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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,475 per month in Glasgow vs $1,915 in Sunderland, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,746 per month in Glasgow vs $2,836 in Sunderland, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,018 per month in Glasgow vs $3,757 in Sunderland, rent included.

Glasgow costs about 29% more than Sunderland, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Glasgow and Sunderland sit above the global median – Glasgow by 80%, Sunderland by 39%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$23.02 £17.03

$19.16 £14.18

20.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.8 £50.9

$72.2 £53.4

-4.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.68 £7.90

$10.03 £7.42

6.48%

Cappuccino

$4.98 £3.68

$5.04 £3.73

-1.19%

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

$2.28 £1.69

$2.27 £1.68

0.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.82 £1.35

$2.08 £1.54

-12.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.78 £4.28

$4.53 £3.35

27.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.58 £4.87

$4.36 £3.23

50.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 £1.21

$1.43 £1.05

14.69%

White Bread (500g)

$1.39 £1.03

$1.45 £1.08

-4.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.01 £1.49

$2.35 £1.74

-14.47%

Eggs

$3.85 £2.85

$3.60 £2.66

6.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.93 £7.35

$10.15 £7.51

-2.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.48 £7.02

$9.36 £6.93

1.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.95 £14.02

$15.07 £11.15

25.75%

Apples (1kg)

$2.81 £2.08

$3.33 £2.47

-15.62%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 £1.24

Oranges (1kg)

$2.85 £2.11

$2.97 £2.19

-4.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.08 £2.28

$3.84 £2.84

-19.79%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 £1.32

$1.86 £1.38

-4.30%

Onion (1kg)

$1.53 £1.13

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.16 £0.86

$1.17 £0.86

-0.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 £1.25

$1.55 £1.14

9.03%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$24.33 £18.00

$22.95 £16.98

6.01%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 £8.23

$10.65 £7.88

4.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.32 £2.46

$3.78 £2.79

-12.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 £2.37

$3.51 £2.60

-8.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.12 £3.05

$2.16 £1.59

90.74%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$103 £76.4

$122 £90.3

-15.39%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.85 £4.32

$4.50 £3.33

30.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.20 £0.89

$1.58 £1.17

-24.05%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$63.4 £46.87

$28.73 £21.26

120.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.03 £1.50

$1.99 £1.47

2.01%

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

$39.7K £29.4K

$38.6K £28.6K

2.88%

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

$41.9K £31.0K

$41.8K £31.0K

0.10%

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

$342 £253

$260 £192

31.95%

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

$20.02 £14.81

$18.38 £13.60

8.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.24 £31.25

$42.62 £31.53

-0.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.13 £33.38

$40.68 £30.09

10.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.67 £15.29

$12.36 £9.15

67.23%

Cinema Ticket

$16.03 £11.86

$10.80 £7.99

48.43%

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

$931 £688

$822 £608

13.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.8K £16.1K

$18.0K £13.3K

21.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$138 £102

$94.2 £69.7

45.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.04 £34.06

$48.58 £35.94

-5.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 £78.2

$110 £81.5

-4.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.6 £68.5

$98.6 £72.9

-6.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,382 £1,022

$815 £603

69.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,089 £806

$609 £450

78.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,775 £2,053

$1,330 £984

108.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,055 £1,520

$979 £724

109.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,208 £3,113

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,170 £2,345

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,459 £2,559

$3,700 £2,737

-6.52%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.75

5.15

-7.77%

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

Last update for Glasgow: August 30, 2026

Last update for Sunderland: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,382 in Glasgow versus $815 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 7% higher in Sunderland, 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 $72.0 in Sunderland. Groceries tell a different story – $317 in Glasgow vs $312 in Sunderland – so Sunderland 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 Sunderland: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,475 in Glasgow, $1,915 in Sunderland – roughly 29% 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 $2,872 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 $931 per month in Glasgow and $822 in Sunderland. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 2% 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 $1,915, than in Glasgow at $2,475. 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 $1,915 in Sunderland to $2,475 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.