Cost of Living Comparison Between Glasgow and Swansea Cost of Living Comparison Between Glasgow and Swansea

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,453 per month in Glasgow vs $2,229 in Swansea, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,703 per month in Glasgow vs $3,242 in Swansea, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,952 per month in Glasgow vs $4,256 in Swansea, rent included.

Glasgow costs about 10% more than Swansea, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Glasgow and Swansea sit above the global median – Glasgow by 83%, Swansea by 66%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.10 £14.87

$24.06 £17.81

-16.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$99.2 £73.4

$68.8 £50.9

44.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.39 £6.95

$10.03 £7.42

-6.38%

Cappuccino

$4.91 £3.63

$5.04 £3.73

-2.58%

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

$2.15 £1.59

$2.35 £1.74

-8.51%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.49 £1.10

$1.17 £0.87

27.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.92 £5.12

$6.00 £4.44

15.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.68 £4.94

$7.01 £5.19

-4.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 £1.26

$1.97 £1.45

-13.71%

White Bread (500g)

$1.71 £1.26

$1.85 £1.37

-7.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.65 £1.96

$1.73 £1.28

53.18%

Eggs

$3.78 £2.80

$3.70 £2.73

2.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.86 £7.30

$8.36 £6.19

17.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.43 £6.98

$8.91 £6.59

5.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.32 £10.60

$12.97 £9.60

10.41%

Apples (1kg)

$3.42 £2.53

$2.97 £2.19

15.15%

Banana (1kg)

$1.87 £1.38

$1.27 £0.94

47.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.27 £2.42

$2.29 £1.69

42.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.60 £2.66

$3.46 £2.56

4.05%

Potato (1kg)

$1.70 £1.26

$2.12 £1.57

-19.81%

Onion (1kg)

$1.82 £1.35

$1.70 £1.26

7.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.26 £0.93

$1.03 £0.77

22.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.61 £1.19

$1.88 £1.39

-14.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$21.29 £15.75

$22.74 £16.83

-6.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.32 £8.37

$10.62 £7.86

6.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.03 £2.24

$2.69 £1.99

12.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.38 £2.50

$3.94 £2.92

-14.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.03 £2.98

$4.17 £3.09

-3.36%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$95.4 £70.6

$96.1 £71.1

-0.78%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.41 £4.00

$4.10 £3.03

31.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.32 £1.72

$2.47 £1.83

-6.07%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.74 £19.79

$34.25 £25.34

-21.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.00 £1.48

$1.97 £1.46

1.52%

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

$39.0K £28.9K

$38.8K £28.7K

0.70%

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

$39.5K £29.2K

$48.9K £36.2K

-19.19%

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

$385 £285

$316 £234

21.96%

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

$17.79 £13.16

$15.57 £11.52

14.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.53 £29.99

$45.29 £33.52

-10.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.7 £37.51

$36.21 £26.80

39.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.41 £14.36

$16.47 £12.19

17.85%

Cinema Ticket

$17.86 £13.21

$10.29 £7.61

73.57%

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

$1,164 £861

$1,520 £1,125

-23.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.6K £13.8K

$18.2K £13.5K

1.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$123 £90.9

$57.1 £42.28

114.91%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.46 £36.60

$40.23 £29.77

22.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$108 £80.2

$125 £92.2

-13.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 £79.8

$85.0 £62.9

26.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,384 £1,024

$1,122 £830

23.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,005 £744

$899 £665

11.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,712 £2,007

$1,673 £1,238

62.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,834 £1,357

$1,404 £1,039

30.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,266 £3,157

$3,691 £2,731

15.58%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,067 £2,270

$2,782 £2,059

10.25%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,602 £2,665

$3,144 £2,327

14.56%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.32

6.1

-12.79%

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

Last update for Glasgow: April 27, 2026

Last update for Swansea: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,384 in Glasgow versus $1,122 in Swansea. 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 15% 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 $99.0 in Glasgow versus $69.0 in Swansea. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $317 vs $296 – making Swansea 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 Swansea: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,453 in Glasgow, $2,229 in Swansea – roughly 10% apart. Glasgow costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,680 per month in Glasgow and $3,343 in Swansea. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $1,164 per month in Glasgow and $1,520 in Swansea. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 7% 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 $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Swansea, where all-in costs run around $2,229, than in Glasgow at $2,453. In Swansea it covers expenses comfortably, while in Glasgow it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Swansea has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,229 in Swansea to $2,453 in Glasgow. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Swansea. 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.