🇬🇧Cost of Living in Glasgow

United Kingdom · Population: 635,000 · Cost Index: 64/100

Cost of Living in Glasgow

United Kingdom · Europe

Glasgow is Scotland's largest city, celebrated for its Victorian architecture, vibrant arts scene, and friendly locals. It offers a more affordable alternative to Edinburgh with excellent universities and a thriving nightlife.

635,000

Population

Cost Index

Safety Index

Quality of Life

Average Monthly Cost: $1,750 (single person, excluding rent)

Estimated monthly budget in Glasgow

Typical total monthly cost by household type.

Single person

$1,750

per month

Couple

$2,630

per month

Family of 4

$3,680

per month

Student

$1,310

per month

Estimates based on the average cost of living in Glasgow, scaled by household size. Actual costs vary with lifestyle, neighbourhood and housing.

Cost Breakdown

Housing

Avg: $1,012.50

1-Bedroom Apartment (City Center)(per month)

$850.00

1-Bedroom Apartment (Outside Center)(per month)

$600.00

3-Bedroom Apartment (City Center)(per month)

$1,550.00

3-Bedroom Apartment (Outside Center)(per month)

$1,050.00

Food & Groceries

Avg: $9.73

Meal at Inexpensive Restaurant(per meal)

$14.00

Meal for 2 at Mid-Range Restaurant(per meal)

$58.00

McMeal at McDonald's(per meal)

$8.00

Milk (1 liter)(per liter)

$1.25

Bread (500g loaf)(per loaf)

$1.20

Rice (1 kg)(per kg)

$1.40

Eggs (12)(per dozen)

$2.75

Chicken Breast (1 kg)(per kg)

$7.30

Apples (1 kg)(per kg)

$2.10

Banana (1 kg)(per kg)

$1.25

Transportation

Avg: $15.88

Monthly Public Transit Pass(per month)

$70.00

One-Way Ticket (Local Transport)(per trip)

$2.50

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)(base fare)

$3.80

Taxi 1km (Normal Tariff)(per km)

$1.40

Gasoline (1 liter)(per liter)

$1.70

Utilities

Avg: $81.00

Basic Utilities (85m² Apt)(per month)

$190.00

Mobile Phone Plan(per month)

$20.00

Internet (60 Mbps+)(per month)

$33.00

Healthcare

Avg: $20.00

Doctor Visit(per visit)

$0.00

Dentist Visit(per visit)

$60.00

Prescription Medicine (avg)(per prescription)

$0.00

Entertainment

Avg: $14.30

Fitness Club Monthly(per month)

$36.00

Cinema Ticket(per ticket)

$12.00

Cappuccino(per cup)

$3.70

Beer (0.5l) at Restaurant(per glass)

$5.50

Clothing

Avg: $58.33

Pair of Jeans (Levi's)(per pair)

$65.00

Summer Dress (Chain Store)(per item)

$30.00

Running Shoes (Nike, Adidas)(per pair)

$80.00

Popular Glasgow comparisons

Glasgow vs London Glasgow vs Birmingham Glasgow vs Manchester Glasgow vs Edinburgh Glasgow vs New York Glasgow vs Tokyo Glasgow vs Singapore Glasgow vs Dubai

Frequently asked questions about Glasgow

Is Glasgow expensive to live in?

Glasgow has a cost of living index of 64 out of 100, where New York City scores 100. This puts it in the mid-range among the cities we track.

How much money do you need to live in Glasgow?

A single person needs an estimated $1,750 per month to live in Glasgow, covering rent, food, transport and other essentials. A family or a more comfortable lifestyle will cost more.

What is the cost of living index in Glasgow?

Glasgow's cost of living index is 64 out of 100. The index is relative to New York City (100), so a score of 50 means overall costs are roughly half those of New York.

What is quality of life like in Glasgow?

Glasgow scores 70 out of 100 for quality of life and 56 out of 100 for safety in our index.

Data & sources

As an independent cross-check, the World Bank puts the overall price level in United Kingdom at 87 relative to the United States (=100) in 2024. View source

Cost figures on this site are independent estimates, cross-referenced with public data sources including World Bank, Numbeo, Eurostat, OECD.