Cost of Living Comparison Between Glasgow and Retford Cost of Living Comparison Between Glasgow and Retford

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,475 per month in Glasgow vs $1,159 in Retford, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,746 per month in Glasgow vs $2,360 in Retford, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,018 per month in Glasgow vs $3,560 in Retford, rent included.

Glasgow costs about 113% more than Retford, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Glasgow sits 80% above the global median, while Retford is 16% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$23.02 £17.03

$15.17 £11.22

51.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.8 £50.9

$66.7 £49.37

3.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.68 £7.90

$7.35 £5.44

45.31%

Cappuccino

$4.98 £3.68

$4.11 £3.04

21.17%

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

$2.28 £1.69

$1.82 £1.35

25.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.82 £1.35

$1.84 £1.36

-1.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.78 £4.28

$4.38 £3.24

31.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.58 £4.87

$4.32 £3.20

52.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 £1.21

$1.84 £1.36

-10.87%

White Bread (500g)

$1.39 £1.03

$1.92 £1.42

-27.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.01 £1.49

$1.40 £1.03

43.57%

Eggs

$3.85 £2.85

$4.86 £3.59

-20.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.93 £7.35

$11.40 £8.43

-12.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.48 £7.02

$4.19 £3.10

126.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.95 £14.02

$12.76 £9.44

48.51%

Apples (1kg)

$2.81 £2.08

$1.38 £1.02

103.62%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 £1.24

$1.37 £1.01

22.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.85 £2.11

$1.35 £1.00

111.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.08 £2.28

$1.73 £1.28

78.03%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 £1.32

$1.46 £1.08

21.92%

Onion (1kg)

$1.53 £1.13

$1.56 £1.15

-1.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.16 £0.86

$0.42 £0.31

176.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 £1.25

$1.60 £1.19

5.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$24.33 £18.00

$23.60 £17.46

3.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 £8.23

$7.96 £5.89

39.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.32 £2.46

$1.72 £1.27

93.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 £2.37

$2.09 £1.54

53.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.12 £3.05

$2.76 £2.04

49.28%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$103 £76.4

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.85 £4.32

$13.64 £10.09

-57.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.20 £0.89

$3.99 £2.95

-69.92%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$63.4 £46.87

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.03 £1.50

$2.07 £1.53

-1.93%

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

$39.7K £29.4K

$40.4K £29.9K

-1.73%

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

$41.9K £31.0K

$44.4K £32.9K

-5.76%

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

$342 £253

$353 £261

-2.93%

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

$20.02 £14.81

$28.89 £21.38

-30.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.24 £31.25

$47.34 £35.02

-10.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.13 £33.38

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.67 £15.29

Cinema Ticket

$16.03 £11.86

$16.50 £12.21

-2.85%

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

$931 £688

$1,986 £1,469

-53.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.8K £16.1K

$24.6K £18.2K

-11.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$138 £102

$87.5 £64.7

57.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.04 £34.06

$61.4 £45.46

-25.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 £78.2

$112 £83.0

-5.87%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.6 £68.5

$160 £118

-42.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,382 £1,022

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,089 £806

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,775 £2,053

$1,146 £847

142.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,055 £1,520

$1,100 £814

86.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,208 £3,113

$2,197 £1,626

91.49%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,170 £2,345

$2,039 £1,508

55.49%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,459 £2,559

$1,746 £1,292

98.11%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.75

5.3

-10.38%

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

Last update for Glasgow: August 30, 2026

Last update for Retford: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 98% 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 $69.0 in Glasgow versus $67.0 in Retford. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $317 vs $242 – making Retford 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 Retford: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,475 in Glasgow, $1,159 in Retford – roughly 113% apart. Glasgow costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,712 per month in Glasgow and $1,739 in Retford. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,475 in Glasgow and $1,159 in Retford. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $931 per month in Glasgow and $1,986 in Retford. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Retford, where all-in costs run around $1,159, than in Glasgow at $2,475. In Retford 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 $1,159 in Retford to $2,475 in Glasgow. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Retford. 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.