Cost of Living Comparison Between Glasgow and Romford Cost of Living Comparison Between Glasgow and Romford

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,475 per month in Glasgow vs $2,757 in Romford, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,746 per month in Glasgow vs $4,239 in Romford, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,018 per month in Glasgow vs $5,721 in Romford, rent included.

Glasgow is about 10% cheaper than Romford, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Glasgow and Romford sit above the global median – Glasgow by 80%, Romford by 101%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$23.02 £17.03

$24.58 £18.19

-6.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.8 £50.9

$108 £79.6

-36.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.68 £7.90

$10.80 £7.99

-1.11%

Cappuccino

$4.98 £3.68

$4.80 £3.55

3.75%

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

$2.28 £1.69

$2.74 £2.02

-16.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.82 £1.35

$1.97 £1.46

-7.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.78 £4.28

$8.21 £6.08

-29.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.58 £4.87

$7.34 £5.43

-10.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 £1.21

$1.94 £1.44

-15.46%

White Bread (500g)

$1.39 £1.03

$1.79 £1.33

-22.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.01 £1.49

$2.69 £1.99

-25.28%

Eggs

$3.85 £2.85

$5.03 £3.72

-23.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.93 £7.35

$10.16 £7.52

-2.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.48 £7.02

$9.48 £7.01

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.95 £14.02

$15.94 £11.79

18.88%

Apples (1kg)

$2.81 £2.08

$3.03 £2.24

-7.26%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 £1.24

$1.45 £1.07

15.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.85 £2.11

$3.45 £2.55

-17.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.08 £2.28

$3.50 £2.59

-12.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 £1.32

$1.66 £1.23

7.23%

Onion (1kg)

$1.53 £1.13

$1.89 £1.40

-19.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.16 £0.86

$1.28 £0.95

-9.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 £1.25

$1.86 £1.37

-9.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$24.33 £18.00

$24.32 £17.99

0.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 £8.23

$13.46 £9.96

-17.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.32 £2.46

$3.32 £2.45

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 £2.37

$4.25 £3.14

-24.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.12 £3.05

$4.86 £3.59

-15.23%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$103 £76.4

$97.1 £71.8

6.38%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.85 £4.32

$5.68 £4.20

2.99%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.20 £0.89

$2.81 £2.08

-57.30%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$63.4 £46.87

$24.77 £18.32

155.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.03 £1.50

$2.13 £1.58

-4.69%

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

$39.7K £29.4K

0.16%

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

$41.9K £31.0K

$40.9K £30.3K

2.32%

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

$342 £253

$372 £275

-7.86%

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

$20.02 £14.81

$18.84 £13.94

6.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.24 £31.25

$45.78 £33.87

-7.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.13 £33.38

$51.2 £37.88

-11.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.67 £15.29

Cinema Ticket

$16.03 £11.86

$17.47 £12.92

-8.24%

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

$931 £688

$2,653 £1,962

-64.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.8K £16.1K

$30.5K £22.6K

-28.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$138 £102

$93.4 £69.1

47.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.04 £34.06

$47.71 £35.30

-3.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 £78.2

$93.9 £69.5

12.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.6 £68.5

$132 £97.9

-30.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,382 £1,022

$1,912 £1,415

-27.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,089 £806

$1,214 £898

-10.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,775 £2,053

$3,426 £2,535

-19.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,055 £1,520

$2,313 £1,711

-11.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,208 £3,113

$5,231 £3,870

-19.56%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,170 £2,345

$3,479 £2,574

-8.89%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,459 £2,559

$2,847 £2,106

21.48%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.75

-5.00%

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

Last update for Glasgow: August 30, 2026

Last update for Romford: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,382 in Glasgow versus $1,912 in Romford. 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 21% 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 $108 in Romford. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $317 vs $337 – making Glasgow 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 Romford: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,475 in Glasgow, $2,757 in Romford – roughly 11% apart. Romford 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 $4,135 in Romford. 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 $2,653 in Romford. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 6% more in Romford, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Glasgow, where all-in costs run around $2,475, than in Romford at $2,757. In Glasgow it covers expenses comfortably, while in Romford 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 $2,757 in Romford. 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, Romford makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.