Cost of Living Comparison Between London and Manchester 
| Indices Difference |  |
|---|---|
| Cost of Living in Manchester is 22.9% lower than in London (excluding rent) | |
| Cost of Living Including Rent in Manchester is 30.4% lower than in London | |
| Rent Prices in Manchester are 42.4% lower than in London | |
| Restaurant Prices in Manchester are 16.1% lower than in London | |
| Groceries Prices in Manchester are 7.1% lower than in London | |
| Local Purchasing Power in Manchester is 5.3% lower than in London | |
Restaurants | London Edit |
Manchester Edit | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Meal at an Inexpensive Restaurant | £20.00 | £15.00 | -25.0 % |
| Meal for Two at a Mid-Range Restaurant (Three Courses, Without Drinks) | £80.00 | £70.00 | -12.5 % |
| Combo Meal at McDonald's (or Equivalent Fast-Food Meal) | £8.00 | £8.00 | 0.0 % |
| Domestic Draft Beer (1 Pint) | £7.00 | £5.50 | -21.4 % |
| Imported Beer (12 oz Small Bottle) | £6.00 | £5.00 | -16.7 % |
| Cappuccino (Regular Size) | £4.10 | £3.59 | -12.4 % |
| Soft Drink (Coca-Cola or Pepsi, 12 oz Small Bottle) | £2.30 | £1.90 | -17.3 % |
| Bottled Water (12 oz) | £1.60 | £1.32 | -17.4 % |
Markets | London Edit |
Manchester Edit | |
| Milk (Regular, 1 Liter) | £1.38 | £1.15 | -16.9 % |
| Fresh White Bread (1 lb Loaf) | £1.52 | £1.25 | -17.4 % |
| White Rice (1 lb) | £0.80 | £0.65 | -18.4 % |
| Eggs (12, Large Size) | £3.75 | £2.77 | -26.2 % |
| Local Cheese (1 lb) | £3.72 | £3.47 | -6.7 % |
| Chicken Fillets (1 lb) | £3.36 | £3.08 | -8.3 % |
| Beef Round or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat (1 lb) | £5.78 | £5.25 | -9.1 % |
| Apples (1 lb) | £1.08 | £1.04 | -3.8 % |
| Bananas (1 lb) | £0.52 | £0.60 | +16.0 % |
| Oranges (1 lb) | £0.99 | £1.05 | +6.3 % |
| Tomatoes (1 lb) | £1.19 | £1.19 | +0.3 % |
| Potatoes (1 lb) | £0.55 | £0.58 | +6.2 % |
| Onions (1 lb) | £0.61 | £0.53 | -12.9 % |
| Lettuce (1 Head) | £1.13 | £0.97 | -14.5 % |
| Bottled Water (50 oz) | £1.28 | £1.11 | -13.4 % |
| Bottle of Wine (Mid-Range) | £10.00 | £8.00 | -20.0 % |
| Domestic Beer (16.9 oz Bottle) | £2.50 | £1.94 | -22.3 % |
| Imported Beer (12 oz Small Bottle) | £2.97 | £2.52 | -15.0 % |
| Cigarettes (Pack of 20, Marlboro) | £17.75 | £17.75 | 0.0 % |
Transportation | London Edit |
Manchester Edit | |
| One-Way Ticket (Local Transport) | £3.20 | £2.00 | -37.5 % |
| Monthly Public Transport Pass (Regular Price) | £200.00 | £80.00 | -60.0 % |
| Taxi Start (Standard Tariff) | £4.20 | £3.40 | -19.0 % |
| Taxi 1 mile (Standard Tariff) | £4.00 | £2.61 | -34.7 % |
| Taxi 1 Hour Waiting (Standard Tariff) | £41.62 | £22.80 | -45.2 % |
| Gasoline (1 Liter) | £1.47 | £1.42 | -3.4 % |
| Volkswagen Golf 1.5 (or Equivalent New Compact Car) | £28,895.00 | £28,895.00 | 0.0 % |
| Toyota Corolla Sedan 1.6 (or Equivalent New Mid-Size Car) | £30,525.12 | £30,598.33 | +0.2 % |
Utilities (Monthly) | London Edit |
Manchester Edit | |
