Cost of Living Comparison Between Glasgow and Plymouth Cost of Living Comparison Between Glasgow and Plymouth

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,475 per month in Glasgow vs $2,631 in Plymouth, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,746 per month in Glasgow vs $3,601 in Plymouth, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,018 per month in Glasgow vs $4,570 in Plymouth, rent included.

Glasgow is about 6% cheaper than Plymouth, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Glasgow and Plymouth sit above the global median – Glasgow by 80%, Plymouth by 91%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$23.02 £17.03

$23.45 £17.35

-1.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.8 £50.9

$89.0 £65.9

-22.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.68 £7.90

$11.00 £8.14

-2.91%

Cappuccino

$4.98 £3.68

$4.76 £3.52

4.62%

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

$2.28 £1.69

$2.22 £1.64

2.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.82 £1.35

$1.76 £1.30

3.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.78 £4.28

$6.27 £4.64

-7.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.58 £4.87

$6.94 £5.13

-5.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 £1.21

$1.46 £1.08

12.33%

White Bread (500g)

$1.39 £1.03

$1.29 £0.96

7.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.01 £1.49

$3.02 £2.24

-33.44%

Eggs

$3.85 £2.85

$4.13 £3.05

-6.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.93 £7.35

$10.24 £7.57

-3.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.48 £7.02

$8.25 £6.10

14.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.95 £14.02

$13.62 £10.08

39.13%

Apples (1kg)

$2.81 £2.08

$2.02 £1.49

39.11%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 £1.24

$1.30 £0.96

29.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.85 £2.11

$4.14 £3.06

-31.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.08 £2.28

$3.99 £2.95

-22.81%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 £1.32

$1.88 £1.39

-5.32%

Onion (1kg)

$1.53 £1.13

$1.25 £0.93

22.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.16 £0.86

$1.82 £1.35

-36.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 £1.25

$1.51 £1.12

11.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$24.33 £18.00

$23.97 £17.73

1.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 £8.23

$7.32 £5.42

52.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.32 £2.46

$3.16 £2.33

5.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 £2.37

$4.78 £3.54

-33.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.12 £3.05

$4.04 £2.99

1.98%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$103 £76.4

$132 £97.7

-21.78%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.85 £4.32

$6.74 £4.99

-13.20%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.20 £0.89

$2.51 £1.86

-52.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$63.4 £46.87

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.03 £1.50

$1.92 £1.42

5.73%

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

$39.7K £29.4K

$38.5K £28.5K

3.25%

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

$41.9K £31.0K

$41.8K £30.9K

0.13%

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

$342 £253

$465 £344

-26.42%

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

$20.02 £14.81

$32.81 £24.27

-38.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.24 £31.25

$67.8 £50.2

-37.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.13 £33.38

$44.32 £32.79

1.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.67 £15.29

$17.95 £13.28

15.15%

Cinema Ticket

$16.03 £11.86

$11.30 £8.36

41.86%

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

$931 £688

$2,732 £2,021

-65.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.8K £16.1K

$28.6K £21.2K

-24.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$138 £102

$84.9 £62.8

62.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.04 £34.06

$59.6 £44.09

-22.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 £78.2

$96.4 £71.4

9.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.6 £68.5

$83.1 £61.4

11.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,382 £1,022

$1,071 £793

28.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,089 £806

$1,065 £788

2.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,775 £2,053

$2,351 £1,739

18.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,055 £1,520

$1,430 £1,058

43.72%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,208 £3,113

$4,897 £3,623

-14.08%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,170 £2,345

$3,426 £2,534

-7.46%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,459 £2,559

$3,166 £2,342

9.24%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.75

5.64

-15.78%

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

Last update for Glasgow: August 30, 2026

Last update for Plymouth: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,382 in Glasgow versus $1,071 in Plymouth. 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 9% higher in Glasgow, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $69.0 in Glasgow versus $89.0 in Plymouth. Groceries tell a different story – $317 in Glasgow vs $297 in Plymouth – so Plymouth 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 Plymouth: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,475 in Glasgow, $2,631 in Plymouth – roughly 6% apart. Plymouth costs more across the board, with Monthly Utilities & Internet showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,712 per month in Glasgow and $3,947 in Plymouth. 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 $931 per month in Glasgow and $2,732 in Plymouth. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 7% cheaper in Plymouth – 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 $2,475, than in Plymouth at $2,631. In Glasgow it covers expenses comfortably, while in Plymouth 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 $2,475 in Glasgow to $2,631 in Plymouth. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Glasgow. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Plymouth makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.