Cost of Living Comparison Between Surrey and Glasgow Cost of Living Comparison Between Surrey and Glasgow

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,294 per month in Surrey vs $2,505 in Glasgow, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,965 per month in Surrey vs $3,735 in Glasgow, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,637 per month in Surrey vs $4,966 in Glasgow, rent included.

Surrey costs about 32% more than Glasgow, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Surrey and Glasgow sit above the global median – Surrey by 146%, Glasgow by 87%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.68 £15.37

$20.19 £15.01

2.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.4 £62.7

$98.0 £72.9

-13.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.85 £6.58

$9.35 £6.95

-5.35%

Cappuccino

$4.53 £3.37

$4.76 £3.54

-4.83%

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

$2.30 £1.71

$2.18 £1.62

5.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 £1.24

$1.43 £1.06

16.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.15 £4.57

$6.68 £4.96

-7.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.54 £4.12

$6.72 £4.99

-17.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.51 £1.12

$1.77 £1.31

-14.69%

White Bread (500g)

$1.50 £1.12

$1.64 £1.22

-8.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.87 £2.13

$2.64 £1.96

8.71%

Eggs

$3.34 £2.49

$3.85 £2.86

-13.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.88 £6.60

$10.17 £7.56

-12.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.22 £5.37

$9.21 £6.85

-21.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.66 £11.64

$13.83 £10.28

13.23%

Apples (1kg)

$4.27 £3.17

$3.26 £2.43

30.98%

Banana (1kg)

$2.32 £1.72

$1.79 £1.33

29.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.97 £2.21

$3.37 £2.50

-11.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.72 £3.51

$3.69 £2.75

27.91%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 £0.92

$1.65 £1.22

-24.85%

Onion (1kg)

$1.64 £1.22

$1.91 £1.42

-14.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.05 £0.78

$1.22 £0.90

-13.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.93 £1.43

$1.59 £1.18

21.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.58 £10.09

$21.49 £15.97

-36.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.34 £8.43

$11.31 £8.41

0.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.95 £2.19

$3.01 £2.23

-1.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.83 £1.36

$3.37 £2.51

-45.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.16 £3.09

$4.04 £3.00

2.97%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$138 £103

$95.0 £70.6

45.77%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.60 £3.42

$5.28 £3.92

-12.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.77 £1.32

$2.27 £1.68

-22.03%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$40.27 £29.93

$27.65 £20.55

45.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.87 £1.39

$1.94 £1.44

-3.61%

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

$38.5K £28.6K

$38.8K £28.9K

-0.73%

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

$39.7K £29.5K

$38.0K £28.2K

4.37%

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

$275 £204

$378 £281

-27.26%

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

$15.69 £11.66

$17.76 £13.20

-11.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.88 £30.39

$41.41 £30.78

-1.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.8 £40.75

$51.3 £38.16

6.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.32 £14.36

Cinema Ticket

$10.80 £8.03

$17.62 £13.10

-38.71%

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

$1,319 £981

$1,150 £855

14.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.0K £13.3K

$18.0K £13.4K

-0.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$86.5 £64.3

$125 £93.2

-30.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.13 £31.32

$50.6 £37.64

-16.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.1 £67.0

$106 £78.7

-14.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$139 £104

$107 £79.3

30.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,341 £1,740

$1,393 £1,036

67.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,963 £1,459

$1,011 £751

94.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,419 £2,541

$2,716 £2,019

25.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,729 £1,285

$1,884 £1,401

-8.26%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,173 £3,102

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,376 £5,483

$3,091 £2,297

138.65%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,470 £2,579

$3,453 £2,566

0.49%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.9

5.32

10.90%

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

Last update for Surrey: May 31, 2026

Last update for Glasgow: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,341 in Surrey 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 0% higher in Surrey, 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 $84.0 in Surrey versus $98.0 in Glasgow. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $311 vs $314 – making Surrey the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Surrey vs Glasgow: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,294 in Surrey, $2,505 in Glasgow – roughly 32% apart. Surrey costs more across the board, with Getting Around showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,941 per month in Surrey 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 $1,319 per month in Surrey and $1,150 in Glasgow. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 1% cheaper in Surrey – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

$3,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,294 in Surrey and $2,505 in Glasgow. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

It depends on your priorities. Glasgow has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,505 in Glasgow to $3,294 in Surrey. 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, Surrey makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.