Cost of Living Comparison Between State College, PA and St. Andrews Cost of Living Comparison Between State College, PA and St. Andrews

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,389 per month in State College, PA vs $2,306 in St. Andrews, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,500 per month in State College, PA vs $3,897 in St. Andrews, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,611 per month in State College, PA vs $5,487 in St. Andrews, rent included.

State College, PA costs about 4% more than St. Andrews, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both State College, PA and St. Andrews sit above the global median – State College, PA by 74%, St. Andrews by 68%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.02 $15.02

$21.43 £15.71

-29.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$59.7 $59.7

$88.8 £65.1

-32.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.46 $9.46

$10.73 £7.86

-11.84%

Cappuccino

$3.08 $3.08

$4.79 £3.51

-35.70%

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

$2.73 $2.73

$2.68 £1.97

1.87%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 $1.96

$2.03 £1.49

-3.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.64 $5.64

$6.78 £4.97

-16.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.07 $7.07

$6.56 £4.81

7.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.98 $0.98

$1.62 £1.19

-39.51%

White Bread (500g)

$3.42 $3.42

$1.73 £1.27

97.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.92 $1.92

$1.88 £1.38

2.13%

Eggs

$4.65 $4.65

$4.48 £3.28

3.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.54 $9.54

$7.76 £5.69

22.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.15 $10.15

$9.52 £6.98

6.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.64 $15.64

$15.82 £11.60

-1.14%

Apples (1kg)

$3.63 $3.63

$2.45 £1.80

48.16%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 $1.49

$1.42 £1.04

4.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.50 $4.50

$2.87 £2.11

56.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.21 $5.21

$2.91 £2.13

79.04%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 $2.05

$1.81 £1.32

13.26%

Onion (1kg)

$2.92 $2.92

$1.53 £1.12

90.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.13 $2.13

$1.26 £0.92

69.05%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.51 $1.51

$2.37 £1.74

-36.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.84 $11.84

$23.07 £16.91

-48.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.10 $18.10

$11.40 £8.35

58.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 $1.70

$2.78 £2.03

-38.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.03 $4.03

$3.17 £2.32

27.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.14 $2.14

$4.75 £3.48

-54.95%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$84.8 $84.8

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.28 $5.28

$4.10 £3.01

28.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 $2.19

$2.42 £1.77

-9.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$44.80 $44.80

$24.08 £17.65

86.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.04 $1.04

$2.07 £1.52

-49.76%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$38.7K £28.4K

-9.68%

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

$25.3K $25.3K

$41.1K £30.1K

-38.38%

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

$157 $157

$245 £180

-36.10%

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

$40.48 $40.48

$13.69 £10.04

195.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$68.1 $68.1

$42.48 £31.14

60.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.14 $25.14

$61.3 £44.93

-58.99%

Cinema Ticket

$12.91 $12.91

$13.35 £9.78

-3.30%

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

$1,043 $1,043

$1,827 £1,339

-42.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$32.6K $32.6K

$23.6K £17.3K

38.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.5 $50.5

$97.5 £71.4

-48.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.49 $39.49

$48.50 £35.55

-18.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.9 $80.9

$108 £79.0

-24.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$112 $112

$89.6 £65.7

25.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,726 $1,726

$1,421 £1,042

21.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 $1,272

$1,063 £779

19.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,801 $2,801

$3,106 £2,277

-9.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,131 $2,131

$2,752 £2,017

-22.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,599 $2,599

$6,349 £4,654

-59.06%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,201 $2,201

$2,743 £2,010

-19.76%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,317 $4,317

$3,396 £2,490

27.12%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.07

5.41

12.20%

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

Last update for State College, PA: August 17, 2026

Last update for St. Andrews: August 16, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,726 in State College, PA versus $1,421 in St. Andrews. 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 27% higher in State College, PA, 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 $60.0 in State College, PA versus $89.0 in St. Andrews. Groceries tell a different story – $359 in State College, PA vs $309 in St. Andrews – so St. Andrews 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

State College, PA vs St. Andrews: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,389 in State College, PA, $2,306 in St. Andrews – roughly 4% apart. State College, PA costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,583 per month in State College, PA and $3,460 in St. Andrews. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in St. Andrews, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $60.0 in State College, PA and $89.0 in St. Andrews. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 16% more in State College, PA, 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 St. Andrews, where all-in costs run around $2,306, than in State College, PA at $2,389. In St. Andrews it covers expenses comfortably, while in State College, PA it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward St. Andrews – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 St. Andrews. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, State College, PA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.