Cost of Living Comparison Between London and Glasgow Cost of Living Comparison Between London and Glasgow

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,892 per month in London vs $2,505 in Glasgow, rent included.

A couple spends around $5,638 per month in London vs $3,735 in Glasgow, rent included.

A family of three spends $7,385 per month in London vs $4,966 in Glasgow, rent included.

London costs about 55% more than Glasgow, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both London and Glasgow sit above the global median – London by 190%, Glasgow by 87%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$26.92 £20.05

$20.19 £15.04

33.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$110 £81.7

$98.0 £73.0

11.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.83 £8.06

$9.35 £6.97

15.83%

Cappuccino

$5.10 £3.80

$4.76 £3.54

7.14%

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

$2.77 £2.06

$2.18 £1.63

27.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.78 £1.33

$1.43 £1.07

24.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.93 £6.65

$6.68 £4.97

33.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.03 £5.98

$6.72 £5.00

19.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.77 £1.32

White Bread (500g)

$2.08 £1.55

$1.64 £1.22

26.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.57 £1.92

$2.64 £1.97

-2.65%

Eggs

$4.75 £3.54

$3.85 £2.87

23.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.16 £8.31

$10.17 £7.58

9.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.00 £6.70

$9.21 £6.86

-2.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.83 £11.05

$13.83 £10.30

7.23%

Apples (1kg)

$3.33 £2.48

$3.26 £2.43

2.15%

Banana (1kg)

$1.96 £1.46

$1.79 £1.33

9.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.25 £2.42

$3.37 £2.51

-3.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.60 £2.68

$3.69 £2.75

-2.44%

Potato (1kg)

$1.68 £1.25

$1.65 £1.23

1.82%

Onion (1kg)

$1.87 £1.40

$1.91 £1.42

-2.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.32 £0.99

$1.22 £0.91

8.20%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.95 £1.45

$1.59 £1.18

22.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$22.81 £16.99

$21.49 £16.00

6.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.71 £10.21

$11.31 £8.42

21.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.31 £2.47

$3.01 £2.24

9.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.93 £2.93

$3.37 £2.51

16.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.95 £2.95

$4.04 £3.01

-2.23%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$240 £179

$95.0 £70.8

153.09%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.04 £4.50

$5.28 £3.93

14.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.31 £2.46

$2.27 £1.69

45.81%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$40.84 £30.42

$27.65 £20.59

47.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.88 £1.40

$1.94 £1.44

-3.09%

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

$38.9K £29.0K

$38.8K £28.9K

0.16%

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

$40.0K £29.8K

$38.0K £28.3K

5.35%

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

$326 £243

$378 £281

-13.54%

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

$20.23 £15.07

$17.76 £13.23

13.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.59 £31.72

$41.41 £30.84

2.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$64.4 £47.95

$51.3 £38.23

25.44%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.34 £16.64

$19.32 £14.39

15.63%

Cinema Ticket

$20.19 £15.03

$17.62 £13.12

14.59%

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

$2,525 £1,880

$1,150 £856

119.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$28.0K £20.9K

$18.0K £13.4K

55.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$119 £88.7

$125 £93.4

-4.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.83 £37.11

$50.6 £37.71

-1.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$127 £94.6

$106 £78.9

19.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$159 £119

$107 £79.4

49.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,019 £2,249

$1,393 £1,038

116.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,274 £1,694

$1,011 £753

125.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,543 £4,129

$2,716 £2,023

104.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,737 £2,783

$1,884 £1,403

98.31%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$19.4K £14.4K

$4,173 £3,108

364.67%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$9,516 £7,087

$3,091 £2,302

207.86%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,820 £3,590

$3,453 £2,571

39.61%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.05

5.32

-5.08%

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

Last update for London: May 31, 2026

Last update for Glasgow: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $3,019 in London 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 40% higher in London, 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 $110 in London versus $98.0 in Glasgow. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $340 vs $314 – 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

London vs Glasgow: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,892 in London, $2,505 in Glasgow – roughly 55% apart. London costs more across the board, with Getting Around showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,838 per month in London 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 $2,525 per month in London 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 8% more in London, 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 $3,892 in London and $2,505 in Glasgow. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

It depends on your priorities. London has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,505 in Glasgow to $3,892 in London. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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