Cost of Living Comparison Between Southampton and Glasgow Cost of Living Comparison Between Southampton and Glasgow

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,713 per month in Southampton vs $2,505 in Glasgow, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,808 per month in Southampton vs $3,735 in Glasgow, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,902 per month in Southampton vs $4,966 in Glasgow, rent included.

Southampton costs about 8% more than Glasgow, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Southampton and Glasgow sit above the global median – Southampton by 102%, Glasgow by 87%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$27.36 £20.37

$20.19 £15.04

35.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$78.2 £58.3

$98.0 £73.0

-20.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.62 £8.65

$9.35 £6.97

24.28%

Cappuccino

$4.92 £3.66

$4.76 £3.54

3.36%

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

$2.57 £1.92

$2.18 £1.63

17.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.27 £1.69

$1.43 £1.07

58.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.04 £5.24

$6.68 £4.97

5.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.77 £5.04

$6.72 £5.00

0.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.47 £1.09

$1.77 £1.32

-16.95%

White Bread (500g)

$1.37 £1.02

$1.64 £1.22

-16.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.59 £2.68

$2.64 £1.97

35.98%

Eggs

$5.44 £4.05

$3.85 £2.87

41.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.22 £6.87

$10.17 £7.58

-9.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.36 £6.97

$9.21 £6.86

1.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.73 £10.97

$13.83 £10.30

6.51%

Apples (1kg)

$2.40 £1.79

$3.26 £2.43

-26.38%

Banana (1kg)

$1.65 £1.23

$1.79 £1.33

-7.82%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.47 £1.84

$3.37 £2.51

-26.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.97 £2.21

$3.69 £2.75

-19.51%

Potato (1kg)

$1.76 £1.31

$1.65 £1.23

6.67%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 £0.87

$1.91 £1.42

-39.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 £0.73

$1.22 £0.91

-19.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.24 £1.67

$1.59 £1.18

40.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$17.42 £12.98

$21.49 £16.00

-18.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.30 £8.41

$11.31 £8.42

-0.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.13 £3.07

$3.01 £2.24

37.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 £2.49

$3.37 £2.51

-0.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.89 £2.15

$4.04 £3.01

-28.47%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$86.4 £64.3

$95.0 £70.8

-9.09%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.34 £3.23

$5.28 £3.93

-17.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.98 £1.47

$2.27 £1.69

-12.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$32.46 £24.17

$27.65 £20.59

17.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.97 £1.47

$1.94 £1.44

1.55%

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

$38.5K £28.7K

$38.8K £28.9K

-0.83%

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

$40.4K £30.1K

$38.0K £28.3K

6.42%

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

$343 £255

$378 £281

-9.21%

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

$18.38 £13.69

$17.76 £13.23

3.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.9 £40.14

$41.41 £30.84

30.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.51 £30.92

$51.3 £38.23

-19.13%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.22 £13.57

$19.32 £14.39

-5.69%

Cinema Ticket

$12.46 £9.28

$17.62 £13.12

-29.28%

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

$1,500 £1,117

$1,150 £856

30.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.5K £13.8K

$18.0K £13.4K

3.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$117 £87.1

$125 £93.4

-6.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.6 £39.94

$50.6 £37.71

5.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$116 £86.2

$106 £78.9

9.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$146 £109

$107 £79.4

36.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,370 £1,020

$1,393 £1,038

-1.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,206 £898

$1,011 £753

19.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,438 £1,816

$2,716 £2,023

-10.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,774 £1,321

$1,884 £1,403

-5.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,101 £4,544

$4,173 £3,108

46.20%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,587 £4,161

$3,091 £2,302

80.76%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,394 £2,528

$3,453 £2,571

-1.69%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.62

5.32

5.64%

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

Last update for Southampton: May 31, 2026

Last update for Glasgow: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,370 in Southampton versus $1,393 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 2% 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 $78.0 in Southampton versus $98.0 in Glasgow. Groceries tell a different story – $318 in Southampton vs $314 in Glasgow – so Glasgow 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

Southampton vs Glasgow: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,713 in Southampton, $2,505 in Glasgow – roughly 8% apart. Southampton costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,070 per month in Southampton 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 $1,500 per month in Southampton and $1,150 in Glasgow. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 1% more in Southampton, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$3,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,713 in Southampton and $2,505 in Glasgow. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

It depends on your priorities. Southampton has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,505 in Glasgow to $2,713 in Southampton. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Glasgow. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Southampton makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.