Cost of Living Comparison Between Glasgow and Sunderland Cost of Living Comparison Between Glasgow and Sunderland

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,448 per month in Glasgow vs $1,921 in Sunderland, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,723 per month in Glasgow vs $2,867 in Sunderland, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,998 per month in Glasgow vs $3,812 in Sunderland, rent included.

Glasgow costs about 27% more than Sunderland, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Glasgow and Sunderland sit above the global median – Glasgow by 82%, Sunderland by 43%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.26 £15.01

$20.59 £15.25

-1.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$97.0 £71.9

$80.7 £59.8

20.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.65 £7.15

$10.39 £7.70

-7.12%

Cappuccino

$4.76 £3.53

$4.78 £3.54

-0.42%

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

$2.16 £1.60

$2.37 £1.76

-8.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 £1.11

$1.56 £1.16

-3.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.84 £5.07

$6.75 £5.00

1.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.94 £5.14

$5.55 £4.11

25.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 £1.28

$1.60 £1.19

8.12%

White Bread (500g)

$1.74 £1.29

$1.66 £1.23

4.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.65 £1.96

$2.15 £1.59

23.26%

Eggs

$3.92 £2.91

$3.51 £2.60

11.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.89 £7.33

$10.36 £7.68

-4.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.28 £6.88

$8.91 £6.61

4.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.95 £10.34

$15.39 £11.40

-9.36%

Apples (1kg)

$3.37 £2.50

$3.57 £2.64

-5.60%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 £1.34

$2.01 £1.49

-9.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.35 £2.48

$2.68 £1.99

25.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.72 £2.76

$3.83 £2.84

-2.87%

Potato (1kg)

$1.70 £1.26

$1.94 £1.44

-12.37%

Onion (1kg)

$1.85 £1.37

$1.60 £1.19

15.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.25 £0.93

$1.28 £0.95

-2.34%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.64 £1.22

$1.83 £1.36

-10.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$21.47 £15.91

$18.58 £13.77

15.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.19 £8.29

$10.86 £8.05

3.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.88 £2.13

$2.71 £2.01

6.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.31 £2.45

$2.99 £2.21

10.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.20 £3.11

$3.08 £2.28

36.36%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$93.9 £69.5

$76.4 £56.6

22.79%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.46 £4.05

$6.28 £4.65

-13.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.32 £1.72

$1.40 £1.04

65.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.48 £20.36

$16.14 £11.96

70.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.02 £1.50

$1.94 £1.44

4.12%

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

$38.8K £28.8K

$37.8K £28.0K

2.70%

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

$38.3K £28.4K

$43.0K £31.8K

-10.88%

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

$386 £286

$294 £218

31.38%

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

$17.85 £13.22

$16.82 £12.47

6.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.08 £29.70

$42.33 £31.37

-5.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.6 £37.46

$42.83 £31.73

18.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.75 £14.64

$12.47 £9.24

58.38%

Cinema Ticket

$17.92 £13.28

$13.11 £9.71

36.69%

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

$1,178 £873

$1,276 £946

-7.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.1K £13.4K

$6,922 £5,129

162.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$124 £91.8

$79.7 £59.1

55.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.1 £37.10

$42.90 £31.79

16.71%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$107 £79.5

$86.0 £63.7

24.87%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 £80.1

$83.2 £61.7

29.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,394 £1,033

$800 £593

74.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$993 £736

$599 £444

65.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,738 £2,029

$1,359 £1,007

101.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,865 £1,382

$985 £730

89.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,135 £3,064

$4,084 £3,026

1.25%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,067 £2,273

$2,164 £1,604

41.72%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,644 £2,700

$3,629 £2,689

0.40%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.32

5.6

-5.00%

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

Last update for Glasgow: April 13, 2026

Last update for Sunderland: April 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,394 in Glasgow versus $800 in Sunderland. 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 0% 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 $97 in Glasgow versus $81 in Sunderland. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $316 vs $314 – making Sunderland 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 Sunderland: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,448 in Glasgow, $1,921 in Sunderland – roughly 27% apart. Glasgow costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,673 per month in Glasgow and $2,881 in Sunderland. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Sunderland, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $1,178 per month in Glasgow and $1,276 in Sunderland. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 0% 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 $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Sunderland, where all-in costs run around $1,921, than in Glasgow at $2,448. In Sunderland 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 $1,921 in Sunderland to $2,448 in Glasgow. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Sunderland. 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.