Cost of Living Comparison Between Kingston upon Thames and Glasgow Cost of Living Comparison Between Kingston upon Thames and Glasgow

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,449 per month in Kingston upon Thames vs $2,475 in Glasgow, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,925 per month in Kingston upon Thames vs $3,746 in Glasgow, rent included.

A family of three spends $6,400 per month in Kingston upon Thames vs $5,018 in Glasgow, rent included.

Kingston upon Thames costs about 39% more than Glasgow, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Kingston upon Thames and Glasgow sit above the global median – Kingston upon Thames by 151%, Glasgow by 80%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$22.44 £16.64

$23.02 £17.08

-2.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$87.1 £64.6

$68.8 £51.0

26.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.01 £8.17

$10.68 £7.92

3.09%

Cappuccino

$5.61 £4.16

$4.98 £3.69

12.65%

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

$3.06 £2.27

$2.28 £1.69

34.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.82 £1.35

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.62 £7.13

$5.78 £4.29

66.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.86 £6.57

$6.58 £4.88

34.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.75 £1.30

$1.64 £1.21

6.71%

White Bread (500g)

$1.73 £1.28

$1.39 £1.03

24.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.42 £1.80

$2.01 £1.49

20.40%

Eggs

$5.06 £3.76

$3.85 £2.85

31.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.85 £6.56

$9.93 £7.37

-10.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.77 £6.50

$9.48 £7.03

-7.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.23 £9.81

$18.95 £14.05

-30.18%

Apples (1kg)

$3.35 £2.49

$2.81 £2.08

19.22%

Banana (1kg)

$1.42 £1.06

$1.68 £1.24

-15.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.57 £1.91

$2.85 £2.11

-9.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.82 £2.09

$3.08 £2.29

-8.44%

Potato (1kg)

$1.70 £1.26

$1.78 £1.32

-4.49%

Onion (1kg)

$1.84 £1.36

$1.53 £1.13

20.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.28 £0.95

$1.16 £0.86

10.34%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.81 £1.34

$1.69 £1.25

7.10%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$24.17 £17.93

$24.33 £18.04

-0.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.51 £7.06

$11.13 £8.25

-14.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.21 £2.38

$3.32 £2.47

-3.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.53 £3.36

$3.20 £2.37

41.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.32 £1.72

$4.12 £3.05

-43.69%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$44.12 £32.72

$103 £76.6

-57.28%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.91 £3.65

$5.85 £4.34

-16.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.46 £1.08

$1.20 £0.89

21.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.58 £18.23

$63.4 £46.99

-61.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.98 £1.47

$2.03 £1.51

-2.46%

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

$39.8K £29.5K

$39.7K £29.5K

0.15%

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

$41.8K £31.0K

$41.9K £31.1K

-0.13%

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

$365 £271

$342 £254

6.73%

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

$15.96 £11.84

$20.02 £14.85

-20.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.50 £31.53

$42.24 £31.33

0.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$104 £77.4

$45.13 £33.47

131.13%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.93 £8.11

$20.67 £15.33

-47.12%

Cinema Ticket

$20.72 £15.37

$16.03 £11.89

29.26%

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

$2,729 £2,024

$931 £690

193.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$22.6K £16.8K

$21.8K £16.1K

3.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$116 £85.7

$138 £102

-15.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.1 £40.12

$46.04 £34.15

17.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 £59.4

$106 £78.4

-24.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 £79.4

$92.6 £68.7

15.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,066 £1,532

$1,382 £1,025

49.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,879 £1,394

$1,089 £808

72.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,730 £2,766

$2,775 £2,058

34.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,235 £2,399

$2,055 £1,524

57.43%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,208 £3,121

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,170 £2,351

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,416 £4,017

$3,459 £2,565

56.59%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.84

4.75

1.89%

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

Last update for Kingston upon Thames: August 31, 2026

Last update for Glasgow: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,066 in Kingston upon Thames versus $1,382 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 57% higher in Kingston upon Thames, 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 $87.0 in Kingston upon Thames versus $69.0 in Glasgow. Groceries tell a different story – $304 in Kingston upon Thames vs $317 in Glasgow – so Kingston upon Thames wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Kingston upon Thames vs Glasgow: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,449 in Kingston upon Thames, $2,475 in Glasgow – roughly 39% apart. Kingston upon Thames costs more across the board, with Sport & Entertainment showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,174 per month in Kingston upon Thames and $3,712 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 $2,729 per month in Kingston upon Thames and $931 in Glasgow. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 4% cheaper in Kingston upon Thames – 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 $2,475, than in Kingston upon Thames at $3,449. In Glasgow it covers expenses comfortably, while in Kingston upon Thames it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Kingston upon Thames has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,475 in Glasgow to $3,449 in Kingston upon Thames. 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, Kingston upon Thames makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.