Cost of Living Comparison Between Bournemouth and Manchester Cost of Living Comparison Between Bournemouth and Manchester

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,491 per month in Bournemouth vs $2,696 in Manchester, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,726 per month in Bournemouth vs $3,934 in Manchester, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,960 per month in Bournemouth vs $5,171 in Manchester, rent included.

Bournemouth is about 8% cheaper than Manchester, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Bournemouth and Manchester sit above the global median – Bournemouth by 85%, Manchester by 100%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.24 £15.00

$20.33 £15.06

-0.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$93.7 £69.4

$96.4 £71.5

-2.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.38 £6.95

$10.79 £8.00

-13.07%

Cappuccino

$4.31 £3.19

$5.04 £3.74

-14.48%

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

$2.28 £1.69

$2.59 £1.92

-11.97%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.77 £1.31

$1.69 £1.25

4.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.72 £4.98

$7.41 £5.49

-9.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.54 £4.11

$7.52 £5.57

-26.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 £1.26

$1.69 £1.25

0.59%

White Bread (500g)

$1.24 £0.92

$1.74 £1.29

-28.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.55 £1.89

$2.24 £1.66

13.84%

Eggs

$3.31 £2.45

$4.11 £3.04

-19.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 £7.10

$12.17 £9.01

-21.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.00 £5.19

$9.33 £6.92

-24.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.57 £10.05

$17.36 £12.86

-21.83%

Apples (1kg)

$2.72 £2.01

$3.22 £2.39

-15.53%

Banana (1kg)

$1.43 £1.06

$1.77 £1.31

-19.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.33 £1.73

$3.94 £2.92

-40.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.22 £1.64

$4.36 £3.23

-49.08%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 £1.32

$2.09 £1.55

-14.83%

Onion (1kg)

$1.30 £0.96

$1.87 £1.39

-30.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.95 £0.70

$1.32 £0.97

-28.03%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.46 £1.08

$1.42 £1.05

2.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$21.90 £16.23

$18.92 £14.02

15.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.08 £7.47

$10.72 £7.94

-5.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.69 £1.99

$2.53 £1.87

6.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 £1.84

$3.47 £2.57

-28.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.65 £1.97

$2.76 £2.05

-3.99%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$86.2 £63.9

$122 £90.1

-29.15%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.99 £2.95

$5.52 £4.09

-27.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.99 £1.47

$2.94 £2.18

-32.31%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.19 £19.41

$33.51 £24.83

-21.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.90 £1.41

$1.98 £1.47

-4.04%

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

$38.2K £28.3K

$38.9K £28.8K

-1.75%

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

$39.3K £29.1K

$41.2K £30.5K

-4.64%

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

$347 £257

$296 £219

17.44%

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

$16.06 £11.90

$22.89 £16.96

-29.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$45.11 £33.43

$43.45 £32.20

3.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.00 £29.64

$42.06 £31.16

-4.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.80 £9.48

$15.93 £11.80

-19.65%

Cinema Ticket

$16.23 £12.03

$13.43 £9.95

20.85%

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

$2,270 £1,682

$1,956 £1,450

16.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$35.3K £26.1K

$20.9K £15.5K

68.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$86.5 £64.1

$90.6 £67.2

-4.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.04 £35.60

$41.37 £30.66

16.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 £76.3

$89.2 £66.1

15.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.0 £67.4

$108 £80.3

-16.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,342 £994

$1,640 £1,216

-18.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,171 £868

$1,256 £931

-6.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,849 £2,111

$2,700 £2,001

5.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,196 £1,627

$2,083 £1,543

5.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,829 £5,060

$4,717 £3,495

44.79%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,370 £3,238

$4,596 £3,405

-4.92%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,258 £2,414

$3,399 £2,519

-4.14%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.82

5.92

-1.69%

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

Last update for Bournemouth: April 12, 2026

Last update for Manchester: April 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,342 in Bournemouth versus $1,640 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 4% 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 $94 in Bournemouth versus $96 in Manchester. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $268 vs $333 – making Bournemouth 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

Bournemouth vs Manchester: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Manchester costs about 8% more than Bournemouth, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,737 per month in Bournemouth and $4,045 in Manchester. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 24% more in Manchester, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $94.0 in Bournemouth and $96.0 in Manchester. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Bournemouth, where all-in costs run around $2,491, than in Manchester at $2,696. In Bournemouth it covers expenses comfortably, while in Manchester it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Bournemouth costs $2,491 versus $2,696 in Manchester. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

If budget matters most, go with Bournemouth. 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.