Cost of Living Comparison Between Bracknell and Manchester Cost of Living Comparison Between Bracknell and Manchester

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,895 per month in Bracknell vs $2,651 in Manchester, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,296 per month in Bracknell vs $3,871 in Manchester, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,696 per month in Bracknell vs $5,091 in Manchester, rent included.

Bracknell costs about 9% more than Manchester, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Bracknell and Manchester sit above the global median – Bracknell by 116%, Manchester by 98%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$26.92 £20.05

$20.74 £15.45

29.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$79.2 £59.0

$94.5 £70.4

-16.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.94 £8.15

$10.75 £8.00

1.77%

Cappuccino

$4.88 £3.64

$4.94 £3.68

-1.21%

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

$3.33 £2.48

$2.59 £1.93

28.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.93 £2.18

$1.70 £1.26

72.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.00 £5.21

$7.41 £5.52

-5.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.92 £5.15

$7.52 £5.60

-7.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 £1.06

$1.62 £1.21

-11.73%

White Bread (500g)

$1.38 £1.03

$1.80 £1.34

-23.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.67 £1.99

$2.16 £1.61

23.61%

Eggs

$3.72 £2.77

$4.08 £3.04

-8.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.66 £7.19

$12.05 £8.97

-19.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.10 £6.03

$9.75 £7.26

-16.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.88 £9.60

$17.39 £12.95

-25.93%

Apples (1kg)

$2.42 £1.81

$3.30 £2.46

-26.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.52 £1.13

$1.84 £1.37

-17.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.40 £1.79

$3.82 £2.84

-37.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.12 £2.33

$4.35 £3.24

-28.28%

Potato (1kg)

$1.49 £1.11

$2.10 £1.56

-29.05%

Onion (1kg)

$1.21 £0.90

$1.80 £1.34

-32.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.96 £0.71

$1.31 £0.97

-26.72%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.59 £1.18

$1.47 £1.10

8.16%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$17.56 £13.08

$18.73 £13.95

-6.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.41 £8.50

$10.64 £7.92

7.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.74 £2.04

$2.57 £1.91

6.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.35 £2.50

$3.49 £2.60

-4.01%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.51 £2.62

$2.75 £2.05

27.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$131 £97.5

$121 £90.3

8.05%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.47 £3.33

$5.49 £4.09

-18.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.76 £1.31

$2.85 £2.12

-38.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.87 £11.08

$34.28 £25.53

-56.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.91 £1.42

$1.96 £1.46

-2.55%

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

$37.9K £28.2K

$37.8K £28.1K

0.29%

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

$41.6K £31.0K

$41.8K £31.1K

-0.39%

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

$342 £255

$295 £220

15.90%

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

$19.44 £14.48

$22.44 £16.71

-13.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$52.8 £39.31

$42.92 £31.96

22.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$27.48 £20.47

$42.39 £31.57

-35.17%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.07 £11.97

Cinema Ticket

$13.33 £9.93

$13.72 £10.22

-2.84%

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

$1,505 £1,121

$1,944 £1,448

-22.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.3K £13.6K

$20.8K £15.5K

-12.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$82.9 £61.8

$90.6 £67.5

-8.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.24 £36.67

$41.85 £31.17

17.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$109 £81.0

$89.5 £66.6

21.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$99.5 £74.1

$106 £79.0

-6.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,727 £1,287

$1,637 £1,219

5.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,514 £1,128

$1,256 £936

20.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,330 £1,736

$2,702 £2,013

-13.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,672 £1,990

$2,077 £1,547

28.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,910 £5,891

$5,107 £3,804

54.88%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,821 £5,080

$4,671 £3,479

46.03%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,247 £2,418

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.62

5.92

-5.07%

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

Last update for Bracknell: May 30, 2026

Last update for Manchester: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,727 in Bracknell versus $1,637 in Manchester. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $79.0 in Bracknell versus $94.0 in Manchester. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $281 vs $335 – making Bracknell 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

Bracknell vs Manchester: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Bracknell is pricier by about 9%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,342 per month in Bracknell and $3,977 in Manchester. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Manchester, 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 $2,895 in Bracknell and $2,651 in Manchester. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 8% less in Manchester. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,895 in Bracknell and $2,651 in Manchester. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Manchester – 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 Manchester. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Bracknell makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.