Hello,
My husband and I are considering moving to Glasgow in a few months with a salary of just under 30,000 GBP. We will have 2 children- a newborn and a 3 year old (the older one will need to attend preschool/nursery).
I plan to be a stay at home mom for the first 2 years while my husband works at the University, after which I can re-enter the workforce.
I have been doing research and see that 30,000 GBP is a reasonable salary, but I do not know if that is for a single person or a family.
Wondering if anybody can help or give their opinions on how tight our budget will be & if it is doable to live off of that.
We plan to stay on the West End close to the University. We can get estimates of rent and other costs, but I am a bit concerned on cost of living (there are so many variables!).
Thanks in advance for any advice and opinions!
Family of 4 cost of living in Glasgowl (is 30,000 reasonable?)
Just another note, we were recommended to stay in the West End which is why that would be our plan. We know it is close to the University. We could potentially live elsewhere if we knew where to look. We also want to take into consideration schools, in particular for our 3 year old.
Hi,
For living in the west end it's not gonna be a lot... This is one of the most expensive area in Glasgow. You can have a look on www.rightmove.co.uk to see some properties.
Remember that you will need to pay the council tax every month wich can be expensive too, depends where you live in Glasgow (there are different "bands"). The electricity is very expensive in UK as well. For the "every day" cost, I would say it's like every country in europe. So I think you could live with this salary but definitly not in the west end...
The southside of Glasgow (Queen's Park area or Cathcart) is a very nice area to move to for a family like yours.
The West end can be quite expensive, but plenty of students stay in the area on much less than £30k. It just depends what kind of accommodation you're looking at.
The subway has a stop just round from the university, so it really opens up the rest of the city if your husband is willing to commute a little. As mentioned above, Cathcart and Queens Park would be ideal, and there are some nice areas around Partick where your money will go a little futher
stuarty987 wrote:The West end can be quite expensive, but plenty of students stay in the area on much less than £30k. It just depends what kind of accommodation you're looking at.
The subway has a stop just round from the university, so it really opens up the rest of the city if your husband is willing to commute a little. As mentioned above, Cathcart and Queens Park would be ideal, and there are some nice areas around Partick where your money will go a little futher
Students are staying in the west end but they are all in shared flats. Don't think it's an option with a family 
Actually, if you have the time to look for discounts and reductions in supermarkets you can reduce your expenses considerably *by* living in the West End, since you've so many shops close by. Yesterday I bought 18 pounds worth of food for 3,45, for example. Not having to take public transport is also time saving (and time is money!) and cheaper. Plus in the winter months, being close to shops will make going out easier and thus, all of you less likely to depression.
In 2019, I would recommend you have £15,000 to £25,000 available to you for settlement and establishment costs in the first 3 months, most of which will be needed in the first few weeks. .
As far as how much money you need annually for a family of 4, I would suggest a combined income of £30,000 be a minimum. Probably better to aim for a combined income of £40,000 to £50,000. Rent, council tax, public transport, and food will consume most of your money.
You need to look for advance purchase deals, coupon/discount codes, season tickets for train/bus and be careful where you buy your groceries. Simple things like this can save you 10% on your living costs.
The main cost of living after you arrive in a new country is setting yourself up again. The cost of furnishings and kitchen items, bed linen, wet weather clothing are things you don't plan for but will cost you each month as you gradually restock your possessions.
Articles to help you in your expat project in Glasgow
Scotland has a long history when it comes to banking — going back more than 300 years. As such, the ...
If you are planning to move to Scotland and have a pet (or pets), it is understandably a stressful process to ...
Scotland is a rich country in terms of nature, history and culture. From historical monuments, impressive ...
More and more foreign professionals are looking to move to Edinburgh for work thanks to its vibrant economy and ...
There is a high demand for accommodation in Glasgow, considering the city is home to three large universities that ...
Embracing the local culture when moving to a new city or country can be hard. Cultural differences and new ...
