Cost of Living Comparison Between Glasgow and Swindon Cost of Living Comparison Between Glasgow and Swindon

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,466 per month in Glasgow vs $2,488 in Swindon, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,727 per month in Glasgow vs $3,537 in Swindon, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,988 per month in Glasgow vs $4,586 in Swindon, rent included.

Glasgow is about 1% cheaper than Swindon, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Glasgow and Swindon sit above the global median – Glasgow by 80%, Swindon by 82%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$22.79 £17.03

$20.71 £15.47

10.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$67.1 £50.2

$63.3 £47.27

6.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.70 £7.99

$10.97 £8.20

-2.46%

Cappuccino

$4.80 £3.59

$4.96 £3.70

-3.23%

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

$2.16 £1.62

$2.72 £2.03

-20.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.79 £1.34

$1.63 £1.22

9.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.75 £4.30

$5.50 £4.11

4.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.55 £4.89

$4.66 £3.48

40.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 £1.22

$1.57 £1.17

4.46%

White Bread (500g)

$1.38 £1.03

$1.75 £1.30

-21.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.04 £1.53

$1.85 £1.38

10.27%

Eggs

$3.71 £2.77

$4.41 £3.30

-15.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.89 £7.39

$8.45 £6.32

17.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.39 £7.01

$8.96 £6.69

4.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.64 £13.93

$13.12 £9.81

42.07%

Apples (1kg)

$2.67 £2.00

$3.03 £2.26

-11.88%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 £1.19

$1.84 £1.37

-13.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.73 £2.04

$2.63 £1.97

3.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.11 £2.32

$4.22 £3.15

-26.30%

Potato (1kg)

$1.80 £1.34

$2.08 £1.56

-13.46%

Onion (1kg)

$1.58 £1.18

$1.49 £1.11

6.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.15 £0.86

$1.30 £0.97

-11.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.64 £1.22

$1.81 £1.35

-9.39%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$24.30 £18.16

$23.31 £17.42

4.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.38 £8.50

$10.60 £7.92

7.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.25 £2.43

$2.81 £2.10

15.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 £2.39

$3.58 £2.67

-10.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.13 £3.09

$3.26 £2.44

26.69%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$104 £77.8

$91.7 £68.6

13.44%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.05 £4.52

$3.45 £2.58

75.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.21 £0.90

$1.64 £1.22

-26.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$61.7 £46.11

$22.00 £16.44

180.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.09 £1.57

$2.06 £1.54

1.46%

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

$39.4K £29.4K

$38.8K £29.0K

1.46%

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

$41.6K £31.1K

$40.6K £30.3K

2.38%

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

$340 £254

$324 £242

5.07%

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

$19.53 £14.59

$16.38 £12.24

19.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$41.39 £30.93

$39.69 £29.66

4.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.02 £32.89

$37.74 £28.20

16.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.33 £15.19

$23.28 £17.40

-12.67%

Cinema Ticket

$16.49 £12.32

$14.09 £10.53

17.03%

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

$921 £689

$1,236 £924

-25.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.9K £16.3K

$5,579 £4,169

291.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$140 £105

$89.8 £67.1

56.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.40 £34.68

$45.05 £33.66

3.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 £77.1

$84.9 £63.5

21.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.1 £68.9

$88.8 £66.3

3.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,332 £995

$1,238 £925

7.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,083 £809

$1,129 £844

-4.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,725 £2,036

$1,926 £1,439

41.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,975 £1,476

$1,781 £1,331

10.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,101 £3,065

$2,656 £1,984

54.44%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,128 £2,337

$3,146 £2,351

-0.57%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,483 £2,603

$2,988 £2,233

16.57%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.78

4.87

-1.85%

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

Last update for Glasgow: September 14, 2026

Last update for Swindon: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,332 in Glasgow versus $1,238 in Swindon. 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 17% 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 $67.0 in Glasgow versus $63.0 in Swindon. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $313 vs $304 – making Swindon 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 Swindon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Swindon costs about 1% more than Glasgow, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,699 per month in Glasgow and $3,733 in Swindon. 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 $921 per month in Glasgow and $1,236 in Swindon. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 3% cheaper in Swindon – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Glasgow, where all-in costs run around $2,466, than in Swindon at $2,488. In Glasgow it covers expenses comfortably, while in Swindon 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 $2,466 in Glasgow to $2,488 in Swindon. 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, Swindon makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.