diff --git a/src/settings_table.cpp b/src/settings_table.cpp
--- a/src/settings_table.cpp
+++ b/src/settings_table.cpp
@@ -50,6 +50,7 @@
 #include "void_map.h"
 #include "station_func.h"
 #include "station_base.h"
+#include "language.h"
 
 #include "table/strings.h"
 #include "table/settings.h"
diff --git a/src/settings_type.h b/src/settings_type.h
--- a/src/settings_type.h
+++ b/src/settings_type.h
@@ -222,6 +222,8 @@ struct GUISettings {
 
 	bool   scale_bevels;                     ///< bevels are scaled with GUI scale.
 
+	std::string number_format; ///< formatting string for numbers (like "thousands" grouping)
+	std::string number_abbreviations; ///< mapping to number formats for different powers of ten/thresholds
 	std::string digit_decimal_separator; ///< decimal separator
 
 	/**
diff --git a/src/strings.cpp b/src/strings.cpp
--- a/src/strings.cpp
+++ b/src/strings.cpp
@@ -389,8 +389,21 @@ static const char *GetDecimalSeparator()
 
 void InitializeNumberFormats()
 {
-	ParseNumberFormatSeparators(_number_format_separators, _current_language->number_format);
-	ParseNumberAbbreviations(_number_abbreviations, _current_language->number_abbreviations);
+	bool loaded_number_format = false;
+	if (!_settings_client.gui.number_format.empty()) {
+		auto res = ParseNumberFormatSeparators(_number_format_separators, _settings_client.gui.number_format);
+		if (res.has_value()) UserError("The setting 'number_format' under 'gui' is invalid: {}", *res);
+		loaded_number_format = !res.has_value();
+	}
+	if (!loaded_number_format) ParseNumberFormatSeparators(_number_format_separators, _current_language->number_format);
+
+	bool loaded_number_abbreviations = false;
+	if (!_settings_client.gui.number_abbreviations.empty()) {
+		auto res = ParseNumberAbbreviations(_number_abbreviations, _settings_client.gui.number_abbreviations);
+		if (res.has_value()) UserError("The setting 'number_abbreviations' under 'gui' is invalid: {}", *res);
+		loaded_number_abbreviations = !res.has_value();
+	}
+	if (!loaded_number_abbreviations) ParseNumberAbbreviations(_number_abbreviations, _current_language->number_abbreviations);
 	_number_abbreviations.emplace_back(0, _number_format_separators);
 }
 
diff --git a/src/table/settings/gui_settings.ini b/src/table/settings/gui_settings.ini
--- a/src/table/settings/gui_settings.ini
+++ b/src/table/settings/gui_settings.ini
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ static void InvalidateCompanyLiveryWindo
 static void InvalidateNewGRFChangeWindows(int32_t new_value);
 static void ZoomMinMaxChanged(int32_t new_value);
 static void SpriteZoomMinChanged(int32_t new_value);
+void InitializeNumberFormats();
 
 static constexpr std::initializer_list<const char*> _osk_activation{"disabled", "double", "single", "immediately"};
 static constexpr std::initializer_list<const char*> _savegame_date{"long", "short", "iso"};
@@ -905,6 +906,24 @@ cat      = SC_BASIC
 startup  = true
 
 [SDTC_SSTR]
+var      = gui.number_format
+flags    = SF_NOT_IN_SAVE | SF_NO_NETWORK_SYNC
+type     = SLE_STRQ
+def      = nullptr
+pre_cb   = [](auto format) { NumberFormatSeparators separators; return !ParseNumberFormatSeparators(separators, format).has_value(); }
+post_cb  = [](auto) { InitializeNumberFormats(); MarkWholeScreenDirty(); }
+startup  = true
+
+[SDTC_SSTR]
+var      = gui.number_abbreviations
+flags    = SF_NOT_IN_SAVE | SF_NO_NETWORK_SYNC
+type     = SLE_STRQ
+def      = nullptr
+pre_cb   = [](auto format) { NumberAbbreviations abbreviations; return !ParseNumberAbbreviations(abbreviations, format).has_value(); }
+post_cb  = [](auto) { InitializeNumberFormats(); MarkWholeScreenDirty(); }
+startup  = true
+
+[SDTC_SSTR]
 var      = gui.digit_decimal_separator
 flags    = SF_NOT_IN_SAVE | SF_NO_NETWORK_SYNC
 type     = SLE_STRQ