Cost of Living Comparison Between Kirkwall and Glasgow Cost of Living Comparison Between Kirkwall and Glasgow

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,295 per month in Kirkwall vs $2,505 in Glasgow, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,429 per month in Kirkwall vs $3,735 in Glasgow, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,564 per month in Kirkwall vs $4,966 in Glasgow, rent included.

Kirkwall is about 8% cheaper than Glasgow, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Kirkwall and Glasgow sit above the global median – Kirkwall by 71%, Glasgow by 87%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.70 £18.52

$20.19 £15.14

22.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$81.3 £61.0

$98.0 £73.5

-17.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 £7.41

$9.35 £7.01

5.78%

Cappuccino

$3.98 £2.98

$4.76 £3.57

-16.39%

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

$2.33 £1.75

$2.18 £1.64

6.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 £1.25

$1.43 £1.07

16.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.45 £4.09

$6.68 £5.01

-18.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.42 £4.81

$6.72 £5.04

-4.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.58 £1.19

$1.77 £1.32

-10.73%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 £1.22

$1.64 £1.23

-0.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.21 £1.66

$2.64 £1.98

-16.29%

Eggs

$4.01 £3.00

$3.85 £2.89

4.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.71 £7.28

$10.17 £7.63

-4.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.64 £6.48

$9.21 £6.91

-6.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.12 £10.59

$13.83 £10.37

2.10%

Apples (1kg)

$3.03 £2.27

$3.26 £2.45

-7.06%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 £1.23

$1.79 £1.34

-8.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.80 £2.10

$3.37 £2.53

-16.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.48 £2.61

$3.69 £2.77

-5.69%

Potato (1kg)

$1.63 £1.22

$1.65 £1.24

-1.21%

Onion (1kg)

$1.53 £1.15

$1.91 £1.43

-19.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.11 £0.83

$1.22 £0.91

-9.02%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.52 £1.14

$1.59 £1.19

-4.40%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$18.95 £14.21

$21.49 £16.11

-11.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.05 £8.29

$11.31 £8.48

-2.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.70 £2.02

$3.01 £2.25

-10.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.11 £2.33

$3.37 £2.53

-7.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.29 £2.47

$4.04 £3.03

-18.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$88.8 £66.6

$95.0 £71.2

-6.50%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.55 £4.16

$5.28 £3.96

5.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.60 £1.20

$2.27 £1.70

-29.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$22.74 £17.05

$27.65 £20.73

-17.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.94 £1.46

$1.94 £1.45

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

$38.3K £28.7K

$38.8K £29.1K

-1.29%

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

$41.3K £30.9K

$38.0K £28.5K

8.55%

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

$297 £223

$378 £283

-21.23%

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

$16.85 £12.63

$17.76 £13.32

-5.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$43.20 £32.39

$41.41 £31.05

4.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$26.11 £19.58

$51.3 £38.49

-49.13%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.32 £14.49

Cinema Ticket

$13.75 £10.31

$17.62 £13.21

-21.96%

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

$1,565 £1,173

$1,150 £862

36.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.4K £13.8K

$18.0K £13.5K

2.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$83.7 £62.8

$125 £94.0

-33.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.92 £32.18

$50.6 £37.97

-15.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.5 £69.4

$106 £79.4

-12.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$99.6 £74.7

$107 £80.0

-6.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,204 £903

$1,393 £1,045

-13.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,003 £752

$1,011 £758

-0.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,028 £1,520

$2,716 £2,036

-25.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,726 £1,294

$1,884 £1,413

-8.42%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,112 £3,833

$4,173 £3,129

22.48%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,091 £2,318

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,928 £1,445

$3,453 £2,589

-44.17%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.63

5.32

5.83%

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

Last update for Kirkwall: May 31, 2026

Last update for Glasgow: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,204 in Kirkwall 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 79% higher in Glasgow, 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 $81.0 in Kirkwall versus $98.0 in Glasgow. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $298 vs $314 – making Kirkwall 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

Kirkwall vs Glasgow: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,295 in Kirkwall, $2,505 in Glasgow – roughly 9% apart. Glasgow costs more across the board, with Sport & Entertainment showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,443 per month in Kirkwall 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 Kirkwall, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $1,565 per month in Kirkwall 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 6% more in Glasgow, 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 Kirkwall, where all-in costs run around $2,295, than in Glasgow at $2,505. In Kirkwall it covers expenses comfortably, while in Glasgow 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 $2,295 in Kirkwall to $2,505 in Glasgow. 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 Kirkwall. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Glasgow makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.