Cost of Living Comparison Between Leeds and Glasgow Cost of Living Comparison Between Leeds and Glasgow

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,350 per month in Leeds vs $2,505 in Glasgow, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,466 per month in Leeds vs $3,735 in Glasgow, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,581 per month in Leeds vs $4,966 in Glasgow, rent included.

Leeds is about 6% cheaper than Glasgow, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Leeds and Glasgow sit above the global median – Leeds by 75%, Glasgow by 87%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.28 £15.10

$20.19 £15.04

0.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$80.7 £60.1

$98.0 £73.0

-17.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.16 £7.57

$9.35 £6.97

8.66%

Cappuccino

$4.61 £3.44

$4.76 £3.54

-3.15%

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

$2.34 £1.74

$2.18 £1.63

7.34%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 £1.17

$1.43 £1.07

9.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.97 £5.19

$6.68 £4.97

4.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.44 £4.05

$6.72 £5.00

-19.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.63 £1.22

$1.77 £1.32

-7.91%

White Bread (500g)

$1.66 £1.23

$1.64 £1.22

1.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.88 £2.89

$2.64 £1.97

46.97%

Eggs

$4.13 £3.08

$3.85 £2.87

7.27%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.38 £7.73

$10.17 £7.58

2.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.21 £6.11

$9.21 £6.86

-10.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.30 £12.88

$13.83 £10.30

25.09%

Apples (1kg)

$3.43 £2.56

$3.26 £2.43

5.21%

Banana (1kg)

$1.99 £1.49

$1.79 £1.33

11.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.16 £2.35

$3.37 £2.51

-6.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.72 £2.77

$3.69 £2.75

0.81%

Potato (1kg)

$1.80 £1.34

$1.65 £1.23

9.09%

Onion (1kg)

$2.01 £1.50

$1.91 £1.42

5.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.37 £1.02

$1.22 £0.91

12.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.90 £1.42

$1.59 £1.18

19.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$18.02 £13.42

$21.49 £16.00

-16.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.85 £8.08

$11.31 £8.42

-4.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.71 £2.02

$3.01 £2.24

-9.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.94 £1.45

$3.37 £2.51

-42.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.31 £2.47

$4.04 £3.01

-18.07%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$108 £80.2

$95.0 £70.8

13.40%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.37 £4.74

$5.28 £3.93

20.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.00 £1.49

$2.27 £1.69

-11.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.58 £12.35

$27.65 £20.59

-40.04%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.95 £1.45

$1.94 £1.44

0.52%

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

$37.9K £28.2K

$38.8K £28.9K

-2.47%

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

$42.8K £31.9K

$38.0K £28.3K

12.67%

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

$288 £215

$378 £281

-23.70%

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

$17.29 £12.87

$17.76 £13.23

-2.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$43.86 £32.67

$41.41 £30.84

5.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.71 £31.07

$51.3 £38.23

-18.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.44 £15.97

$19.32 £14.39

10.97%

Cinema Ticket

$13.05 £9.72

$17.62 £13.12

-25.94%

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

$1,559 £1,161

$1,150 £856

35.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,769 £5,041

$18.0K £13.4K

-62.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$81.8 £60.9

$125 £93.4

-34.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.75 £32.59

$50.6 £37.71

-13.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 £63.1

$106 £78.9

-19.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.8 £52.8

$107 £79.4

-33.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,352 £1,007

$1,393 £1,038

-2.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,002 £746

$1,011 £753

-0.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,440 £1,818

$2,716 £2,023

-10.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,615 £1,203

$1,884 £1,403

-14.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,848 £2,866

$4,173 £3,108

-7.79%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,604 £2,684

$3,091 £2,302

16.60%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,273 £2,438

$3,453 £2,571

-5.19%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.6

5.32

5.26%

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

Last update for Leeds: May 31, 2026

Last update for Glasgow: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,352 in Leeds 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 5% 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 Leeds versus $98.0 in Glasgow. Groceries tell a different story – $326 in Leeds 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

Leeds vs Glasgow: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,350 in Leeds, $2,505 in Glasgow – roughly 7% apart. Glasgow costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,525 per month in Leeds 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 Leeds, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $1,559 per month in Leeds and $1,150 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 Glasgow – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Leeds, where all-in costs run around $2,350, than in Glasgow at $2,505. In Leeds it covers expenses comfortably, while in Glasgow it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Leeds has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,350 in Leeds to $2,505 in Glasgow. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Leeds. 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.