Cost of Living Comparison Between Bradford and Manchester Cost of Living Comparison Between Bradford and Manchester

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,086 per month in Bradford vs $2,684 in Manchester, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,931 per month in Bradford vs $3,957 in Manchester, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,777 per month in Bradford vs $5,230 in Manchester, rent included.

Bradford is about 22% cheaper than Manchester, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Bradford and Manchester sit above the global median – Bradford by 56%, Manchester by 101%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.48 £13.01

$20.17 £15.01

-13.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$77.1 £57.4

$96.9 £72.1

-20.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.77 £8.02

$10.78 £8.02

-0.09%

Cappuccino

$4.39 £3.27

$5.10 £3.80

-13.92%

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

$2.39 £1.78

$2.53 £1.88

-5.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.77 £1.32

$1.68 £1.25

5.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.59 £4.16

$7.31 £5.44

-23.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.48 £4.08

$7.67 £5.71

-28.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.51 £1.12

$1.69 £1.26

-10.65%

White Bread (500g)

$1.56 £1.16

$1.71 £1.27

-8.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.61 £2.69

$2.25 £1.68

60.44%

Eggs

$3.89 £2.89

$4.07 £3.03

-4.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.70 £7.22

$12.25 £9.12

-20.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.47 £6.31

$9.42 £7.02

-10.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.95 £11.13

$17.22 £12.82

-13.18%

Apples (1kg)

$3.20 £2.38

$3.35 £2.50

-4.48%

Banana (1kg)

$2.03 £1.51

$1.80 £1.34

12.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.07 £2.28

$4.01 £2.99

-23.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.81 £2.83

$4.14 £3.08

-7.97%

Potato (1kg)

$1.76 £1.31

$2.05 £1.52

-14.15%

Onion (1kg)

$1.40 £1.04

$1.80 £1.34

-22.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 £0.91

$1.25 £0.93

-1.60%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 £1.29

$1.49 £1.11

16.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$18.19 £13.54

$19.21 £14.30

-5.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.43 £7.02

$10.00 £7.45

-5.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.74 £2.04

$2.46 £1.83

11.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 £2.14

$3.61 £2.69

-20.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.43 £2.56

$2.65 £1.97

29.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$68.7 £51.2

$122 £90.6

-43.48%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.38 £4.00

$5.33 £3.97

0.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.92 £0.68

$2.86 £2.13

-67.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$20.67 £15.39

$33.58 £25.00

-38.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.87 £1.39

$1.89 £1.40

-1.06%

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

$37.8K £28.1K

$38.7K £28.8K

-2.39%

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

$39.5K £29.4K

$41.5K £30.9K

-4.85%

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

$317 £236

$302 £225

4.92%

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

$18.97 £14.12

$22.97 £17.10

-17.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$43.91 £32.69

$43.39 £32.30

1.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.09 £35.06

$40.99 £30.52

14.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.82 £14.76

$15.62 £11.63

26.89%

Cinema Ticket

$12.81 £9.54

$13.50 £10.05

-5.11%

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

$1,248 £929

$1,984 £1,477

-37.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.6K £10.1K

$21.0K £15.6K

-35.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$79.6 £59.3

$91.3 £67.9

-12.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.04 £32.78

$42.23 £31.44

4.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.4 £64.3

$88.1 £65.6

-2.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.6 £62.2

$108 £80.6

-22.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 £596

$1,638 £1,220

-51.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$792 £590

$1,256 £935

-36.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 £909

$2,747 £2,045

-55.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,114 £830

$2,049 £1,526

-45.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,118 £3,066

$4,946 £3,682

-16.74%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,955 £2,200

$4,671 £3,478

-36.73%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,487 £2,596

$3,154 £2,348

10.57%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.6

5.92

-5.41%

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

Last update for Bradford: July 12, 2026

Last update for Manchester: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $801 in Bradford versus $1,638 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 11% higher in Bradford, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $77.0 in Bradford versus $97.0 in Manchester. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $309 vs $331 – making Bradford 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

Bradford vs Manchester: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,086 in Bradford, $2,684 in Manchester – roughly 29% apart. Manchester costs more across the board, with Getting Around showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,129 per month in Bradford and $4,026 in Manchester. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 7% 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 $77.0 in Bradford and $97.0 in Manchester. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Bradford, where all-in costs run around $2,086, than in Manchester at $2,684. In Bradford it covers expenses comfortably, while in Manchester it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Manchester has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,086 in Bradford to $2,684 in Manchester. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Bradford. 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.