Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Glasgow and Swindon

For one person, living is cheaper in Glasgow: $2,425 a month against $2,768 in Swindon, rent and utilities included – about $4,100 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Swindon outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

Glasgow, United Kingdom
Swindon, United Kingdom
Glasgow
🇬🇧 United Kingdom
$2,425
/mo nomad
Swindon
🇬🇧 United Kingdom
$2,768
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Glasgow and in Swindon

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Glasgow and in Swindon actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,425 per month in Glasgow vs $2,768 in Swindon, rent included.

  • Glasgow $2,425
  • Swindon $2,768

A couple spends around $3,706 per month in Glasgow vs $3,814 in Swindon, rent included.

  • Glasgow $3,706
  • Swindon $3,814

A family of three spends $4,987 per month in Glasgow vs $4,861 in Swindon, rent included.

  • Glasgow $4,987
  • Swindon $4,861

Glasgow is about 12% cheaper than Swindon, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Glasgow and Swindon sit above the global median – Glasgow by 78%, Swindon by 103%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Glasgow
Swindon
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$21.28 £15.90
$20.27 £15.14
4.98%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$67.2 £50.2
$63.0 £47.07
6.68%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.58 £7.90
$10.72 £8.01
-1.31%
Cappuccino
$4.81 £3.60
$4.79 £3.58
0.42%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.26 £1.69
$3.12 £2.33
-27.56%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.83 £1.37
$1.60 £1.20
14.37%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.48 £4.09
$5.72 £4.27
-4.20%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$6.63 £4.96
$4.62 £3.45
43.51%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Glasgow
Swindon
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.67 £1.25
$1.67 £1.25
-
White Bread (500g)
$1.64 £1.22
$1.96 £1.46
-16.33%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.00 £1.50
$1.87 £1.40
6.95%
Eggs
$4.00 £2.99
$4.49 £3.35
-10.91%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.28 £6.93
$9.48 £7.08
-2.11%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.08 £6.79
$9.18 £6.86
-1.09%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$16.75 £12.52
$14.45 £10.80
15.92%
Apples (1kg)
$3.02 £2.26
$3.11 £2.32
-2.89%
Banana (1kg)
$1.51 £1.13
$2.47 £1.84
-38.87%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.91 £2.18
$4.08 £3.05
-28.68%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.19 £2.38
$4.24 £3.17
-24.76%
Potato (1kg)
$1.93 £1.44
$2.02 £1.51
-4.46%
Onion (1kg)
$1.55 £1.16
$1.73 £1.30
-10.40%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.13 £0.84
$1.97 £1.47
-42.64%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.58 £1.18
$1.72 £1.28
-8.14%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$23.96 £17.90
$23.34 £17.44
2.66%
Wine (Bottle)
$11.32 £8.46
$15.27 £11.41
-25.87%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$3.37 £2.51
$3.86 £2.88
-12.69%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.33 £2.49
$3.82 £2.86
-12.83%
🚌 Getting Around
Glasgow
Swindon
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$3.98 £2.98
$4.09 £3.06
-2.69%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$108 £80.7
$98.9 £73.9
9.21%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$5.75 £4.30
$6.79 £5.07
-15.32%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.14 £0.85
$1.69 £1.26
-32.54%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$60.6 £45.28
$21.54 £16.09
181.38%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.09 £1.56
$2.03 £1.52
2.96%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$39.3K £29.3K
$39.0K £29.2K
0.63%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$40.6K £30.4K
$40.8K £30.5K
-0.45%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Glasgow
Swindon
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$312 £233
$636 £475
-50.86%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$20.29 £15.16
$16.23 £12.12
25.02%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$42.05 £31.41
$44.50 £33.25
-5.51%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Glasgow
Swindon
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$37.31 £27.87
$34.18 £25.54
9.16%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$20.73 £15.49
$23.11 £17.26
-10.30%
Cinema Ticket
$16.26 £12.15
$17.61 £13.16
-7.67%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Glasgow
Swindon
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,124 £840
$1,966 £1,469
-42.83%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$21.6K £16.1K
$5,376 £4,016
301.81%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Glasgow
Swindon
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$132 £98.6
$89.0 £66.5
48.23%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$45.81 £34.22
$43.92 £32.81
4.30%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$107 £79.7
$81.8 £61.1
30.36%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$93.4 £69.8
$85.5 £63.9
9.23%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Glasgow
Swindon
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,368 £1,022
$1,262 £943
8.42%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,047 £782
$1,085 £811
-3.48%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,770 £2,069
$2,027 £1,515
36.61%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,080 £1,554
$1,698 £1,268
22.51%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,035 £3,014
$5,289 £3,951
-23.72%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,923 £2,183
$3,741 £2,795
-21.89%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Glasgow
Swindon
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,339 £2,494
$2,969 £2,218
12.44%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.79
5.59
-14.31%

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

Last update for Glasgow: October 27, 2026

Last update for Swindon: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Glasgow
$1K
Swindon
$1.1K 3.6% $38
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Glasgow
$375
Swindon
$697 85.9% $322
Eating Out
Glasgow
$317
Swindon
$309 2.6% $8.2
Groceries & Markets
Glasgow
$311
Swindon
$343 10.3% $32
Clothing & Footwear
Glasgow
$170
Swindon
$135 20.5% $35
Getting Around
Glasgow
$135
Swindon
$131 3.6% $4.9
Sport & Entertainment
Glasgow
$70
Swindon
$69 0.6% $0.4

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,368 in Glasgow versus $1,262 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 12% 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 in Glasgow versus $63 in Swindon. Groceries tell a different story – $311 in Glasgow vs $343 in Swindon – so Glasgow wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know
🇬🇧 Glasgow
🇬🇧 Swindon
🕒 Local time
06:08 6:08 AM
06:08 6:08 AM
Same time as Glasgow
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
606,340
183,638
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to GBP – British Pound Converter

British Pound exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 0.747 GBP (1 GBP = 1.34 USD). 1 EUR = 0.834 GBP (1 GBP = 1.2 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Glasgow Swindon 500 km ≈ 1 h 15 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Glasgow
  • Swindon

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
How do living costs in Glasgow and in Swindon compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $2,425 in Glasgow, $2,768 in Swindon – Glasgow comes out roughly 12% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.
What salary covers living expenses in Glasgow compared to Swindon?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,637 per month in Glasgow and $4,152 in Swindon. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do apartment prices compare in Glasgow and in Swindon?
A central 1-bedroom goes for about $1,368 in Glasgow and $1,262 in Swindon. The gap holds across neighborhoods – outer areas show a similar spread, just at lower price points.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Glasgow and Swindon?
Kindergarten costs $1,124 per month in Glasgow and $1,966 in Swindon. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Groceries cost about 10% more in Swindon, though the gap depends on what you buy.
How does quality of life compare between Glasgow and Swindon?
It depends on your priorities. Glasgow has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,425 in Glasgow to $2,768 in Swindon. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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