Cost of Living Comparison Between London and Manchester 
| Indices Difference |  |
|---|---|
| Cost of Living in Manchester is 20.0% lower than in London (excluding rent) | |
| Cost of Living Including Rent in Manchester is 28.9% lower than in London | |
| Rent Prices in Manchester are 42.9% lower than in London | |
| Restaurant Prices in Manchester are 16.4% lower than in London | |
| Groceries Prices in Manchester are 1.4% lower than in London | |
| Local Purchasing Power in Manchester is 0.4% 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) | 8.50 £ | 8.00 £ | -5.9 % |
| Domestic Draft Beer (1 Pint) | 6.50 £ | 5.50 £ | -15.4 % |
| Imported Beer (12 oz Small Bottle) | 6.00 £ | 5.00 £ | -16.7 % |
| Cappuccino (Regular Size) | 4.06 £ | 3.56 £ | -12.4 % |
| Soft Drink (Coca-Cola or Pepsi, 12 oz Small Bottle) | 2.35 £ | 1.89 £ | -19.9 % |
| Bottled Water (12 oz) | 1.51 £ | 1.30 £ | -14.0 % |
Markets | London Edit |
Manchester Edit | |
| Milk (Regular, 1 Liter) | 1.30 £ | 1.19 £ | -8.6 % |
| Fresh White Bread (1 lb Loaf) | 1.46 £ | 1.32 £ | -9.4 % |
| White Rice (1 lb) | 0.85 £ | 0.71 £ | -16.4 % |
| Eggs (12, Large Size) | 3.69 £ | 2.76 £ | -25.1 % |
| Local Cheese (1 lb) | 3.94 £ | 3.92 £ | -0.7 % |
| Chicken Fillets (1 lb) | 3.03 £ | 3.05 £ | +0.9 % |
| Beef Round or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat (1 lb) | 5.63 £ | 6.18 £ | +9.8 % |
| Apples (1 lb) | 1.10 £ | 1.09 £ | -0.8 % |
| Bananas (1 lb) | 0.55 £ | 0.62 £ | +12.6 % |
| Oranges (1 lb) | 0.99 £ | 1.29 £ | +30.1 % |
| Tomatoes (1 lb) | 1.14 £ | 1.37 £ | +20.1 % |
| Potatoes (1 lb) | 0.57 £ | 0.61 £ | +6.6 % |
| Onions (1 lb) | 0.60 £ | 0.60 £ | -0.7 % |
| Lettuce (1 Head) | 1.09 £ | 0.99 £ | -8.7 % |
| Bottled Water (50 oz) | 1.33 £ | 1.22 £ | -8.0 % |
| Bottle of Wine (Mid-Range) | 9.00 £ | 8.00 £ | -11.1 % |
| Domestic Beer (16.9 oz Bottle) | 2.51 £ | 1.99 £ | -20.7 % |
| Imported Beer (12 oz Small Bottle) | 3.09 £ | 2.57 £ | -16.7 % |
| Cigarettes (Pack of 20, Marlboro) | 17.00 £ | 15.30 £ | -10.0 % |
Transportation | London Edit |
Manchester Edit | |
| One-Way Ticket (Local Transport) | 3.50 £ | 2.00 £ | -42.9 % |
| Monthly Public Transport Pass (Regular Price) | 180.00 £ | 88.48 £ | -50.8 % |
| Taxi Start (Standard Tariff) | 4.20 £ | 3.40 £ | -19.0 % |
| Taxi 1 mile (Standard Tariff) | 3.99 £ | 2.61 £ | -34.7 % |
| Taxi 1 Hour Waiting (Standard Tariff) | 38.00 £ | 22.80 £ | -40.0 % |
| Gasoline (1 Liter) | 1.39 £ | 1.39 £ | +0.1 % |
| Volkswagen Golf 1.5 (or Equivalent New Compact Car) | 28,590.00 £ | 28,895.00 £ | +1.1 % |
| Toyota Corolla Sedan 1.6 (or Equivalent New Mid-Size Car) | 29,864.82 £ | 30,492.86 £ | +2.1 % |
Utilities (Monthly) | London Edit |
Manchester Edit | |
| Basic Utilities for 915 Square Feet Apartment (Electricity, Heating, Cooling, Water, Garbage) | 266.17 £ | 219.27 £ | -17.6 % |
| Mobile Phone Plan (Monthly, with Calls and 10GB+ Data) | 14.12 £ | 14.17 £ | +0.3 % |
| Broadband Internet (Unlimited Data, 60 Mbps or Higher) | 33.16 £ | 32.57 £ | -1.8 % |
Sports And Leisure | London Edit |
Manchester Edit | |
| Monthly Fitness Club Membership | 53.06 £ | 35.85 £ | -32.4 % |
| Tennis Court Rental (1 Hour, Weekend) | 18.59 £ | 14.35 £ | -22.8 % |
| Cinema Ticket (International Release) | 15.00 £ | 10.00 £ | -33.3 % |
Childcare | London Edit |
Manchester Edit | |
| Private Full-Day Preschool or Kindergarten, Monthly Fee per Child | 1,902.53 £ | 1,337.50 £ | -29.7 % |
| International Primary School, Annual Tuition per Child | 23,034.62 £ | 17,666.67 £ | -23.3 % |
Clothing And Shoes | London Edit |
Manchester Edit | |
| Jeans (Levi's 501 or Similar) | 88.42 £ | 72.60 £ | -17.9 % |
| Summer Dress in a Chain Store (e.g. Zara or H&M) | 39.07 £ | 32.03 £ | -18.0 % |
| Nike Running Shoes (Mid-Range) | 92.74 £ | 68.37 £ | -26.3 % |
| Men's Leather Business Shoes | 107.27 £ | 77.86 £ | -27.4 % |
Rent Per Month | London Edit |
Manchester Edit | |
| 1 Bedroom Apartment in City Centre | 2,299.13 £ | 1,227.50 £ | -46.6 % |
| 1 Bedroom Apartment Outside of City Centre | 1,716.18 £ | 944.92 £ | -44.9 % |
| 3 Bedroom Apartment in City Centre | 3,818.52 £ | 2,266.00 £ | -40.7 % |
| 3 Bedroom Apartment Outside of City Centre | 2,757.67 £ | 1,613.85 £ | -41.5 % |
Buy Apartment Price | London Edit |
Manchester Edit | |
| Price per Square Feet to Buy Apartment in City Centre | 1,291.12 £ | 349.68 £ | -72.9 % |
| Price per Square Feet to Buy Apartment Outside of Centre | 709.38 £ | 307.61 £ | -56.6 % |
Salaries And Financing | London Edit |
Manchester Edit | |
| Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax) | 3,543.85 £ | 2,508.17 £ | -29.2 % |
| Annual Mortgage Interest Rate (20-Year Fixed, in %) | 4.66 | 5.48 | +17.6 % |
| Last update: | 8 December 2025 | 7 December 2025 | |
| Contributors in the past 12 months: | 579 | 164 |
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 |