11+ Pros and Cons Living in Glasgow (Explained)

All the cities have their ups and downs. And Glasgow is no different. This city can be easily fantasized about with its historic yet pretty buildings in every corner; however, the daily challenges can be quite difficult.

Everyone has to go through some of the other issues while shifting so it’s better to get an overview of the new place before your shift. Some of the pros and cons of moving to Glasgow have been discussed in detail.

Although Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland it is not the capital of Scotland, nevertheless, the city is beautiful and has its own perks. It is situated beside the River Clyde and is an old Port with the main industry historically being Shipbuilding.

Benefits Living in GlasgowDrawbacks Living in Glasgow
A lot of GreeneryThe weather is grey, rainy and windy 
Access to the National Health Service (NHS) Long waiting hours for health care facilities 
Housing is affordable Catchment areas for all the public schools 
Internationally renowned Baccalaureate Schools Inconvenient Public transport

Advantages of Living in Glasgow 

  • A lot of Greenery

The Gaelic meaning of Glasgow is ‘dear green place’. The city has certainly done justice to its name. The place is full of gardens and public place and if anyone wants to get away from the hustle and bustle of the city then they just know where to go. 

The people in Glasgow are also extremely friendly. The new immigrants are welcomed with open hearts. The people at Glasgow love to know the new residents over a couple of drinks in the pub.

The immigrants who have a great sense of humor shall find it quite easy to settle in Glasgow culture. 

This is a wonderful city and people moving in from foreign nations do not face any discrimination of any sort. The overall attitude of entire Scotland is comparatively less negative as compared to the other parts in Britain.

greenery advantages around glasgow
  • Access to the National Health Service (NHS)

One of the major advantages of shifting to the UK is the National Health Services (NHS) and Scotland’s branch that deals with it are highly appreciated for its efficiency.

The immigrants who avail of NHS shall have access to a fully-funded healthcare system which also includes hospital visits, appointments and prescriptions.  

  • Housing is affordable 

The immigrants shall not have trouble with housing in Glasgow. The prices of housing in Glasgow is quite affordable, especially in the suburbs of the city. However, one must keep in mind that the more suburb area you enter, the more sparse public transport becomes.

However, the houses are well priced and cheaper even in the center of the city and are less costly as compared to those in Edinburgh. 

The accommodation prices vary from place to place. The best areas to live in Glasgow would be either in the Southside or at the West end. West End is expensive of the two.

Car clubs in Glasgow are a great boon for people who do not have a car of their own. If you wish to travel anywhere within the city, you can just rent a car from theme car clubs even if you wish to have it for thirty minutes.

  • Internationally renowned Baccalaureate Schools 

Although there are no schools in Glasgow that offer foreign curricula, there are a few private organizations in Glasgow that provide children with options to get access to the globally accepted and certified International Baccalaureate (IB) curriculum which gets culminated in IB diploma.

advantages living in glasgow

Disadvantages of Living in Glasgow 

  • The weather is grey, rainy and windy 

If you are a sunshine lover, then you might not find Glasgow according to your weather preference. The weather in Glasgow is not one of the things that the residents can boast about.

While the temperature reaches single digits in the winters and even below the freezing point the summer is not that warm. Glasgow is voted as the third wettest city in the entire UK.

However, it has the highest number of days with rainfall with an average of 170 days per year.

 Although there is no snowfall every year, it is generally a light snowfall. However, one can always look for sleet and rain so you better keep your umbrellas and raincoats before moving to Glasgow. 

  • Long waiting hours for health care facilities 

It is not unknown to the residents of the United Kingdom that the long wait hours for the appointments through NHS and Glasgow is also present in the list.

One can speed up the waiting time by opting for costly treatment services. However, the private fees for the treatment are quite expensive. So, if anyone wishes to opt for private healthcare services, then it is advisable to invest it in comprehensive health insurance services. 

government schools advantage in glasgow
  • Catchment areas for all the public schools

Glasgow has catchment areas for its schools as the schooling system in Glasgow is based on the same. The students who live in the residential zone of a particular school are given priority while admitted.

Although one may apply for a school outside the catchment area the children in that area are given more priority and entry for the other kids is not guaranteed. Thus, if you wish to have great schools for your kids, you must research the area before moving. 

  • Inconvenient Public transport

Although one can move about in Glasgow without a personal car, every household in Scotland owns at least one car. There is a lack of public transport in the suburban areas and thus it is easier to move around if one has a car of his own. 

Also, public transport can be a little inconvenient in the changing weather in Glasgow. Especially when you leave the heated train carriage and get into the freezing rain of the city. 

Although the delays in public transport are not very frequent, however, they do occur in certain situations, and sometimes the passengers of the train are even redirected to the busses if there are major delays.

disadvantages living in glasgow

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