Cost of Living Comparison Between Manchester and London 
| Indices Difference |  |
|---|---|
| Cost of Living in London is 29.1% higher than in Manchester (excluding rent) | |
| Cost of Living Including Rent in London is 44.8% higher than in Manchester | |
| Rent Prices in London are 78.1% higher than in Manchester | |
| Restaurant Prices in London are 19.2% higher than in Manchester | |
| Groceries Prices in London are 6.0% higher than in Manchester | |
| Local Purchasing Power in London is 0.4% lower than in Manchester | |
Restaurants | Manchester Edit |
London Edit | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Meal at an Inexpensive Restaurant | 15.00 £ | 20.00 £ | +33.3 % |
| Meal for Two at a Mid-Range Restaurant (Three Courses, Without Drinks) | 70.00 £ | 80.00 £ | +14.3 % |
| Combo Meal at McDonald's (or Equivalent Fast-Food Meal) | 8.00 £ | 8.64 £ | +8.0 % |
| Domestic Draft Beer (1 Pint) | 5.50 £ | 6.50 £ | +18.2 % |
| Imported Beer (12 oz Small Bottle) | 5.00 £ | 6.00 £ | +20.0 % |
| Cappuccino (Regular Size) | 3.60 £ | 3.95 £ | +9.8 % |
| Soft Drink (Coca-Cola or Pepsi, 12 oz Small Bottle) | 1.85 £ | 2.30 £ | +24.4 % |
| Bottled Water (12 oz) | 1.32 £ | 1.55 £ | +17.6 % |
Markets | Manchester Edit |
London Edit | |
| Milk (Regular, 1 Liter) | 1.13 £ | 1.38 £ | +22.3 % |
| Fresh White Bread (1 lb Loaf) | 1.29 £ | 1.46 £ | +13.0 % |
| White Rice (1 lb) | 0.70 £ | 0.81 £ | +16.6 % |
| Eggs (12, Large Size) | 2.72 £ | 3.73 £ | +37.2 % |
| Local Cheese (1 lb) | 3.94 £ | 3.84 £ | -2.4 % |
| Chicken Fillets (1 lb) | 2.97 £ | 3.06 £ | +2.8 % |
| Beef Round or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat (1 lb) | 5.96 £ | 6.24 £ | +4.8 % |
| Apples (1 lb) | 1.03 £ | 1.12 £ | +8.5 % |
| Bananas (1 lb) | 0.62 £ | 0.53 £ | -15.1 % |
| Oranges (1 lb) | 1.21 £ | 0.99 £ | -18.3 % |
| Tomatoes (1 lb) | 1.37 £ | 1.21 £ | -11.3 % |
| Potatoes (1 lb) | 0.61 £ | 0.54 £ | -12.2 % |
| Onions (1 lb) | 0.57 £ | 0.61 £ | +6.6 % |
| Lettuce (1 Head) | 0.99 £ | 1.19 £ | +19.3 % |
| Bottled Water (50 oz) | 1.22 £ | 1.31 £ | +7.5 % |
| Bottle of Wine (Mid-Range) | 8.00 £ | 10.00 £ | +25.0 % |
| Domestic Beer (16.9 oz Bottle) | 1.99 £ | 2.67 £ | +34.6 % |
| Imported Beer (12 oz Small Bottle) | 2.57 £ | 3.13 £ | +21.6 % |
| Cigarettes (Pack of 20, Marlboro) | 15.80 £ | 17.75 £ | +12.3 % |
Transportation | Manchester Edit |
London Edit | |
| One-Way Ticket (Local Transport) | 2.00 £ | 3.50 £ | +75.0 % |
| Monthly Public Transport Pass (Regular Price) | 88.48 £ | 180.00 £ | +103.4 % |
| Taxi Start (Standard Tariff) | 3.40 £ | 4.20 £ | +23.5 % |
| Taxi 1 mile (Standard Tariff) | 2.61 £ | 4.00 £ | +53.4 % |
| Taxi 1 Hour Waiting (Standard Tariff) | 22.80 £ | 36.50 £ | +60.1 % |
| Gasoline (1 Liter) | 1.37 £ | 1.40 £ | +2.2 % |
| 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) | 30,598.33 £ | 30,546.35 £ | -0.2 % |
Utilities (Monthly) | Manchester Edit |
London Edit | |
| Basic Utilities for 915 Square Feet Apartment (Electricity, Heating, Cooling, Water, Garbage) | 209.35 £ | 287.19 £ | +37.2 % |
| Mobile Phone Plan (Monthly, with Calls and 10GB+ Data) | 13.36 £ | 12.37 £ | -7.4 % |
| Broadband Internet (Unlimited Data, 60 Mbps or Higher) | 31.57 £ | 31.86 £ | +0.9 % |
Sports And Leisure | Manchester Edit |
London Edit | |
| Monthly Fitness Club Membership | 36.33 £ | 56.28 £ | +54.9 % |
| Tennis Court Rental (1 Hour, Weekend) | 13.39 £ | 19.25 £ | +43.8 % |
| Cinema Ticket (International Release) | 10.00 £ | 15.00 £ | +50.0 % |
Childcare | Manchester Edit |
London Edit | |
| Private Full-Day Preschool or Kindergarten, Monthly Fee per Child | 1,132.73 £ | 1,914.15 £ | +69.0 % |
| International Primary School, Annual Tuition per Child | 15,333.89 £ | 22,596.71 £ | +47.4 % |
Clothing And Shoes | Manchester Edit |
London Edit | |
| Jeans (Levi's 501 or Similar) | 72.56 £ | 89.48 £ | +23.3 % |
| Summer Dress in a Chain Store (e.g. Zara or H&M) | 32.02 £ | 40.00 £ | +24.9 % |
| Nike Running Shoes (Mid-Range) | 68.35 £ | 89.42 £ | +30.8 % |
| Men's Leather Business Shoes | 77.81 £ | 106.67 £ | +37.1 % |
Rent Per Month | Manchester Edit |
London Edit | |
| 1 Bedroom Apartment in City Centre | 1,251.94 £ | 2,336.67 £ | +86.6 % |
| 1 Bedroom Apartment Outside of City Centre | 938.69 £ | 1,733.87 £ | +84.7 % |
| 3 Bedroom Apartment in City Centre | 2,330.00 £ | 3,840.91 £ | +64.8 % |
| 3 Bedroom Apartment Outside of City Centre | 1,587.69 £ | 2,965.91 £ | +86.8 % |
Buy Apartment Price | Manchester Edit |
London Edit | |
| Price per Square Feet to Buy Apartment in City Centre | 326.09 £ | 1,398.49 £ | +328.9 % |
| Price per Square Feet to Buy Apartment Outside of Centre | 315.87 £ | 745.11 £ | +135.9 % |
Salaries And Financing | Manchester Edit |
London Edit | |
| Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax) | 2,507.04 £ | 3,615.84 £ | +44.2 % |
| Annual Mortgage Interest Rate (20-Year Fixed, in %) | 5.15 | 4.71 | -8.5 % |
| Last update: | 26 January 2026 | 13 February 2026 | |
| Contributors in the past 12 months: | 69 | 463 | |
Moving to London? Explore:
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 |
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 |