| Basic Utilities for 915 Square Feet Apartment (Electricity, Heating, Cooling, Water, Garbage) | £282.00 | £204.87 | -27.4 % |
| Mobile Phone Plan (Monthly, with Calls and 10GB+ Data) | £12.54 | £12.50 | -0.3 % |
| Broadband Internet (Unlimited Data, 60 Mbps or Higher) | £31.24 | £30.42 | -2.6 % |
Sports And Leisure | London Edit |
Manchester Edit | |
| Monthly Fitness Club Membership | £54.93 | £37.84 | -31.1 % |
| Tennis Court Rental (1 Hour, Weekend) | £17.88 | £13.67 | -23.6 % |
| Cinema Ticket (International Release) | £15.00 | £9.97 | -33.5 % |
Childcare | London Edit |
Manchester Edit | |
| Private Full-Day Preschool or Kindergarten, Monthly Fee per Child | £1,974.61 | £1,096.00 | -44.5 % |
| International Primary School, Annual Tuition per Child | £24,912.83 | £15,241.89 | -38.8 % |
Clothing And Shoes | London Edit |
Manchester Edit | |
| Jeans (Levi's 501 or Similar) | £87.86 | £64.24 | -26.9 % |
| Summer Dress in a Chain Store (e.g. Zara or H&M) | £39.00 | £32.23 | -17.4 % |
| Nike Running Shoes (Mid-Range) | £90.43 | £69.10 | -23.6 % |
| Men's Leather Business Shoes | £106.17 | £78.07 | -26.5 % |
Rent Per Month | London Edit |
Manchester Edit | |
| 1 Bedroom Apartment in City Centre | £2,227.59 | £1,300.64 | -41.6 % |
| 1 Bedroom Apartment Outside of City Centre | £1,681.25 | £937.10 | -44.3 % |
| 3 Bedroom Apartment in City Centre | £3,586.84 | £2,158.33 | -39.8 % |
| 3 Bedroom Apartment Outside of City Centre | £2,826.36 | £1,549.09 | -45.2 % |
Buy Apartment Price | London Edit |
Manchester Edit | |
| Price per Square Feet to Buy Apartment in City Centre | £1,282.83 | £345.86 | -73.0 % |
| Price per Square Feet to Buy Apartment Outside of Centre | £673.89 | £321.18 | -52.3 % |
Salaries And Financing | London Edit |
Manchester Edit | |
| Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax) | £3,584.89 | £2,363.82 | -34.1 % |
| Annual Mortgage Interest Rate (20-Year Fixed, in %) | 4.64 | 5.13 | +10.6 % |
| Last update: | 15 May 2026 | 15 May 2026 | |
| Contributors in the past 12 months: | 465 | 81 | |
Moving to London? Explore:
Cities near London: | Cost of Living in Westminster | 2.09 miles |
| Cost of Living in Southwark | 3.41 miles |
| Cost of Living in Ealing | 10.41 miles |
| Cost of Living in Croydon | 11.15 miles |
| Cost of Living in Kingston upon Thames | 11.19 miles |
| Cost of Living in Barnet | 16.17 miles |
| Cost of Living in Watford | 20.33 miles |
| Cost of Living in Slough | 22.72 miles |
| Cost of Living in Harlow | 24.88 miles |
| Cost of Living in Welwyn Garden City | 25.71 miles |
Cities near Manchester: | Cost of Living in Stockport | 6.71 miles |
| Cost of Living in Oldham | 6.89 miles |
| Cost of Living in Bolton | 16.55 miles |
| Cost of Living in Warrington | 20.34 miles |
| Cost of Living in Huddersfield | 27.58 miles |
| Cost of Living in Liverpool | 34.36 miles |
| Cost of Living in Barnsley | 35.01 miles |
| Cost of Living in Preston | 36.03 miles |
| Cost of Living in Bradford | 37.47 miles |
| Cost of Living in Sheffield | 38.93 miles |