Cost of Living Comparison Between Glasgow and Southampton Cost of Living Comparison Between Glasgow and Southampton

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,467 per month in Glasgow vs $2,676 in Southampton, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,692 per month in Glasgow vs $3,835 in Southampton, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,918 per month in Glasgow vs $4,994 in Southampton, rent included.

Glasgow is about 8% cheaper than Southampton, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Glasgow and Southampton sit above the global median – Glasgow by 85%, Southampton by 100%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.17 £15.00

$27.09 £20.15

-25.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$98.5 £73.3

$77.1 £57.4

27.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.72 £7.23

$11.52 £8.57

-15.62%

Cappuccino

$5.00 £3.72

$5.07 £3.77

-1.38%

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

$2.23 £1.66

$2.72 £2.02

-18.01%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.45 £1.08

$2.35 £1.75

-38.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.76 £5.03

$7.33 £5.45

-7.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.73 £5.01

$6.93 £5.15

-2.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.79 £1.33

$1.46 £1.09

22.60%

White Bread (500g)

$1.64 £1.22

$1.36 £1.01

20.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.69 £2.00

$3.71 £2.76

-27.49%

Eggs

$3.91 £2.91

$5.22 £3.88

-25.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.87 £7.34

$9.28 £6.90

6.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.38 £6.98

$9.26 £6.88

1.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.96 £10.38

$14.82 £11.02

-5.80%

Apples (1kg)

$3.41 £2.54

$2.30 £1.71

48.26%

Banana (1kg)

$1.87 £1.39

$1.63 £1.21

14.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.25 £2.42

$2.46 £1.83

32.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.65 £2.72

$2.98 £2.21

22.48%

Potato (1kg)

$1.62 £1.21

$1.78 £1.32

-8.99%

Onion (1kg)

$1.92 £1.43

$1.22 £0.91

57.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.25 £0.93

$0.99 £0.74

26.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.55 £1.16

$2.30 £1.71

-32.61%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$21.29 £15.84

$17.69 £13.16

20.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.92 £8.12

$11.30 £8.40

-3.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.92 £2.17

$4.07 £3.03

-28.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.28 £2.44

$3.47 £2.58

-5.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.03 £2.99

$2.91 £2.16

38.49%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$93.6 £69.6

$88.2 £65.6

6.12%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.35 £3.98

$4.47 £3.32

19.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.24 £1.67

$1.90 £1.41

17.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.51 £20.46

$32.45 £24.14

-15.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.98 £1.48

$1.91 £1.42

3.66%

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

$38.6K £28.7K

$39.0K £29.0K

-1.14%

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

$38.9K £28.9K

$41.3K £30.7K

-5.76%

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

$381 £283

$339 £252

12.30%

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

$17.48 £13.00

$18.42 £13.70

-5.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.13 £29.85

$52.3 £38.89

-23.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.2 £37.32

$42.54 £31.64

17.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.51 £14.51

$18.49 £13.75

5.52%

Cinema Ticket

$17.49 £13.01

$12.42 £9.24

40.82%

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

$1,165 £866

$1,509 £1,122

-22.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.7K £13.9K

$18.1K £13.5K

3.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$122 £90.7

$116 £86.3

5.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.2 £37.32

$53.0 £39.43

-5.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$108 £80.1

$118 £87.4

-8.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 £81.2

$149 £111

-26.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,400 £1,042

$1,413 £1,051

-0.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,007 £749

$1,197 £891

-15.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,805 £2,086

$2,433 £1,810

15.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,825 £1,357

$1,784 £1,327

2.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,122 £3,066

$6,009 £4,470

-31.41%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,066 £2,280

$5,472 £4,070

-43.97%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,403 £2,531

$3,307 £2,460

2.89%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.32

5.62

-5.34%

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

Last update for Glasgow: July 13, 2026

Last update for Southampton: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,400 in Glasgow versus $1,413 in Southampton. 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 3% 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 $99.0 in Glasgow versus $77.0 in Southampton. Groceries tell a different story – $314 in Glasgow vs $318 in Southampton – 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 Southampton: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,467 in Glasgow, $2,676 in Southampton – roughly 8% apart. Southampton costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,700 per month in Glasgow and $4,015 in Southampton. 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 $1,165 per month in Glasgow and $1,509 in Southampton. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 1% more in Southampton, 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 $2,467, than in Southampton at $2,676. In Glasgow it covers expenses comfortably, while in Southampton it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Southampton has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,467 in Glasgow to $2,676 in Southampton. 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, Southampton makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.