Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Romford and Glasgow

For one person, living is cheaper in Glasgow: $2,425 a month against $2,706 in Romford, rent and utilities included – about $3,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Romford
🇬🇧 United Kingdom
$2,706
/mo nomad
Glasgow
🇬🇧 United Kingdom
$2,425
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Romford and in Glasgow

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Romford and in Glasgow actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,706 per month in Romford vs $2,425 in Glasgow, rent included.

  • Romford $2,706
  • Glasgow $2,425

A couple spends around $4,122 per month in Romford vs $3,644 in Glasgow, rent included.

  • Romford $4,122
  • Glasgow $3,644

A family of three spends $5,538 per month in Romford vs $4,864 in Glasgow, rent included.

  • Romford $5,538
  • Glasgow $4,864

Romford costs about 12% more than Glasgow, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Romford and Glasgow sit above the global median – Romford by 100%, Glasgow by 79%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Romford
Glasgow
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$23.90 £17.93
$21.03 £15.78
13.65%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$108 £81.3
$66.7 £50.1
62.41%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.75 £8.07
$10.56 £7.92
1.80%
Cappuccino
$4.88 £3.66
$4.78 £3.59
2.09%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.68 £2.01
$2.27 £1.70
18.06%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.85 £1.39
$1.90 £1.42
-2.63%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$7.62 £5.72
$5.43 £4.08
40.33%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$6.78 £5.09
$6.76 £5.07
0.30%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Romford
Glasgow
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.83 £1.37
$1.65 £1.24
10.91%
White Bread (500g)
$1.74 £1.30
$1.69 £1.27
2.96%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.62 £1.96
$1.98 £1.49
32.32%
Eggs
$4.88 £3.66
$3.93 £2.95
24.17%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.51 £7.13
$9.24 £6.93
2.92%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.56 £7.17
$9.29 £6.97
2.91%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$16.02 £12.02
$16.82 £12.62
-4.76%
Apples (1kg)
$3.03 £2.28
$2.99 £2.24
1.34%
Banana (1kg)
$1.37 £1.03
$1.49 £1.12
-8.05%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.24 £2.43
$2.89 £2.17
12.11%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.55 £2.66
$3.22 £2.42
10.25%
Potato (1kg)
$1.66 £1.25
$1.97 £1.47
-15.74%
Onion (1kg)
$1.82 £1.37
$1.59 £1.19
14.47%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.25 £0.93
$1.19 £0.89
5.04%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.80 £1.35
$1.64 £1.23
9.76%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$23.41 £17.56
$23.68 £17.76
-1.14%
Wine (Bottle)
$13.22 £9.92
$11.13 £8.35
18.78%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$3.21 £2.41
$3.39 £2.54
-5.31%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.14 £3.11
$3.44 £2.58
20.35%
🚌 Getting Around
Romford
Glasgow
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$4.58 £3.43
$4.07 £3.05
12.53%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$97.1 £72.8
$103 £77.5
-6.06%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$5.51 £4.13
$6.03 £4.52
-8.62%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.59 £1.94
$1.16 £0.87
123.28%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$25.48 £19.11
$62.0 £46.48
-58.88%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.08 £1.56
$2.15 £1.62
-3.26%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$38.9K £29.2K
$39.3K £29.5K
-0.86%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$40.4K £30.3K
$39.7K £29.8K
1.79%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Romford
Glasgow
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$381 £286
$315 £236
21.13%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$18.84 £14.13
$20.19 £15.15
-6.69%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$43.29 £32.48
$43.28 £32.47
0.02%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Romford
Glasgow
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$50.6 £37.94
$46.26 £34.71
9.32%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$20.34 £15.26
-
Cinema Ticket
$17.03 £12.78
$16.23 £12.17
4.93%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Romford
Glasgow
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$2,581 £1,936
$905 £679
185.05%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$35.1K £26.4K
$21.6K £16.2K
62.55%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Romford
Glasgow
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$90.0 £67.6
$135 £102
-33.50%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$46.87 £35.16
$46.32 £34.75
1.19%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$91.7 £68.8
$108 £80.9
-14.93%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$130 £97.3
$93.1 £69.9
39.25%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Romford
Glasgow
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,852 £1,389
$1,350 £1,013
37.20%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,201 £901
$1,036 £778
15.86%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,269 £2,452
$2,680 £2,011
21.95%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,259 £1,695
$1,941 £1,456
16.35%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$5,605 £4,205
$4,064 £3,049
37.94%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,693 £2,770
$3,073 £2,306
20.16%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Romford
Glasgow
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$2,863 £2,148
$3,420 £2,566
-16.28%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5
4.79
4.38%

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

Last update for Romford: October 19, 2026

Last update for Glasgow: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Romford
$1.2K
Glasgow
$1K 13.7% $164
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Romford
$443
Glasgow
$378 14.7% $65
Eating Out
Romford
$352
Glasgow
$315 10.6% $37
Groceries & Markets
Romford
$330
Glasgow
$313 5.2% $17
Clothing & Footwear
Romford
$161
Glasgow
$172 6.8% $11
Getting Around
Romford
$134
Glasgow
$131 1.8% $2.4
Sport & Entertainment
Romford
$85
Glasgow
$79 7% $5.9

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,852 in Romford versus $1,350 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 19% 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 $108 in Romford versus $67.0 in Glasgow. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $330 vs $313 – making Glasgow the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇬🇧 Romford
🇬🇧 Glasgow
🕒 Local time
06:46 6:46 AM
06:46 6:46 AM
Same time as Romford
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
95,894
606,340
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to GBP – British Pound Converter

British Pound exchange rates as of October 23, 2026: 1 USD = 0.75 GBP (1 GBP = 1.33 USD). 1 EUR = 0.843 GBP (1 GBP = 1.19 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Romford Glasgow 560 km ≈ 1 h 15 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Romford
  • Glasgow

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Romford vs Glasgow: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Romford and in Glasgow compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $2,706 in Romford, $2,425 in Glasgow – roughly 12% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.
What salary covers living expenses in Romford compared to Glasgow?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,059 per month in Romford and $3,637 in Glasgow. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Romford and Glasgow?
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.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Romford and Glasgow?
Kindergarten costs $2,581 per month in Romford and $905 in Glasgow. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Groceries cost about 6% more in Romford, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Which city is more doable on $3,000 per month?
A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Glasgow, where all-in costs run around $2,425, than in Romford at $2,706. In Glasgow it covers expenses comfortably, while in Romford it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
How does quality of life compare between Romford and Glasgow?
It depends on your priorities. Glasgow has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,425 in Glasgow to $2,706 in Romford. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
How do I decide between Romford and Glasgow?
If budget matters most, go with Glasgow. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Romford makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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