Cost of Living Comparison Between Merthyr Tydfil and Glasgow Cost of Living Comparison Between Merthyr Tydfil and Glasgow

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,373 per month in Merthyr Tydfil vs $2,475 in Glasgow, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,184 per month in Merthyr Tydfil vs $3,746 in Glasgow, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,995 per month in Merthyr Tydfil vs $5,018 in Glasgow, rent included.

Merthyr Tydfil is about 4% cheaper than Glasgow, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Merthyr Tydfil and Glasgow sit above the global median – Merthyr Tydfil by 73%, Glasgow by 80%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$21.13 £15.62

$23.02 £17.02

-8.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.0 £46.55

$68.8 £50.9

-8.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.74 £7.94

$10.68 £7.89

0.56%

Cappuccino

$4.53 £3.35

$4.98 £3.68

-9.04%

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

$2.58 £1.91

$2.28 £1.68

13.16%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.72 £1.27

$1.82 £1.35

-5.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.85 £4.32

$5.78 £4.27

1.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.82 £3.56

$6.58 £4.86

-26.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.41 £1.04

$1.64 £1.21

-14.02%

White Bread (500g)

$0.66 £0.48

$1.39 £1.03

-52.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.66 £1.22

$2.01 £1.49

-17.41%

Eggs

$4.10 £3.03

$3.85 £2.84

6.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.61 £7.10

$9.93 £7.34

-3.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.15 £6.76

$9.48 £7.01

-3.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.36 £10.62

$18.95 £14.01

-24.22%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 £1.95

$2.81 £2.07

-6.41%

Banana (1kg)

$2.58 £1.91

$1.68 £1.24

53.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.11 £3.03

$2.85 £2.11

44.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.28 £2.43

$3.08 £2.28

6.49%

Potato (1kg)

$1.20 £0.89

$1.78 £1.32

-32.58%

Onion (1kg)

$1.32 £0.97

$1.53 £1.13

-13.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 £0.87

$1.16 £0.86

0.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.10 £0.81

$1.69 £1.25

-34.91%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$23.68 £17.51

$24.33 £17.98

-2.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.54 £10.74

$11.13 £8.23

30.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.95 £2.92

$3.32 £2.46

18.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.08 £3.01

$3.20 £2.36

27.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.12 £3.04

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$102 £75.5

$103 £76.3

-1.12%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.93 £5.12

$5.85 £4.32

18.46%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.64 £1.21

$1.20 £0.89

36.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$21.98 £16.25

$63.4 £46.83

-65.30%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.01 £1.49

$2.03 £1.50

-0.99%

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

$38.3K £28.3K

$39.7K £29.4K

-3.67%

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

$41.5K £30.7K

$41.9K £31.0K

-0.92%

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

$631 £466

$342 £253

84.22%

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

$13.38 £9.89

$20.02 £14.80

-33.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$38.36 £28.36

$42.24 £31.22

-9.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.14 £30.41

$45.13 £33.36

-8.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.67 £15.28

Cinema Ticket

$8.07 £5.96

$16.03 £11.85

-49.66%

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

$1,226 £906

$931 £688

31.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,558 £4,108

$21.8K £16.1K

-74.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.1 £65.9

$138 £102

-35.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.68 £33.03

$46.04 £34.03

-2.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 £62.7

$106 £78.1

-19.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.0 £65.1

$92.6 £68.4

-4.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$817 £604

$1,382 £1,021

-40.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$787 £582

$1,089 £805

-27.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,164 £861

$2,775 £2,051

-58.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,020 £754

$2,055 £1,519

-50.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,208 £3,110

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,170 £2,343

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,656 £1,224

$3,459 £2,557

-52.12%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.59

4.75

17.68%

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

Last update for Merthyr Tydfil: September 1, 2026

Last update for Glasgow: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $817 in Merthyr Tydfil versus $1,382 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 109% 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 $63.0 in Merthyr Tydfil versus $69.0 in Glasgow. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $304 vs $317 – making Merthyr Tydfil 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

Merthyr Tydfil vs Glasgow: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,373 in Merthyr Tydfil, $2,475 in Glasgow – roughly 4% apart. Glasgow costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,559 per month in Merthyr Tydfil and $3,712 in Glasgow. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Merthyr Tydfil, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $1,226 per month in Merthyr Tydfil and $931 in Glasgow. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 4% 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 Merthyr Tydfil, where all-in costs run around $2,373, than in Glasgow at $2,475. In Merthyr Tydfil 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 $2,373 in Merthyr Tydfil to $2,475 in Glasgow. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Merthyr Tydfil. 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.