Cost of Living Comparison Between Manchester and Glasgow Cost of Living Comparison Between Manchester and Glasgow

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,651 per month in Manchester vs $2,505 in Glasgow, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,871 per month in Manchester vs $3,735 in Glasgow, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,091 per month in Manchester vs $4,966 in Glasgow, rent included.

Manchester costs about 6% more than Glasgow, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Manchester and Glasgow sit above the global median – Manchester by 98%, Glasgow by 87%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.74 £15.45

$20.19 £15.04

2.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$94.5 £70.4

$98.0 £73.0

-3.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 £8.00

$9.35 £6.97

14.97%

Cappuccino

$4.94 £3.68

$4.76 £3.54

3.78%

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

$2.59 £1.93

$2.18 £1.63

18.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.70 £1.26

$1.43 £1.07

18.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.41 £5.52

$6.68 £4.97

10.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.52 £5.60

$6.72 £5.00

11.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 £1.21

$1.77 £1.32

-8.47%

White Bread (500g)

$1.80 £1.34

$1.64 £1.22

9.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.16 £1.61

$2.64 £1.97

-18.18%

Eggs

$4.08 £3.04

$3.85 £2.87

5.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.05 £8.97

$10.17 £7.58

18.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.75 £7.26

$9.21 £6.86

5.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.39 £12.95

$13.83 £10.30

25.74%

Apples (1kg)

$3.30 £2.46

$3.26 £2.43

1.23%

Banana (1kg)

$1.84 £1.37

$1.79 £1.33

2.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.82 £2.84

$3.37 £2.51

13.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.35 £3.24

$3.69 £2.75

17.89%

Potato (1kg)

$2.10 £1.56

$1.65 £1.23

27.27%

Onion (1kg)

$1.80 £1.34

$1.91 £1.42

-5.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.31 £0.97

$1.22 £0.91

7.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.47 £1.10

$1.59 £1.18

-7.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$18.73 £13.95

$21.49 £16.00

-12.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 £7.92

$11.31 £8.42

-5.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.57 £1.91

$3.01 £2.24

-14.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.49 £2.60

$3.37 £2.51

3.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.75 £2.05

$4.04 £3.01

-31.93%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$121 £90.3

$95.0 £70.8

27.56%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.49 £4.09

$5.28 £3.93

3.98%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.85 £2.12

$2.27 £1.69

25.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.28 £25.53

$27.65 £20.59

23.98%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.96 £1.46

$1.94 £1.44

1.03%

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

$37.8K £28.1K

$38.8K £28.9K

-2.72%

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

$41.8K £31.1K

$38.0K £28.3K

9.98%

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

$295 £220

$378 £281

-21.85%

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

$22.44 £16.71

$17.76 £13.23

26.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.92 £31.96

$41.41 £30.84

3.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.39 £31.57

$51.3 £38.23

-17.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.07 £11.97

$19.32 £14.39

-16.82%

Cinema Ticket

$13.72 £10.22

$17.62 £13.12

-22.13%

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

$1,944 £1,448

$1,150 £856

69.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.8K £15.5K

$18.0K £13.4K

15.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$90.6 £67.5

$125 £93.4

-27.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.85 £31.17

$50.6 £37.71

-17.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.5 £66.6

$106 £78.9

-15.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 £79.0

$107 £79.4

-0.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,637 £1,219

$1,393 £1,038

17.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,256 £936

$1,011 £753

24.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,702 £2,013

$2,716 £2,023

-0.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,077 £1,547

$1,884 £1,403

10.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,107 £3,804

$4,173 £3,108

22.37%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,671 £3,479

$3,091 £2,302

51.13%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,247 £2,418

$3,453 £2,571

-5.95%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.92

5.32

11.28%

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

Last update for Manchester: May 31, 2026

Last update for Glasgow: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,637 in Manchester 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 6% higher in Glasgow, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $94.0 in Manchester versus $98.0 in Glasgow. Groceries tell a different story – $335 in Manchester 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

Manchester vs Glasgow: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,651 in Manchester, $2,505 in Glasgow – roughly 6% apart. Manchester costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,977 per month in Manchester 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 $1,944 per month in Manchester 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 7% more in Manchester, 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 $2,651 in Manchester and $2,505 in Glasgow. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

It depends on your priorities. Manchester has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,505 in Glasgow to $2,651 in Manchester. 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, Manchester makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.