Cost of Living Comparison Between Reading and Glasgow Cost of Living Comparison Between Reading and Glasgow

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,848 per month in Reading vs $2,475 in Glasgow, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,199 per month in Reading vs $3,746 in Glasgow, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,549 per month in Reading vs $5,018 in Glasgow, rent included.

Reading costs about 15% more than Glasgow, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Reading and Glasgow sit above the global median – Reading by 107%, Glasgow by 80%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$26.99 £19.96

$23.02 £17.03

17.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$96.6 £71.5

$68.8 £50.9

40.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.63 £7.86

$10.68 £7.90

-0.47%

Cappuccino

$4.95 £3.66

$4.98 £3.68

-0.60%

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

$3.00 £2.22

$2.28 £1.69

31.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.80 £2.07

$1.82 £1.35

53.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.56 £6.33

$5.78 £4.28

48.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.96 £5.15

$6.58 £4.87

5.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.46 £1.08

$1.64 £1.21

-10.98%

White Bread (500g)

$1.77 £1.31

$1.39 £1.03

27.34%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.04 £2.25

$2.01 £1.49

51.24%

Eggs

$3.67 £2.72

$3.85 £2.85

-4.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.35 £8.40

$9.93 £7.35

14.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.85 £6.55

$9.48 £7.02

-6.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.00 £9.61

$18.95 £14.02

-31.40%

Apples (1kg)

$3.05 £2.26

$2.81 £2.08

8.54%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 £1.15

$1.68 £1.24

-7.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.88 £2.13

$2.85 £2.11

1.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.21 £2.37

$3.08 £2.28

4.22%

Potato (1kg)

$1.56 £1.16

$1.78 £1.32

-12.36%

Onion (1kg)

$1.44 £1.07

$1.53 £1.13

-5.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.94 £0.70

$1.16 £0.86

-18.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.51 £1.12

$1.69 £1.25

-10.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$24.08 £17.81

$24.33 £18.00

-1.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.63 £10.08

$11.13 £8.23

22.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.30 £1.70

$3.32 £2.46

-30.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.22 £2.39

$3.20 £2.37

0.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.54 £2.62

$4.12 £3.05

-14.08%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$86.2 £63.7

$103 £76.4

-16.57%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.65 £4.92

$5.85 £4.32

13.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.71 £3.49

$1.20 £0.89

292.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.32 £9.86

$63.4 £46.87

-78.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.96 £1.45

$2.03 £1.50

-3.45%

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

$39.8K £29.4K

$39.7K £29.4K

0.09%

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

$40.7K £30.1K

$41.9K £31.0K

-2.80%

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

$285 £211

$342 £253

-16.64%

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

$21.29 £15.75

$20.02 £14.81

6.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$47.93 £35.46

$42.24 £31.25

13.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.3 £43.90

$45.13 £33.38

31.49%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.34 £15.79

$20.67 £15.29

3.24%

Cinema Ticket

$13.70 £10.14

$16.03 £11.86

-14.54%

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

$1,777 £1,315

$931 £688

90.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$30.2K £22.4K

$21.8K £16.1K

38.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$76.7 £56.8

$138 £102

-44.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$70.2 £52.0

$46.04 £34.06

52.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 £85.1

$106 £78.2

8.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 £77.0

$92.6 £68.5

12.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,765 £1,305

$1,382 £1,022

27.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,420 £1,050

$1,089 £806

30.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,906 £2,150

$2,775 £2,053

4.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,342 £1,732

$2,055 £1,520

13.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,109 £5,259

$4,208 £3,113

68.93%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,840 £4,321

$3,170 £2,345

84.22%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,502 £2,591

$3,459 £2,559

1.25%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.75

5.26%

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

Last update for Reading: August 31, 2026

Last update for Glasgow: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,765 in Reading 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 1% higher in Reading, 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 $97.0 in Reading versus $69.0 in Glasgow. Groceries tell a different story – $303 in Reading vs $317 in Glasgow – so Reading 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

Reading vs Glasgow: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,848 in Reading, $2,475 in Glasgow – roughly 15% apart. Reading costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,272 per month in Reading 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 Glasgow, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $1,777 per month in Reading and $931 in Glasgow. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 5% cheaper in Reading – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Glasgow, where all-in costs run around $2,475, than in Reading at $2,848. In Glasgow it covers expenses comfortably, while in Reading it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Reading has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,475 in Glasgow to $2,848 in Reading. 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, Reading makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.