Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Glasgow and York

For one person, living is cheaper in York: $2,298 a month against $2,425 in Glasgow, rent and utilities included – about $1,500 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Glasgow outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

Glasgow, United Kingdom
York, United Kingdom
Glasgow
🇬🇧 United Kingdom
$2,425
/mo nomad
York
🇬🇧 United Kingdom
$2,298
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Glasgow and in York

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 York actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,425 per month in Glasgow vs $2,298 in York, rent included.

  • Glasgow $2,425
  • York $2,298

A couple spends around $3,706 per month in Glasgow vs $3,412 in York, rent included.

  • Glasgow $3,706
  • York $3,412

A family of three spends $4,987 per month in Glasgow vs $4,525 in York, rent included.

  • Glasgow $4,987
  • York $4,525

Glasgow costs about 6% more than York, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both Glasgow and York sit above the global median – Glasgow by 78%, York by 69%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Glasgow
York
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$21.28 £15.87
$26.25 £19.57
-18.93%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$67.2 £50.1
$89.5 £66.7
-24.88%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.58 £7.88
$10.78 £8.03
-1.86%
Cappuccino
$4.81 £3.59
$4.89 £3.65
-1.64%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.26 £1.68
$2.81 £2.09
-19.57%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.83 £1.36
$1.76 £1.32
3.98%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.48 £4.09
$6.77 £5.05
-19.05%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$6.63 £4.95
$6.52 £4.86
1.69%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Glasgow
York
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.67 £1.24
$1.72 £1.28
-2.91%
White Bread (500g)
$1.64 £1.22
$1.51 £1.13
8.61%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.00 £1.49
$2.09 £1.55
-4.31%
Eggs
$4.00 £2.98
$3.90 £2.91
2.56%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.28 £6.92
$8.96 £6.68
3.57%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.08 £6.77
$8.25 £6.15
10.06%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$16.75 £12.49
$9.77 £7.28
71.44%
Apples (1kg)
$3.02 £2.25
$3.23 £2.41
-6.50%
Banana (1kg)
$1.51 £1.13
$1.93 £1.44
-21.76%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.91 £2.17
$2.38 £1.77
22.27%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.19 £2.38
$4.65 £3.47
-31.40%
Potato (1kg)
$1.93 £1.44
$3.08 £2.29
-37.34%
Onion (1kg)
$1.55 £1.16
$1.57 £1.17
-1.27%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.13 £0.84
$1.53 £1.14
-26.14%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.58 £1.18
$1.41 £1.05
12.06%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$23.96 £17.86
$23.71 £17.67
1.05%
Wine (Bottle)
$11.32 £8.44
$11.96 £8.91
-5.35%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$3.37 £2.51
$4.10 £3.06
-17.80%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.33 £2.48
$4.90 £3.65
-32.04%
🚌 Getting Around
Glasgow
York
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$3.98 £2.97
$3.89 £2.90
2.31%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$108 £80.5
$113 £84.0
-4.08%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$5.75 £4.29
$4.56 £3.40
26.10%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.14 £0.85
$2.59 £1.93
-55.98%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$60.6 £45.19
$19.28 £14.37
214.37%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.09 £1.56
$1.99 £1.49
5.03%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$39.3K £29.3K
$38.2K £28.5K
2.73%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$40.6K £30.3K
$40.6K £30.2K
0.18%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Glasgow
York
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$312 £233
$202 £150
54.97%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$20.29 £15.13
$16.55 £12.34
22.60%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$42.05 £31.35
$48.23 £35.96
-12.81%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Glasgow
York
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$37.31 £27.82
$46.61 £34.75
-19.95%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$20.73 £15.46
$24.63 £18.36
-15.83%
Cinema Ticket
$16.26 £12.12
$13.13 £9.79
23.84%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Glasgow
York
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,124 £838
$1,921 £1,432
-41.48%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$21.6K £16.1K
$16.0K £11.9K
35.08%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Glasgow
York
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$132 £98.4
$61.4 £45.81
114.79%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$45.81 £34.15
$37.37 £27.86
22.58%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$107 £79.5
$79.4 £59.2
34.28%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$93.4 £69.6
$78.7 £58.7
18.74%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Glasgow
York
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,368 £1,020
$1,337 £997
2.35%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,047 £781
$1,028 £766
1.93%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,770 £2,065
$2,470 £1,841
12.14%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,080 £1,551
$1,632 £1,217
27.41%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,035 £3,008
$5,522 £4,117
-26.93%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,923 £2,179
$4,099 £3,056
-28.71%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Glasgow
York
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,339 £2,489
$3,540 £2,640
-5.69%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.79
5.61
-14.62%

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

Last update for Glasgow: October 27, 2026

Last update for York: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Glasgow
$1K
York
$1K 1.9% $20
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Glasgow
$375
York
$266 28.9% $108
Eating Out
Glasgow
$317
York
$366 15.6% $49
Groceries & Markets
Glasgow
$311
York
$304 2.3% $7
Clothing & Footwear
Glasgow
$170
York
$116 32% $54
Getting Around
Glasgow
$135
York
$146 7.6% $10
Sport & Entertainment
Glasgow
$70
York
$73 4.4% $3

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,368 in Glasgow versus $1,337 in York. 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 6% higher in York, 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 $89 in York. Groceries tell a different story – $311 in Glasgow vs $304 in York – so York wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know
🇬🇧 Glasgow
🇬🇧 York
🕒 Local time
19:05 7:05 PM
19:05 7:05 PM
Same time as Glasgow
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
606,340
137,000
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to GBP – British Pound Converter

British Pound exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 0.746 GBP (1 GBP = 1.34 USD). 1 EUR = 0.832 GBP (1 GBP = 1.2 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Glasgow York 290 km
From you
  • Glasgow
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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 York: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Glasgow and in York compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $2,425 in Glasgow, $2,298 in York – York comes out roughly 5% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in clothing.
What salary covers living expenses in Glasgow compared to York?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,637 per month in Glasgow and $3,447 in York. 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 York?
A central 1-bedroom goes for about $1,368 in Glasgow and $1,337 in York. The gap holds across neighborhoods – outer areas show a similar spread, just at lower price points.
Which city is more expensive overall: Glasgow or York?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,425 in Glasgow and $2,298 in York. That makes York about 5% cheaper.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Glasgow and York?
Kindergarten costs $1,124 per month in Glasgow and $1,921 in York. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Which city is feasible on a $2,000 budget?
$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,425 in Glasgow and $2,298 in York. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.
How does quality of life compare between Glasgow and York?
It depends on your priorities. Glasgow has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,298 in York to $2,425 in Glasgow. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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