Regarding life in Glasgow, bagpipes, haggis, and friendly banter are the first things that come to mind for many people. This blog post, however, will delve deeper into the cost of living in Glasgow, providing you with the necessary knowledge on all three aspects of daily life, education and accommodation. It’s a city full of rich culture, historical charm and a unique urban vibe. But it also has its hidden costs that can catch newcomers off guard.
Cost of Living in Glasgow: Daily Life
Although Edinburgh is Scotland’s capital, Glasgow is Scotland’s largest city in terms of population and area. According to NUMBEO, living expenses in Glasgow are essentially the same as in Manchester.
Food
As in other cities, the primary source of daily necessities for international students in Glasgow is the various supermarket chains in the UK. For those who prefer to cook for themselves, this will cost around ￡184 per month. But eating out in restaurants is also a great way to regulate your mood. There are a variety of grades of restaurants in the city, ranging from around ￡7 to ￡60 per meal. For a taste of British pub culture, beers and cocktails cost between ￡4 and ￡12 per glass.
Entertainment
Entertainment is the part where individuals vary the most. For football fans, Glasgow Rangers‘ home ground, Ibrox Stadium, is located on the city’s west side. The average ticket price for the ground is around ￡100. Cinema is a more popular option, with tickets costing between ￡7 and ￡10 per show. Moreover, there are theatres in the city centre area that offer a variety of performances. For example, the Glasgow Royal Concert Hall costs around ￡12 to ￡30 per show. Buchanan Galleries is the most famous shopping destination, offering everything from discounted goods to world-famous brands. Shopping needs vary from person to person and can cost from ￡30 to ￡300 per visit.
Mobile Network
Prices for mobile phone networks are consistent across most cities in the UK. A ￡10 per month SIM card deal for students will cover the basic requirements. The ‘pay as you go‘ SIM cards are the most popular as they can be cancelled anytime. However, it should be noted that most operators require students to provide a UK bank card when purchasing a SIM card.
| The cheap deals of popular networks in UK | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Networks | Price/month | Data | Contract |
| Three | ￡10 | 15G | Pay as you go |
| O2 | ￡10 | 20G | Pay as you go |
| EE | ￡14 | 2G | 24 month plan |
| Vodafone | ￡10 | 2G | 90 days plan |
| giffgaff | ￡10 | 15G | Pay as you go |
Transport
Glasgow, as an international city, is well served by public transport. Many bus operators in the city cover all corners of the city. Taking First Bus as an example, a single journey ticket ranges from ￡2 to ￡6. However, students can save money by purchasing various Flexible Tickets.
And the subway is also an essential part of the public transport system, known as the ‘Clockwork Orange‘. A single ticket is usually ￡1.60, and students can also get a discount by buying a different ticket or smart card.
If students need to travel to other cities, they can take the train at stations such as Glasgow Central. In England, students can purchase a ￡30 Rail Card from ScotRail, which entitles them to a 30% discount on all tickets for a year.
Cost of Living in Glasgow: Education
For international students, tuition fees are the biggest cost of living in Glasgow scotland. This is because tuition fees are usually higher for international students than for UK students.
- The University of Glasgow is the most prestigious university in the city, with annual tuition fees of around ￡20,000 for undergraduate students and ￡22,000 for postgraduate students.
- The undergraduate tuition fees at the University of Strathclyde are around ￡17,000 and postgraduate students ￡21,000.
- The undergraduate tuition fees at the Glasgow Caledonian University are around ￡16,000 and postgraduate students around ￡24,000.
Cost of Living in Glasgow: Accommodation
In Glasgow, students have a wealth of living options. Common ones are university halls of residence, off-campus student accommodation and social properties. Each option has different advantages and disadvantages, making the costs very different.
On campus student halls
University of Glasgow’s student halls covers all campuses and offers a wide choice of room types and services, with prices ranging from ￡456 to ￡720 monthly. The University of Strathclyde also provides three types of halls of residence for both undergraduate and postgraduate students, with prices ranging from ￡440 to ￡640 per month. Glasgow Caledonian University also offers student accommodation for 660 students at Caledonian Court.
Off campus student accommodation
Off-campus student housing in Glasgow is also a popular option. Although more expensive, students have the freedom to choose the type of room and location, and many flats offer additional community facilities and services. Typically, the rent for this type of student accommodation is between ￡600 and ￡1,200 per month.
Private rental property
There is a broader choice of social properties and a more comprehensive range of room types to cater for students with higher demand. Depending on personal preference, prices may range between should ￡600 and ￡2000 each month. However, students can reduce the average cost by sharing a flat with someone else.
Gas and Utility
If a student is living in a social flat, there are also energy and utility costs to be concerned about. Unlike halls of residence and flats that come with a bill, most social properties require residents to pay their own bills. According to the figures, the monthly utility costs (gas, electricity, water, internet, etc.) in Glasgow are between ￡150 and ￡260.
Council Tax
Council tax is a challenge that all renters in the UK need to face. If a student is living in a student house or flat, then it is automatically tax-free. However, for student liveing in a social property, they have to apply for the tax exemption yourself. If you don’t apply, you must pay between ￡83 and ￡306 monthly.
Conclusion
To summarise, university fees make up the bulk of Glasgow’s costs. They cost between ￡16,000 and ￡20,000 per year, followed by flat rent, which is around ￡600 per month or more. On the other hand, monthly living and entertainment costs range from ￡800 to ￡1,400, but students can save money through various offers or deals.
| The Cost of Living in Glasgow 2024 | |
|---|---|
| Cost | Price/annual |
| Education | ￡17000~￡24000 |
| Accommodation | ￡5280~￡24000 |
| Food | ￡2200~￡5500 |
| Entertainment | ￡1500~￡11000 |
| Transport | ￡400~￡1600 |
| Network | ￡150~￡600 |
Cost of Living in Glasgow: FAQ
Glasgow is considered relatively affordable compared to other cities in the UK. House prices, in particular, are below the UK average, making it attractive for both individuals and families. However, as with other cities, costs vary considerably depending on lifestyle choices and preferences. For example, eating out, entertainment and personal care can add significantly to monthly expenses.
If you exclude university fees, £1000 will likely support a month’s living in Glasgow. Firstly, there is accommodation; the cheapest residence halls are ￡450 per month. And finding cheaper options is possible by looking for shared social properties off-campus. Secondly, daily living, if you insist on cooking your own meals, you can spend less than ￡200 per month. Also, be careful not to overshop or spend on entertainment; ￡1000 is enough to live in Glasgow for a month.
The cost of living in Glasgow is relatively inexpensive compared to other major cities in the UK. House prices in Glasgow are much lower than in cities such as London and Edinburgh, and the cost of groceries, transport and leisure activities is also relatively inexpensive. According to NUMBEO, the average cost of living in Edinburgh is 12% higher than in Glasgow and 57.9% higher in London.
In Glasgow, the cost of monthly bills varies depending on factors such as the size of the home and the number of residents. On average, utility bills (including electricity, heating, cooling, water and rubbish disposal) range from £120 to £170. Internet services usually cost between £25 and £35 per month. Council tax is between £100 and £300 per month, depending on the property class. It is important to remember that these are rough estimates, and individual expenses may vary. Always do your research or consult a local expert for the most accurate information.
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