Cost of Living Comparison Between Oxford and Glasgow Cost of Living Comparison Between Oxford and Glasgow

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,218 per month in Oxford vs $2,505 in Glasgow, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,603 per month in Oxford vs $3,721 in Glasgow, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,989 per month in Oxford vs $4,936 in Glasgow, rent included.

Oxford costs about 28% more than Glasgow, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Oxford and Glasgow sit above the global median – Oxford by 133%, Glasgow by 82%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.17 £18.58

$22.77 £16.80

10.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$105 £77.2

$67.5 £49.82

54.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.01 £8.12

$10.67 £7.87

3.19%

Cappuccino

$5.17 £3.81

$4.87 £3.60

6.16%

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

$4.60 £3.40

$2.25 £1.66

104.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.32 £1.71

$1.80 £1.33

28.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.22 £6.81

$5.81 £4.29

58.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.27 £6.10

$6.58 £4.86

25.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.81 £1.33

$1.71 £1.26

5.85%

White Bread (500g)

$1.65 £1.22

$1.44 £1.06

14.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.04 £1.50

$2.02 £1.49

0.99%

Eggs

$4.27 £3.15

$3.74 £2.76

14.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.87 £10.97

$9.81 £7.24

51.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.37 £6.18

$9.77 £7.21

-14.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.15 £11.18

$19.01 £14.03

-20.31%

Apples (1kg)

$3.44 £2.54

$2.72 £2.01

26.47%

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 £1.28

$1.65 £1.21

4.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.10 £2.29

$2.78 £2.05

11.51%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.72 £2.75

$3.10 £2.29

20.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 £1.32

$1.86 £1.38

-3.76%

Onion (1kg)

$1.82 £1.34

$1.53 £1.13

18.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.21 £0.89

$1.16 £0.86

4.31%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 £1.25

$1.65 £1.21

3.03%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$24.16 £17.83

$24.11 £17.79

0.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 £8.22

$11.31 £8.35

-1.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.56 £2.63

$3.23 £2.39

10.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.69 £2.72

$3.26 £2.41

13.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.18 £3.08

$4.14 £3.06

0.97%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$113 £83.2

$103 £76.0

9.47%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.29 £3.90

$5.87 £4.33

-9.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.33 £2.46

$1.21 £0.90

175.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$41.84 £30.88

$62.4 £46.02

-32.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.04 £1.51

$2.00 £1.48

2.00%

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

$39.7K £29.3K

$39.1K £28.9K

1.45%

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

$42.1K £31.1K

$40.9K £30.2K

2.96%

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

$374 £276

$341 £251

9.73%

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

$18.48 £13.64

$19.52 £14.40

-5.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$44.51 £32.85

$41.78 £30.83

6.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.51 £33.58

$44.22 £32.63

2.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.87 £8.76

$20.92 £15.44

-43.26%

Cinema Ticket

$14.59 £10.77

$15.95 £11.77

-8.53%

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

$2,332 £1,721

$936 £691

149.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.0K £11.8K

$22.2K £16.4K

-27.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$96.5 £71.3

$140 £103

-30.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.14 £34.79

$46.84 £34.57

0.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 £75.0

$102 £75.4

-0.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 £77.3

$91.4 £67.4

14.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,359 £1,741

$1,387 £1,024

70.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,744 £1,287

$1,079 £796

61.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,281 £2,421

$2,747 £2,027

19.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,591 £1,912

$1,983 £1,463

30.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,243 £6,083

$4,242 £3,131

94.31%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,900 £5,092

$3,167 £2,337

117.84%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,136 £3,053

$3,531 £2,606

17.14%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.79

4.75

0.84%

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

Last update for Oxford: September 7, 2026

Last update for Glasgow: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,359 in Oxford versus $1,387 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 17% higher in Oxford, 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 $105 in Oxford versus $68.0 in Glasgow. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $332 vs $318 – 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

Oxford vs Glasgow: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,218 in Oxford, $2,505 in Glasgow – roughly 28% apart. Oxford costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,827 per month in Oxford 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 $2,332 per month in Oxford and $936 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 Oxford, 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 Glasgow, where all-in costs run around $2,505, than in Oxford at $3,218. In Glasgow it covers expenses comfortably, while in Oxford it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Oxford has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,505 in Glasgow to $3,218 in Oxford. 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 Glasgow. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Oxford makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.