Cost of Living Comparison Between Guildford and Glasgow Cost of Living Comparison Between Guildford and Glasgow

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,302 per month in Guildford vs $2,505 in Glasgow, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,600 per month in Guildford vs $3,721 in Glasgow, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,898 per month in Guildford vs $4,936 in Glasgow, rent included.

Guildford costs about 32% more than Glasgow, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Guildford and Glasgow sit above the global median – Guildford by 139%, Glasgow by 82%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$29.97 £22.15

$22.77 £16.83

31.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$93.1 £68.8

$67.5 £49.90

37.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.37 £8.41

$10.67 £7.88

6.56%

Cappuccino

$5.25 £3.88

$4.87 £3.60

7.80%

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

$2.91 £2.15

$2.25 £1.66

29.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.64 £1.21

$1.80 £1.33

-8.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.88 £6.56

$5.81 £4.30

52.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.86 £5.07

$6.58 £4.86

4.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.49 £1.10

$1.71 £1.27

-12.87%

White Bread (500g)

$1.32 £0.98

$1.44 £1.06

-8.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.01 £1.49

$2.02 £1.49

-0.50%

Eggs

$4.43 £3.28

$3.74 £2.76

18.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.18 £10.48

$9.81 £7.25

44.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.32 £7.62

$9.77 £7.22

5.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.35 £12.09

$19.01 £14.05

-13.99%

Apples (1kg)

$3.71 £2.74

$2.72 £2.01

36.40%

Banana (1kg)

$2.16 £1.59

$1.65 £1.22

30.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.74 £2.76

$2.78 £2.06

34.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.25 £3.88

$3.10 £2.29

69.35%

Potato (1kg)

$2.03 £1.50

$1.86 £1.38

9.14%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 £1.09

$1.53 £1.13

-3.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.12 £0.83

$1.16 £0.86

-3.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.52 £1.13

$1.65 £1.22

-7.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$24.32 £17.98

$24.11 £17.82

0.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.14 £8.97

$11.31 £8.36

7.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.57 £1.90

$3.23 £2.39

-20.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 £2.34

$3.26 £2.41

-2.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.02 £2.23

$4.14 £3.06

-27.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$99.9 £73.8

$103 £76.1

-3.04%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.70 £3.47

$5.87 £4.34

-19.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.15 £1.59

$1.21 £0.90

77.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$40.18 £29.70

$62.4 £46.09

-35.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.99 £1.47

$2.00 £1.48

-0.50%

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

$39.0K £28.9K

$39.1K £28.9K

-0.22%

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

$41.7K £30.8K

$40.9K £30.2K

1.99%

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

$399 £295

$341 £252

16.99%

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

$20.83 £15.39

$19.52 £14.42

6.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$47.39 £35.03

$41.78 £30.88

13.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.3 £39.38

$44.22 £32.68

20.49%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.52 £17.38

$20.92 £15.46

12.43%

Cinema Ticket

$12.97 £9.59

$15.95 £11.79

-18.68%

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

$1,907 £1,410

$936 £692

103.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.2K £17.9K

$22.2K £16.4K

9.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$113 £83.5

$140 £103

-19.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$66.9 £49.44

$46.84 £34.62

42.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$120 £88.9

$102 £75.5

17.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$132 £97.6

$91.4 £67.5

44.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,943 £1,436

$1,387 £1,025

40.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,622 £1,199

$1,079 £797

50.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,955 £2,184

$2,747 £2,030

7.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,505 £1,852

$1,983 £1,465

26.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,680 £5,676

$4,242 £3,135

81.04%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,242 £5,353

$3,167 £2,341

128.65%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,695 £2,731

$3,531 £2,610

4.65%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.13

4.75

8.00%

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

Last update for Guildford: September 5, 2026

Last update for Glasgow: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,943 in Guildford versus $1,387 in Glasgow. 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 5% higher in Guildford, 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 $93.0 in Guildford versus $68.0 in Glasgow. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $345 vs $318 – making Glasgow 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

Guildford vs Glasgow: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,302 in Guildford, $2,505 in Glasgow – roughly 32% apart. Guildford costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,953 per month in Guildford and $3,757 in Glasgow. 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 $1,907 per month in Guildford and $936 in Glasgow. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 8% more in Guildford, 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 Glasgow, where all-in costs run around $2,505, than in Guildford at $3,302. In Glasgow it covers expenses comfortably, while in Guildford 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 $2,505 in Glasgow to $3,302 in Guildford. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Glasgow. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Guildford makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.