Cost of Living Comparison Between Basildon and Manchester Cost of Living Comparison Between Basildon and Manchester

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,510 per month in Basildon vs $2,637 in Manchester, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,729 per month in Basildon vs $3,830 in Manchester, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,947 per month in Basildon vs $5,024 in Manchester, rent included.

Basildon is about 5% cheaper than Manchester, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Basildon and Manchester sit above the global median – Basildon by 82%, Manchester by 91%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$22.01 £16.29

$20.56 £15.22

7.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$90.9 £67.3

$94.0 £69.6

-3.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.50 £7.03

$11.03 £8.17

-13.87%

Cappuccino

$4.87 £3.60

$4.82 £3.57

1.04%

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

$2.85 £2.11

$2.53 £1.87

12.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.61 £1.19

$1.73 £1.28

-6.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.95 £5.89

$8.18 £6.06

-2.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.05 £3.00

$6.84 £5.06

-40.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 £1.21

$1.45 £1.08

13.10%

White Bread (500g)

$1.81 £1.34

$1.84 £1.36

-1.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.62 £1.94

$1.93 £1.43

35.75%

Eggs

$3.98 £2.95

$3.99 £2.96

-0.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.74 £7.21

$9.53 £7.05

2.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.79 £3.54

$8.96 £6.63

-46.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.34 £9.13

$15.76 £11.67

-21.70%

Apples (1kg)

$2.96 £2.19

$3.21 £2.38

-7.79%

Banana (1kg)

$1.36 £1.01

$1.61 £1.20

-15.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.67 £2.72

$3.01 £2.23

21.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.48 £2.58

$3.42 £2.53

1.75%

Potato (1kg)

$1.61 £1.19

$1.50 £1.11

7.33%

Onion (1kg)

$1.91 £1.42

$1.33 £0.99

43.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.09 £0.81

$1.29 £0.95

-15.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.32 £0.98

$1.30 £0.96

1.54%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$20.29 £15.02

$24.36 £18.03

-16.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.23 £8.31

$10.88 £8.05

3.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.40 £2.52

$2.46 £1.82

38.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.66 £1.23

$3.08 £2.28

-46.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.68 £1.98

$2.68 £1.99

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$68.1 £50.4

$109 £80.5

-37.35%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$8.28 £6.13

$4.64 £3.43

78.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.69 £1.99

$2.16 £1.60

24.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$51.7 £38.27

$30.39 £22.49

70.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.89 £1.40

$2.09 £1.55

-9.57%

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

$38.7K £28.6K

$39.5K £29.2K

-2.06%

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

$40.7K £30.1K

$41.6K £30.8K

-2.30%

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

$340 £252

$292 £216

16.26%

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

$18.92 £14.00

$16.65 £12.32

13.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.15 £26.76

$39.66 £29.36

-8.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.97 £33.29

$54.3 £40.21

-17.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.76 £19.80

$18.86 £13.96

41.89%

Cinema Ticket

$14.14 £10.46

$13.54 £10.02

4.43%

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

$2,581 £1,910

$1,309 £969

97.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$29.6K £21.9K

$20.0K £14.8K

48.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$77.7 £57.6

$88.1 £65.2

-11.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.31 £35.76

$41.59 £30.79

16.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$53.1 £39.33

$95.3 £70.6

-44.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$53.1 £39.32

$107 £78.9

-50.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,643 £1,216

$1,816 £1,344

-9.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,266 £937

$1,295 £958

-2.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,385 £1,765

$3,067 £2,270

-22.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,062 £1,527

$2,020 £1,495

2.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,374 £3,978

$4,729 £3,500

13.64%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,425 £2,535

$4,465 £3,305

-23.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,998 £2,219

$3,446 £2,551

-12.98%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.04

4.87

3.49%

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

Last update for Basildon: September 6, 2026

Last update for Manchester: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,643 in Basildon versus $1,816 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 15% 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 $91.0 in Basildon versus $94.0 in Manchester. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $278 vs $300 – making Basildon the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Basildon vs Manchester: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Manchester costs about 5% more than Basildon, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,765 per month in Basildon and $3,955 in Manchester. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Basildon, 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 $2,510 in Basildon and $2,637 in Manchester. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 60% less in Basildon. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,510 in Basildon and $2,637 in Manchester. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Basildon costs $2,510 versus $2,637 in Manchester. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Basildon. 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.