Just eight miles away from Glasgow, East Kilbride is a promising village and the biggest in South Lanarkshire. 

Many reckon that our town has lots to offer, but what is it really like living here? 

If you want to know more, read on!

What’s it like living in East Kilbride? 

Living in East Kilbride means you’ll enjoy a wide range of green spaces, a plethora of tourist attractions, reasonable house prices, little to no traffic congestion, and easy access to supermarkets. 

Our town also has large shopping centres and a wide cycling path. Driving and parking are easier, too. In terms of culture, we’re more urban than most towns away from the city centre. 

So, if you’re into that kind of life, then you might love living here!

1. You can live more comfortably here than most cities in Scotland. 

In East Kilbride, the average monthly cost of living is £1,206. It sits at the median range of the most expensive cities in Scotland, ranking 154th out of 277th on the list.

That said, we consider that living expenses here are neither cheap nor expensive, but reasonably priced compared to other cities like Glasgow, which is the nearest largest city in our town. 

Glasgow has a monthly cost of living of £1,222, which is basically a bit more expensive compared to East Kilbride. 

2. Our town has lots of job opportunities. 

Worried about work opportunities? East Kilbride has plenty to offer especially for those in the fields of accountancy, health, human resources and web developer positions.

The average monthly salary for all sectors is £2,088. With that said, you can sustain a decent lifestyle because our town’s cost of living is incorporated in our salaries. 

3. We have a wide range of schools. 

Got kids? East Kilbride has 25 primary schools, 4 secondary schools and 1 college in town! Granted, most are Catholic schools, but they’ll still allow non-Catholics to enrol. 

Among the top-notch primary schools are Hunter Primary School, Kirktonholme Primary School and St Leonard’s Primary School. Meanwhile, Duncanrig Secondary School and St Andrew’s and St Bride’s High School are the top-tiers for secondary education.

Plus, South Lanarkshire College may be the lone college in our town but they have numerous courses to offer that might suit your preferences. Among these are accountancy, tourism and business management. 

So, if you’re considering enrolling your child here, we’ve got plenty of options available for you! 

4. We have an efficient transportation system.

Whether or not you have your own car, it’s easy to get around East Kilbride! 

ScotRail has trains connecting to Glasgow and other areas of Scotland. FirstBus has routes circling all around the town as well! 

We also have car rentals, so whichever mode you choose, everything’s at hand. 

Regardless, we still prefer walking since several pathways are available around town – it’s an exercise, too, tho! Hence, owning a car is not necessary as you can ride a bus quickly around East Kilbride.

5. There are plenty of green spaces around town.

Our green spaces are one of the reasons why our town is well-known across Scotland. East Kilbride offers a picturesque and quaint environment, which is ideal for those who love nature!

We have plenty of renowned parks such as Calderglen Country Park, James Hamilton Heritage Park, Town Centre Park and Glen Esk Urban Greenspace. 

We particularly love Calderglen Country Park because it’s like an all-in-one destination: a park, cafe and zoo. So, if you move here with your kids, there are lots of options to keep them occupied. 

6. We have a great deal of must-see tourist attractions. 

Aside from the charming pros mentioned above, we also have a plethora of tourist attractions to visit! Some of these places are the National Museum of Rural Life and East Kilbride Art Centre. 

The National Museum of Rural Life is popular for kids, because they can interact with animals when visiting! So, if you have little ones in your fambam, we’re pretty sure that this place could be your go-to when you settle down here in our town. 

Kids can also walk the trails, ride the tractors and enjoy the playground. You, and your not-so-little babies can also learn about Scotland’s rural history in the museum galleries.

Meanwhile, East Kilbride Art Centre hosts various art exhibitions, art and music classes and the gardens. So, if you’re into that, you might really appreciate our way of life here!

Plus, the centre’s charming brown building makes it more intriguing to see when you’re outside. It’s designed in an old-fashioned way that is still visually pleasing to the eyes.  

East Kilbride Arts Centre is also used for band nights and other private occasions like corporate seminars and weddings. 

