64 £1.97

$3.38 £2.52

-21.89%

Eggs

$3.85 £2.87

$3.93 £2.92

-2.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.17 £7.58

$10.71 £7.98

-5.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.21 £6.86

$9.74 £7.25

-5.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.83 £10.30

$17.44 £12.99

-20.70%

Apples (1kg)

$3.26 £2.43

$3.31 £2.47

-1.51%

Banana (1kg)

$1.79 £1.33

$1.91 £1.42

-6.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.37 £2.51

$3.11 £2.32

8.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.69 £2.75

$3.71 £2.77

-0.54%

Potato (1kg)

$1.65 £1.23

$1.78 £1.33

-7.30%

Onion (1kg)

$1.91 £1.42

$1.88 £1.40

1.60%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.22 £0.91

$1.31 £0.98

-6.87%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.59 £1.18

$1.45 £1.08

9.66%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$21.49 £16.00

$18.53 £13.80

15.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.31 £8.42

$10.32 £7.69

9.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.01 £2.24

$2.75 £2.05

9.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.37 £2.51

$3.42 £2.55

-1.46%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.04 £3.01

$3.45 £2.57

17.10%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$95.0 £70.8

$83.7 £62.4

13.46%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.28 £3.93

$5.39 £4.02

-2.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.27 £1.69

$1.74 £1.29

30.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.65 £20.59

$33.60 £25.03

-17.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.94 £1.44

$1.88 £1.40

3.19%

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

$38.8K £28.9K

$38.0K £28.3K

2.17%

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

$38.0K £28.3K

$41.4K £30.8K

-8.21%

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

$378 £281

$303 £226

24.47%

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

$17.76 £13.23

$23.17 £17.26

-23.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$41.41 £30.84

$43.56 £32.44

-4.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.3 £38.23

$47.04 £35.04

9.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.32 £14.39

Cinema Ticket

$17.62 £13.12

$12.68 £9.44

38.96%

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

$1,150 £856

$1,584 £1,180

-27.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.0K £13.4K

$6,885 £5,128

161.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$125 £93.4

$91.4 £68.1

37.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.6 £37.71

$41.64 £31.02

21.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 £78.9

$87.5 £65.2

21.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 £79.4

$73.1 £54.4

45.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,393 £1,038

$1,240 £924

12.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,011 £753

$751 £559

34.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,716 £2,023

$1,401 £1,044

93.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,884 £1,403

$1,110 £827

69.80%

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

$2,457 £1,830

40.53%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.32

5.6

-5.00%

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

Last update for Glasgow: June 2, 2026

Last update for Oldham: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,393 in Glasgow versus $1,240 in Oldham. 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 41% 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 $87.0 in Oldham. Groceries tell a different story – $314 in Glasgow vs $328 in Oldham – 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 Oldham: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,505 in Glasgow, $2,097 in Oldham – roughly 19% apart. Glasgow costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,757 per month in Glasgow and $3,145 in Oldham. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Oldham, 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 $1,584 in Oldham. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 4% 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 Oldham, where all-in costs run around $2,097, than in Glasgow at $2,505. In Oldham 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 $2,097 in Oldham to $2,505 in Glasgow. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Oldham. 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.