Cost of Living Comparison Between Buckingham and Manchester Cost of Living Comparison Between Buckingham and Manchester

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,247 in Buckingham versus $2,651 in Manchester.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,448 in Buckingham versus $3,871 in Manchester.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,650 in Buckingham versus $5,091 in Manchester.

Living in Buckingham costs roughly 15% less than in Manchester, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Buckingham 68% above, Manchester 98% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.34 £15.15

$20.74 £15.45

-1.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$82.4 £61.4

$94.5 £70.4

-12.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.02 £8.21

$10.75 £8.01

2.51%

Cappuccino

$4.75 £3.54

$4.94 £3.68

-3.85%

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

$1.91 £1.42

$2.59 £1.93

-26.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.39 £1.03

$1.70 £1.26

-18.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.45 £4.06

$7.41 £5.52

-26.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.32 £3.96

$7.52 £5.60

-29.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.15 £0.86

$1.62 £1.21

-29.01%

White Bread (500g)

$1.54 £1.15

$1.80 £1.34

-14.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.11 £1.57

$2.16 £1.61

-2.31%

Eggs

$4.28 £3.19

$4.08 £3.04

4.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.11 £7.53

$12.05 £8.97

-16.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.29 £5.43

$9.75 £7.26

-25.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.33 £11.42

$17.39 £12.96

-11.85%

Apples (1kg)

$3.26 £2.43

$3.30 £2.46

-1.21%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 £1.28

$1.84 £1.37

-6.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.91 £2.17

$3.82 £2.84

-23.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.51 £1.87

$4.35 £3.24

-42.30%

Potato (1kg)

$0.91 £0.68

$2.10 £1.56

-56.67%

Onion (1kg)

$1.67 £1.25

$1.80 £1.34

-7.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 £0.80

$1.31 £0.97

-17.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.59 £1.19

$1.47 £1.10

8.16%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$16.04 £11.95

$18.73 £13.95

-14.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.74 £8.00

$10.64 £7.93

0.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.63 £1.96

$2.57 £1.91

2.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.00 £1.49

$3.49 £2.60

-42.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.76 £2.05

$2.75 £2.05

0.36%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$88.4 £65.9

$121 £90.3

-27.05%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.00 £2.98

$5.49 £4.09

-27.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 £1.01

$2.85 £2.12

-52.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.97 £19.35

$34.28 £25.54

-24.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.97 £1.46

$1.96 £1.46

0.51%

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

$39.1K £29.1K

$37.8K £28.1K

3.53%

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

$41.9K £31.2K

$41.8K £31.1K

0.27%

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

$263 £196

$295 £220

-10.79%

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

$17.15 £12.77

$22.44 £16.72

-23.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.65 £26.56

$42.92 £31.97

-16.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$13.67 £10.18

$42.39 £31.58

-67.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.07 £11.97

Cinema Ticket

$12.19 £9.09

$13.72 £10.22

-11.15%

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

$1,410 £1,050

$1,944 £1,448

-27.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.8K £10.3K

$20.8K £15.5K

-33.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$74.2 £55.3

$90.6 £67.5

-18.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.12 £26.91

$41.85 £31.18

-13.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.5 £52.5

$89.5 £66.6

-21.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.1 £68.6

$106 £79.1

-13.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,470 £1,095

$1,637 £1,220

-10.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,051 £783

$1,256 £936

-16.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,406 £2,538

$2,702 £2,013

26.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,043 £1,522

$2,077 £1,547

-1.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,938 £3,679

$5,107 £3,805

-3.31%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,671 £3,480

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,608 £3,433

$3,247 £2,419

41.92%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.79

5.92

-2.20%

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

Last update for Buckingham: June 1, 2026

Last update for Manchester: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,470 in Buckingham and $1,637 in Manchester. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Buckingham pays 42% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $82.0 in Buckingham vs $94.0 in Manchester for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $284 vs $335 per month, with Buckingham cheaper across the board.

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

Buckingham vs Manchester: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Buckingham and Manchester differ by about 18% in total monthly costs ($2,247 vs $2,651 including rent). Buckingham is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Buckingham pays 42% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,470 in Buckingham versus $1,637 in Manchester. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,247 per month in Buckingham versus $2,651 in Manchester – a 18% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Buckingham runs roughly 37% less than in Manchester. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $2,247 in Buckingham versus $2,651 in Manchester, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Buckingham but tight or insufficient in Manchester. The gap between the two cities makes Buckingham the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Buckingham gentler on the wallet – expenses run 18% less than in Manchester. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.