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 $3,330 per month in Kingston upon Thames vs $2,505 in Glasgow, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,854 per month in Kingston upon Thames vs $3,735 in Glasgow, rent included.

A family of three spends $6,379 per month in Kingston upon Thames vs $4,966 in Glasgow, rent included.

Kingston upon Thames costs about 33% more than Glasgow, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Kingston upon Thames and Glasgow sit above the global median – Kingston upon Thames by 149%, Glasgow by 87%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$22.67 £16.85

$20.19 £15.01

12.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$86.6 £64.4

$98.0 £72.9

-11.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.26 £7.63

$9.35 £6.95

9.73%

Cappuccino

$5.29 £3.93

$4.76 £3.54

11.13%

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

$2.87 £2.13

$2.18 £1.62

31.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.87 £1.39

$1.43 £1.06

30.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.67 £6.44

$6.68 £4.96

29.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.28 £6.16

$6.72 £4.99

23.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.66 £1.23

$1.77 £1.31

-6.21%

White Bread (500g)

$1.54 £1.15

$1.64 £1.22

-6.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.81 £2.09

$2.64 £1.96

6.44%

Eggs

$4.12 £3.06

$3.85 £2.86

7.01%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.06 £7.48

$10.17 £7.56

-1.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.82 £6.56

$9.21 £6.85

-4.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.89 £11.06

$13.83 £10.28

7.66%

Apples (1kg)

$3.41 £2.53

$3.26 £2.43

4.60%

Banana (1kg)

$2.04 £1.51

$1.79 £1.33

13.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.95 £2.19

$3.37 £2.50

-12.46%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.61 £2.68

$3.69 £2.75

-2.17%

Potato (1kg)

$1.51 £1.12

$1.65 £1.22

-8.48%

Onion (1kg)

$1.87 £1.39

$1.91 £1.42

-2.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.05 £0.78

$1.22 £0.90

-13.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.94 £1.44

$1.59 £1.18

22.01%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$17.64 £13.11

$21.49 £15.97

-17.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.34 £8.43

$11.31 £8.41

0.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.18 £2.37

$3.01 £2.23

5.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.93 £2.92

$3.37 £2.51

16.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.36 £1.75

$4.04 £3.00

-41.58%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$43.38 £32.25

$95.0 £70.6

-54.33%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.12 £3.81

$5.28 £3.92

-3.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.18 £1.62

$2.27 £1.68

-3.96%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.62 £25.73

$27.65 £20.55

25.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.95 £1.45

$1.94 £1.44

0.52%

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

$38.2K £28.4K

$38.8K £28.9K

-1.54%

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

$39.0K £29.0K

$38.0K £28.2K

2.50%

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

$327 £243

$378 £281

-13.44%

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

$15.81 £11.75

$17.76 £13.20

-10.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$41.55 £30.88

$41.41 £30.78

0.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$90.6 £67.4

$51.3 £38.16

76.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.37 £6.96

$19.32 £14.36

-51.50%

Cinema Ticket

$20.44 £15.19

$17.62 £13.10

16.00%

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

$1,892 £1,407

$1,150 £855

64.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.6K £13.1K

$18.0K £13.4K

-2.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$86.6 £64.4

$125 £93.2

-30.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.69 £31.73

$50.6 £37.64

-15.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.7 £64.5

$106 £78.7

-18.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$140 £104

$107 £79.3

30.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,072 £1,540

$1,393 £1,036

48.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,865 £1,386

$1,011 £751

84.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,725 £2,769

$2,716 £2,019

37.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,252 £2,417

$1,884 £1,401

72.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$16.6K £12.3K

$4,173 £3,102

297.82%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,376 £3,252

$3,091 £2,297

41.57%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,768 £3,544

$3,453 £2,566

38.10%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.9

5.32

10.90%

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

Last update for Kingston upon Thames: May 30, 2026

Last update for Glasgow: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,072 in Kingston upon Thames versus $1,393 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 38% 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 $98.0 in Glasgow. Groceries tell a different story – $320 in Kingston upon Thames vs $314 in Glasgow – so Glasgow 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: $3,330 in Kingston upon Thames, $2,505 in Glasgow – roughly 33% apart. Kingston upon Thames costs more across the board, with Getting Around showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,995 per month in Kingston upon Thames 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 $1,892 per month in Kingston upon Thames and $1,150 in Glasgow. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 2% more in Kingston upon Thames, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$3,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,330 in Kingston upon Thames and $2,505 in Glasgow. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

It depends on your priorities. Kingston upon Thames has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,505 in Glasgow to $3,330 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.