Cost of Living Comparison Between Glasgow and Preston Cost of Living Comparison Between Glasgow and Preston

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,505 per month in Glasgow vs $2,101 in Preston, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,735 per month in Glasgow vs $3,213 in Preston, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,966 per month in Glasgow vs $4,324 in Preston, rent included.

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

Both Glasgow and Preston sit above the global median – Glasgow by 87%, Preston by 57%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.19 £15.04

$16.62 £12.38

21.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$98.0 £73.0

$74.7 £55.6

31.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.35 £6.97

$8.54 £6.36

9.48%

Cappuccino

$4.76 £3.54

$4.32 £3.22

10.19%

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

$2.18 £1.63

$2.08 £1.55

4.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.43 £1.07

$1.55 £1.15

-7.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.68 £4.97

$5.37 £4.00

24.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.72 £5.00

$5.47 £4.08

22.85%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.77 £1.32

$1.61 £1.20

9.94%

White Bread (500g)

$1.64 £1.22

$1.46 £1.09

12.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.64 £1.97

$1.73 £1.29

52.60%

Eggs

$3.85 £2.87

$3.82 £2.85

0.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.17 £7.58

$10.35 £7.71

-1.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.21 £6.86

$8.25 £6.14

11.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.83 £10.30

$17.47 £13.01

-20.84%

Apples (1kg)

$3.26 £2.43

$2.79 £2.08

16.85%

Banana (1kg)

$1.79 £1.33

$1.97 £1.47

-9.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.37 £2.51

$3.04 £2.27

10.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.69 £2.75

$3.80 £2.83

-2.89%

Potato (1kg)

$1.65 £1.23

Onion (1kg)

$1.91 £1.42

$2.07 £1.54

-7.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.22 £0.91

$1.02 £0.76

19.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.59 £1.18

$1.79 £1.33

-11.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$21.49 £16.00

$18.20 £13.55

18.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.31 £8.42

$9.61 £7.15

17.69%

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

$1.94 £1.45

73.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.04 £3.01

$2.65 £1.97

52.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$95.0 £70.8

$118 £87.6

-19.23%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.28 £3.93

$2.65 £1.98

99.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.27 £1.69

$1.57 £1.17

44.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.65 £20.59

$16.34 £12.17

69.22%

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

$38.9K £29.0K

-0.32%

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

$38.0K £28.3K

$40.9K £30.4K

-7.00%

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

$378 £281

$291 £217

29.61%

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

$17.76 £13.23

$16.08 £11.97

10.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$41.41 £30.84

$42.76 £31.85

-3.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.3 £38.23

$42.70 £31.80

20.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.32 £14.39

$16.87 £12.56

14.52%

Cinema Ticket

$17.62 £13.12

$13.14 £9.79

34.09%

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

$1,150 £856

$1,292 £963

-11.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.0K £13.4K

$8,783 £6,541

104.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$125 £93.4

$80.3 £59.8

56.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.6 £37.71

$43.79 £32.62

15.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 £78.9

$75.9 £56.5

39.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 £79.4

$68.7 £51.2

55.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,393 £1,038

$1,031 £768

35.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,011 £753

$867 £645

16.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,716 £2,023

$2,006 £1,494

35.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,884 £1,403

$1,686 £1,256

11.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,173 £3,108

$3,371 £2,511

23.79%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,091 £2,302

$2,433 £1,812

27.03%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,453 £2,571

$3,419 £2,547

0.98%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.32

5.57

-4.49%

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

Last update for Glasgow: June 2, 2026

Last update for Preston: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,393 in Glasgow versus $1,031 in Preston. 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 1% 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 $75.0 in Preston. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $314 vs $306 – making Preston 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 Preston: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,505 in Glasgow, $2,101 in Preston – 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 $3,151 in Preston. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Preston, 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 $1,292 in Preston. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 3% 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 $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Preston, where all-in costs run around $2,101, than in Glasgow at $2,505. In Preston 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 $2,101 in Preston to $2,505 in Glasgow. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Preston. 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.