Cost of Living Comparison Between Glasgow and St Helens Cost of Living Comparison Between Glasgow and St Helens

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,505 per month in Glasgow vs $2,025 in St Helens, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,735 per month in Glasgow vs $3,045 in St Helens, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,966 per month in Glasgow vs $4,064 in St Helens, rent included.

Glasgow costs about 24% more than St Helens, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Glasgow and St Helens sit above the global median – Glasgow by 87%, St Helens by 51%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.19 £15.04

$20.64 £15.37

-2.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$98.0 £73.0

$81.4 £60.7

20.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.35 £6.97

$11.03 £8.22

-15.23%

Cappuccino

$4.76 £3.54

$3.69 £2.75

29.00%

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

$2.18 £1.63

$2.93 £2.18

-25.60%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.43 £1.07

$1.96 £1.46

-27.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.68 £4.97

$4.11 £3.06

62.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.72 £5.00

$4.95 £3.69

35.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.77 £1.32

$1.33 £0.99

33.08%

White Bread (500g)

$1.64 £1.22

$1.81 £1.35

-9.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.64 £1.97

$2.03 £1.51

30.05%

Eggs

$3.85 £2.87

$4.27 £3.18

-9.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.17 £7.58

$12.31 £9.17

-17.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.21 £6.86

$9.09 £6.77

1.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.83 £10.30

$10.96 £8.16

26.19%

Apples (1kg)

$3.26 £2.43

$3.27 £2.44

-0.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.79 £1.33

$1.33 £0.99

34.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.37 £2.51

$3.57 £2.66

-5.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.69 £2.75

$3.65 £2.72

1.10%

Potato (1kg)

$1.65 £1.23

$1.93 £1.44

-14.51%

Onion (1kg)

$1.91 £1.42

$2.06 £1.53

-7.28%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.22 £0.91

$1.38 £1.03

-11.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.59 £1.18

$1.34 £1.00

18.66%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$21.49 £16.00

$20.19 £15.04

6.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.31 £8.42

$11.35 £8.45

-0.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.01 £2.24

$2.66 £1.98

13.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.37 £2.51

$2.69 £2.00

25.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.04 £3.01

$2.88 £2.15

40.28%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$95.0 £70.8

$104 £77.3

-8.50%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.28 £3.93

$3.36 £2.50

57.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.27 £1.69

$1.92 £1.43

18.23%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.65 £20.59

$16.28 £12.12

69.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.94 £1.44

$1.99 £1.48

-2.51%

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

$38.8K £28.9K

$26.7K £19.9K

45.56%

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

$38.0K £28.3K

$34.0K £25.3K

11.88%

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

$378 £281

$338 £252

11.80%

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

$17.76 £13.23

$15.92 £11.86

11.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$41.41 £30.84

$39.63 £29.51

4.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.3 £38.23

$27.46 £20.45

86.93%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.32 £14.39

$3.96 £2.95

387.88%

Cinema Ticket

$17.62 £13.12

$16.49 £12.28

6.85%

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

$1,150 £856

$814 £606

41.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.0K £13.4K

$6,810 £5,072

164.10%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$125 £93.4

$66.6 £49.62

88.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.6 £37.71

$55.2 £41.07

-8.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 £78.9

$86.1 £64.1

23.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 £79.4

$122 £90.7

-12.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,393 £1,038

$810 £604

71.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,011 £753

$674 £502

50.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,716 £2,023

$1,534 £1,142

77.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,884 £1,403

$1,290 £961

46.07%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,173 £3,108

$5,129 £3,820

-18.63%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,091 £2,302

$2,372 £1,767

30.32%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,453 £2,571

$2,507 £1,867

37.74%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.32

5.54

-3.97%

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

Last update for Glasgow: June 2, 2026

Last update for St Helens: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,393 in Glasgow versus $810 in St Helens. 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 38% 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 $81.0 in St Helens. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $314 vs $302 – making St Helens 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 St Helens: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,505 in Glasgow, $2,025 in St Helens – roughly 24% 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 $3,038 in St Helens. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in St Helens, 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 $814 in St Helens. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 4% 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 St Helens, where all-in costs run around $2,025, than in Glasgow at $2,505. In St Helens 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 $2,025 in St Helens to $2,505 in Glasgow. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with St Helens. 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.