Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chatham and Manchester

For one person, living is cheaper in Manchester: $2,532 a month against $2,947 in Chatham, rent and utilities included – about $5,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Chatham
🇬🇧 United Kingdom
$2,947
/mo nomad
Manchester
🇬🇧 United Kingdom
$2,532
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chatham and in Manchester

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Chatham and in Manchester actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,947 per month in Chatham vs $2,532 in Manchester, rent included.

  • Chatham $2,947
  • Manchester $2,532

A couple spends around $4,017 per month in Chatham vs $3,686 in Manchester, rent included.

  • Chatham $4,017
  • Manchester $3,686

A family of three spends $5,088 per month in Chatham vs $4,839 in Manchester, rent included.

  • Chatham $5,088
  • Manchester $4,839

Chatham costs about 16% more than Manchester, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Chatham and Manchester sit above the global median – Chatham by 118%, Manchester by 87%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Chatham
Manchester
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$13.40 £10.05
$20.23 £15.18
-33.76%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$94.9 £71.2
$87.1 £65.3
8.96%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.85 £7.39
$10.83 £8.12
-9.05%
Cappuccino
$3.75 £2.82
$4.81 £3.61
-22.04%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.95 £2.21
$2.44 £1.83
20.90%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.68 £1.26
$1.62 £1.21
3.70%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$6.38 £4.78
$7.82 £5.87
-18.41%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$6.83 £5.12
$6.48 £4.86
5.40%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Chatham
Manchester
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.90 £1.43
$1.45 £1.09
31.03%
White Bread (500g)
$2.10 £1.57
$1.95 £1.47
7.69%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.10 £1.58
$1.86 £1.40
12.90%
Eggs
$4.09 £3.07
$4.05 £3.04
0.99%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.74 £8.06
$9.76 £7.32
10.04%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.29 £6.97
$9.11 £6.83
1.98%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$15.54 £11.66
$15.52 £11.64
0.13%
Apples (1kg)
$3.10 £2.33
$3.20 £2.40
-3.13%
Banana (1kg)
$1.92 £1.44
$1.52 £1.14
26.32%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.71 £2.03
$3.02 £2.26
-10.26%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.67 £2.75
$3.34 £2.51
9.88%
Potato (1kg)
$2.01 £1.51
$1.55 £1.17
29.68%
Onion (1kg)
$1.82 £1.37
$1.30 £0.98
40.00%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.15 £0.86
$1.22 £0.92
-5.74%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.71 £1.28
$1.28 £0.96
33.59%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$21.64 £16.24
$23.68 £17.77
-8.61%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.94 £8.21
$10.88 £8.16
0.55%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$3.06 £2.29
$2.55 £1.91
20.00%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.37 £1.78
$3.15 £2.36
-24.76%
🚌 Getting Around
Chatham
Manchester
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$4.04 £3.03
$2.68 £2.01
50.75%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$114 £85.6
$105 £79.1
8.18%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$5.10 £3.83
$4.42 £3.31
15.38%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.58 £1.94
$2.20 £1.65
17.27%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$20.18 £15.14
$30.45 £22.85
-33.73%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.09 £1.56
$2.04 £1.53
2.45%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$38.9K £29.2K
$39.2K £29.4K
-0.65%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$37.1K £27.8K
$40.3K £30.2K
-7.91%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Chatham
Manchester
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$287 £215
$252 £189
14.05%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$16.80 £12.61
$16.62 £12.47
1.08%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$26.54 £19.91
$40.61 £30.47
-34.65%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Chatham
Manchester
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$114 £85.8
$55.1 £41.32
107.59%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$9.37 £7.03
$18.02 £13.52
-48.00%
Cinema Ticket
$17.40 £13.05
$13.26 £9.95
31.22%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Chatham
Manchester
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$2,080 £1,561
$1,252 £939
66.20%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$30.4K £22.8K
$19.9K £14.9K
52.98%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Chatham
Manchester
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$91.6 £68.7
$84.2 £63.2
8.78%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$45.69 £34.28
$42.72 £32.05
6.95%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$105 £78.4
$92.2 £69.2
13.34%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$91.5 £68.6
$106 £79.8
-14.02%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Chatham
Manchester
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,050 £1,538
$1,789 £1,342
14.59%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,601 £1,201
$1,242 £932
28.87%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,430 £1,823
$3,014 £2,261
-19.38%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,090 £1,568
$1,961 £1,471
6.61%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$7,877 £5,909
$4,552 £3,415
73.05%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$7,449 £5,588
$4,349 £3,262
71.28%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Chatham
Manchester
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$2,972 £2,230
$3,460 £2,596
-14.10%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.12
4.82
6.22%

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

Last update for Chatham: October 20, 2026

Last update for Manchester: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Chatham
$1.6K
Manchester
$1.2K 22.4% $359
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Chatham
$330
Manchester
$309 6.5% $21
Groceries & Markets
Chatham
$323
Manchester
$301 6.7% $22
Eating Out
Chatham
$246
Manchester
$320 30.3% $74
Clothing & Footwear
Chatham
$150
Manchester
$146 2.3% $3.5
Sport & Entertainment
Chatham
$149
Manchester
$82 45.3% $68
Getting Around
Chatham
$148
Manchester
$132 11.3% $17

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,050 in Chatham versus $1,789 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 16% higher in Manchester, 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 $95.0 in Chatham versus $87.0 in Manchester. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $323 vs $301 – making Manchester the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇬🇧 Chatham
🇬🇧 Manchester
🕒 Local time
21:39 9:39 PM
21:39 9:39 PM
Same time as Chatham
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
76,792
503,100
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to GBP – British Pound Converter

British Pound exchange rates as of October 21, 2026: 1 USD = 0.75 GBP (1 GBP = 1.33 USD). 1 EUR = 0.843 GBP (1 GBP = 1.19 EUR).

On the map
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  • Chatham Manchester 300 km
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  • Chatham
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Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Chatham vs Manchester: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Chatham or Manchester?
Chatham costs about 16% more than Manchester, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from eating out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Chatham and in Manchester?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,421 per month in Chatham and $3,798 in Manchester. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Chatham or Manchester?
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.
How much does it cost to live in Chatham compared to Manchester?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,947 in Chatham and $2,532 in Manchester. That's a gap of about 16%.
How expensive is transport in Chatham compared to Manchester?
Public transport costs about 8% less in Manchester. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Can you live on $2,500/month in Chatham or in Manchester?
$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,947 in Chatham and $2,532 in Manchester. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Chatham or Manchester?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Manchester costs $2,532 versus $2,947 in Chatham. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.
How safe is Chatham compared to Manchester?
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.
Should I move to Chatham or to Manchester?
If budget matters most, go with Manchester. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Chatham makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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