Cost of Living Comparison Between Barnsley and Manchester Cost of Living Comparison Between Barnsley and Manchester

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,901 per month in Barnsley vs $2,597 in Manchester, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,913 per month in Barnsley vs $3,791 in Manchester, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,925 per month in Barnsley vs $4,985 in Manchester, rent included.

Barnsley is about 27% cheaper than Manchester, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Barnsley and Manchester sit above the global median – Barnsley by 38%, Manchester by 89%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.10 £17.83

$20.25 £14.98

19.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.6 £62.6

$95.3 £70.5

-11.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.86 £8.03

$10.72 £7.93

1.31%

Cappuccino

$5.17 £3.83

$4.86 £3.60

6.38%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.32 £1.71

$2.69 £1.99

-13.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.72 £1.27

$1.76 £1.30

-2.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.12 £4.53

$8.08 £5.98

-24.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.82 £5.05

$6.97 £5.15

-2.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.66 £1.23

$1.50 £1.11

10.67%

White Bread (500g)

$1.97 £1.46

$1.93 £1.43

2.07%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.10 £1.56

$2.01 £1.49

4.48%

Eggs

$4.02 £2.98

$3.84 £2.84

4.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.90 £6.58

$9.26 £6.85

-3.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.77 £6.48

$8.80 £6.51

-0.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.00 £11.10

$16.51 £12.21

-9.15%

Apples (1kg)

$3.02 £2.24

$3.11 £2.30

-2.89%

Banana (1kg)

$1.96 £1.45

$1.54 £1.14

27.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.59 £1.92

$3.02 £2.23

-14.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.87 £2.13

$3.51 £2.60

-18.23%

Potato (1kg)

$1.93 £1.42

$1.50 £1.11

28.67%

Onion (1kg)

$1.65 £1.22

$1.32 £0.98

25.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.50 £1.11

$1.30 £0.96

15.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.42 £1.05

$1.23 £0.91

15.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$23.59 £17.45

$24.43 £18.08

-3.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.71 £8.66

$10.96 £8.11

6.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.36 £2.49

$2.47 £1.83

36.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.39 £2.51

$3.26 £2.42

3.99%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.69 £1.99

$2.66 £1.97

1.13%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$106 £78.7

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.40 £4.00

$4.51 £3.33

19.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.46 £1.08

$2.23 £1.65

-34.53%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.57 £14.48

$30.69 £22.70

-36.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.02 £1.49

$2.09 £1.55

-3.35%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$39.1K £28.9K

$39.8K £29.4K

-1.63%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$41.1K £30.4K

$40.8K £30.2K

0.74%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$291 £215

$304 £225

-4.16%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$20.89 £15.45

$16.90 £12.50

23.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$44.29 £32.77

$40.38 £29.87

9.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 £49.69

$55.1 £40.76

21.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.59 £13.75

Cinema Ticket

$12.84 £9.50

$13.65 £10.10

-5.93%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$1,485 £1,098

$1,287 £952

15.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.5K £12.2K

$20.5K £15.1K

-19.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.6 £46.33

$93.8 £69.4

-33.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.60 £31.52

$43.08 £31.87

-1.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.2 £69.7

$98.4 £72.8

-4.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.4 £58.0

$108 £80.2

-27.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$938 £694

$1,833 £1,356

-48.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$677 £501

$1,269 £939

-46.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,389 £1,028

$3,134 £2,319

-55.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,118 £827

$2,028 £1,501

-44.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,007 £3,704

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,739 £3,506

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,030 £2,242

$3,318 £2,455

-8.68%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.61

5.13

9.36%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Barnsley: August 31, 2026

Last update for Manchester: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $938 in Barnsley versus $1,833 in Manchester. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 10% higher in Manchester, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $85.0 in Barnsley versus $95.0 in Manchester. Groceries tell a different story – $307 in Barnsley vs $301 in Manchester – so Manchester wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Barnsley vs Manchester: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Manchester is pricier by about 37%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,851 per month in Barnsley and $3,895 in Manchester. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Barnsley, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,901 in Barnsley and $2,597 in Manchester. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $1,485 per month in Barnsley and $1,287 in Manchester. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Barnsley, where all-in costs run around $1,901, than in Manchester at $2,597. In Barnsley it covers expenses comfortably, while in Manchester it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Barnsley – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Barnsley. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Manchester makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.