Since they host lots of art-related events, their prices vary depending on the show. If you’re interested, you can book here. Among the many are Acoustic McCartney and Sting, Comedy Club 4 Kids and The Tar Factory. 

7. Supermarkets and shopping centres are easily accessible here.

We have plenty of options for supermarkets and shopping centres that can cater to your needs! 

The more popular ones for supermarkets are Morrisons, Tesco Express and Sainsbury’s. But if you’re in a hurry to grab important goods, then the famous convenience stores Tesco Metro and Spar can be found just anywhere around town.

Our shopping centres include EK, St. James Retail Centre, Queensway Retail Park and Greenhills Shopping Centre. Though, the more popular is EK since it’s located in the town centre, bigger and offers lots of brands like Burton, H&M and Topman. 

8. We have enough good restaurants to dine out for a hearty meal.

Although restaurants and pubs are slimmer in number compared to other Scotland cities, particularly Glasgow, we still have establishments that can cater to your leisure needs. 

Among the best restaurants we highly recommend are Crooked Lum, Gardenhall Inn, Zucca Ristorante Pizza and The Lee Burn Pub Restaurant. They offer local cuisines that can help you get to know our town more. 

As for pubs, we have Brew 74, Rhoderick Dhu and Revolution. They also have their own sumptuous menu and you can never go wrong by visiting these buzzing taverns. 

9. Lots, lots and lots of fun events every year.

One of the perks of living in East Kilbride is the many various events held every month at the East Kilbride Village Theatre. There, you can meet other locals like us and have fun watching shows that fit your liking.

Some events that were held here include The Legends of American Show, A Belter of a Cinderella Story and The Ultimate Pop Party.

As of writing, the upcoming events in the theatre are the following: 

• The Cutkelvins

You’ll meet the X factor finalists, The Cutkelvins, and jive with their songs at the East Kilbride Village Theatre on August 5, 2023 as part of their Gold Vinyl tour. 

• The McDougalls: Space Adventure

Fly high and reach the stars by watching The McDougalls: Space Adventure on August 12, 2023. It’s a musical expedition where you’ll join Auntie Aggie and Max on their journey to space!

• The Jerseys

If you’re into singing and dancing, then this all-in-one show might be for you! The four-piece group, The Jerseys, is coming to the theatre to give you a wonderful night through music on August 31, 2023.

10. East Kilbride is sports-friendly. 

Aside from the amenities we mentioned above, you can also keep your body healthy by staying active through golfing, ice skating, swimming or even working out in the many gyms we have around town. 

As Scotland is believed to be where golf originated, we have an abundant number of golf courses in town, namely East Kilbride Golf Club, Playsport Golf and Langlands Golf Club. 

Another way to stay active is by going to our huge ice rink located in Cornwall St. There are ice skating sessions, lessons, and curling. 

So, whether you’re an amateur or a pro, worry no more, because there will be staff that are going to assist you there! It’s also an ideal place to hangout with your friends, family or even just by yourself. 

Dollan Aqua Centre is among our go-to when it comes to sporting activities because of its huge pool and gym. It’s located in Brouster Hill and there’s also a spa pool, sanarium, steam room, sauna and relaxation area that you can enjoy.

If you’re into fitness, this could be a great place to exercise those muscles! 

Best Areas to Live in East Kilbride

1. Gardenhall

If we’re talking about a wealthy area, Gardenhall is what we have in East Kilbride. You can find a bus stop terminal here and it’s also close to Hairmyres, the second best area to live in our town. 

If you move here, the average property price is £304,000, according to Zoopla. Regardless of being a bit expensive, you have easy access to East Kilbride’s amenities. 

2. Hairmyres

Hairmyres is known for its serene environment and trees, which makes it one of the best areas to live in East Kilbride. And by serene, we mean that the area is indeed peaceful and quiet. 

If you’re a nature buff, you might appreciate living here. Meanwhile, the average house price here is £280,000 as per Zoopla – cheaper compared to other areas. 

It’s also near the train station to Glasgow, so it’s easier to travel if you ever move to East Kilbride. 

FAQs about living in East Kilbride