Cost of Living Comparison Between Preston and Glasgow Cost of Living Comparison Between Preston and Glasgow

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,180 per month in Preston vs $2,505 in Glasgow, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,189 per month in Preston vs $3,721 in Glasgow, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,199 per month in Preston vs $4,936 in Glasgow, rent included.

Preston is about 13% cheaper than Glasgow, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Preston and Glasgow sit above the global median – Preston by 58%, Glasgow by 82%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.88 £12.48

$22.77 £16.83

-25.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.6 £52.2

$67.5 £49.91

4.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.02 £6.67

$10.67 £7.89

-15.46%

Cappuccino

$4.31 £3.18

$4.87 £3.60

-11.50%

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

$2.24 £1.65

$2.25 £1.66

-0.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.39 £1.03

$1.80 £1.33

-22.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.39 £3.98

$5.81 £4.30

-7.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.34 £3.95

$6.58 £4.86

-18.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.48 £1.09

$1.71 £1.27

-13.45%

White Bread (500g)

$1.50 £1.11

$1.44 £1.06

4.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 £1.21

$2.02 £1.49

-18.81%

Eggs

$3.55 £2.63

$3.74 £2.77

-5.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.50 £4.07

$9.81 £7.25

-43.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.69 £7.16

$9.77 £7.22

-0.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.31 £9.84

$19.01 £14.06

-29.98%

Apples (1kg)

$2.72 £2.01

Banana (1kg)

$1.78 £1.31

$1.65 £1.22

7.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.51 £1.86

$2.78 £2.06

-9.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.99 £2.95

$3.10 £2.29

28.71%

Potato (1kg)

$1.97 £1.46

$1.86 £1.38

5.91%

Onion (1kg)

$2.33 £1.73

$1.53 £1.13

52.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 £0.88

$1.16 £0.86

2.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 £1.28

$1.65 £1.22

5.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$21.55 £15.93

$24.11 £17.82

-10.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.60 £7.10

$11.31 £8.36

-15.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.13 £2.32

$3.23 £2.39

-3.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.45 £2.55

$3.26 £2.41

5.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.01 £2.97

$4.14 £3.06

-3.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$102 £75.1

$103 £76.2

-1.43%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.73 £2.01

$5.87 £4.34

-53.49%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.09 £1.54

$1.21 £0.90

72.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$62.4 £46.10

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.86 £1.37

$2.00 £1.48

-7.00%

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

$38.6K £28.5K

$39.1K £28.9K

-1.44%

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

$42.2K £31.2K

$40.9K £30.2K

3.10%

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

$440 £325

$341 £252

29.04%

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

$15.75 £11.65

$19.52 £14.43

-19.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$45.25 £33.45

$41.78 £30.89

8.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.98 £29.56

$44.22 £32.69

-9.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.73 £12.37

$20.92 £15.47

-20.03%

Cinema Ticket

$17.86 £13.20

$15.95 £11.79

11.97%

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

$1,584 £1,171

$936 £692

69.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,768 £6,482

$22.2K £16.4K

-60.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$77.2 £57.1

$140 £103

-44.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.89 £19.88

$46.84 £34.63

-42.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$68.4 £50.5

$102 £75.5

-33.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$67.0 £49.50

$91.4 £67.6

-26.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,021 £754

$1,387 £1,026

-26.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$820 £606

$1,079 £797

-23.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,892 £1,399

$2,747 £2,031

-31.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,462 £1,081

$1,983 £1,466

-26.26%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,327 £2,460

$4,242 £3,136

-21.57%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,377 £1,757

$3,167 £2,342

-24.97%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,000 £2,218

$3,531 £2,611

-15.06%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.93

4.75

3.79%

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

Last update for Preston: September 8, 2026

Last update for Glasgow: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,021 in Preston 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 18% 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 $71.0 in Preston versus $68.0 in Glasgow. Groceries tell a different story – $288 in Preston vs $318 in Glasgow – so Preston 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

Preston vs Glasgow: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,180 in Preston, $2,505 in Glasgow – roughly 15% apart. Glasgow costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,269 per month in Preston 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 Preston, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $1,584 per month in Preston 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 11% 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 $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Preston, where all-in costs run around $2,180, than in Glasgow at $2,505. In Preston 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 $2,180 in Preston to $2,505 in Glasgow. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Preston. 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.