Cost of Living Comparison Between Cheltenham and Manchester Cost of Living Comparison Between Cheltenham and Manchester

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,186 in Cheltenham versus $2,684 in Manchester.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,213 in Cheltenham versus $3,957 in Manchester.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,240 in Cheltenham versus $5,230 in Manchester.

Living in Cheltenham costs roughly 19% less than in Manchester, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Cheltenham 64% above, Manchester 101% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.67 £15.38

$20.17 £15.00

2.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$82.9 £61.6

$96.9 £72.1

-14.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.05 £8.22

$10.78 £8.02

2.50%

Cappuccino

$4.67 £3.47

$5.10 £3.79

-8.43%

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

$2.08 £1.55

$2.53 £1.88

-17.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.33 £0.99

$1.68 £1.25

-20.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.32 £3.95

$7.31 £5.43

-27.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.67 £4.96

$7.67 £5.70

-13.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.47 £1.10

$1.69 £1.26

-13.02%

White Bread (500g)

$0.69 £0.52

$1.71 £1.27

-59.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.07 £1.54

$2.25 £1.68

-8.00%

Eggs

$4.55 £3.38

$4.07 £3.03

11.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.72 £3.51

$12.25 £9.11

-61.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.08 £5.26

$9.42 £7.01

-24.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.89 £11.82

$17.22 £12.81

-7.72%

Apples (1kg)

$2.06 £1.53

$3.35 £2.49

-38.51%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 £1.27

$1.80 £1.34

-5.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.02 £1.50

$4.01 £2.99

-49.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.59 £2.67

$4.14 £3.08

-13.29%

Potato (1kg)

$1.34 £1.00

$2.05 £1.52

-34.63%

Onion (1kg)

$1.83 £1.36

$1.80 £1.34

1.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 £0.80

$1.25 £0.93

-13.60%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 £1.18

$1.49 £1.11

6.04%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$17.22 £12.81

$19.21 £14.29

-10.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.31 £8.41

$10.00 £7.44

13.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.96 £1.45

$2.46 £1.83

-20.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 £1.47

$3.61 £2.69

-45.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.56 £2.64

$2.65 £1.97

34.34%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$56.6 £42.06

$122 £90.5

-53.51%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.06 £3.02

$5.33 £3.96

-23.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 £1.03

$2.86 £2.12

-51.40%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.73 £19.14

$33.58 £24.98

-23.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.90 £1.41

$1.89 £1.40

0.53%

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

$38.9K £28.9K

$38.7K £28.8K

0.45%

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

$41.6K £30.9K

$41.5K £30.9K

0.19%

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

$262 £195

$302 £225

-13.31%

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

$15.81 £11.76

$22.97 £17.08

-31.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$43.79 £32.57

$43.39 £32.27

0.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.78 £32.56

$40.99 £30.49

6.81%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.33 £17.35

$15.62 £11.62

49.36%

Cinema Ticket

$13.85 £10.30

$13.50 £10.04

2.59%

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

$1,411 £1,049

$1,984 £1,476

-28.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.8K £10.2K

$21.0K £15.6K

-34.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$112 £83.1

$91.3 £67.9

22.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.74 £26.59

$42.23 £31.41

-15.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 £83.5

$88.1 £65.6

27.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$98.9 £73.5

$108 £80.5

-8.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,166 £867

$1,638 £1,218

-28.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$943 £702

$1,256 £934

-24.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,262 £1,682

$2,747 £2,043

-17.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,676 £1,247

$2,049 £1,524

-18.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,683 £4,227

$4,946 £3,679

14.91%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,809 £4,321

$4,671 £3,474

24.36%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,756 £3,538

$3,154 £2,346

50.81%

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 Cheltenham: July 12, 2026

Last update for Manchester: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,166 in Cheltenham and $1,638 in Manchester. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cheltenham pays 51% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $83.0 in Cheltenham vs $97.0 in Manchester for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $259 vs $331 per month, with Cheltenham 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

Cheltenham vs Manchester: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cheltenham is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Groceries & Markets, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 23% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 51% higher in Cheltenham, 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: $1,166 in Cheltenham versus $1,638 in Manchester. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Cheltenham – a meal for two runs $83.0 versus $97.0 in Manchester. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,186 per month in Cheltenham versus $2,684 in Manchester – a 23% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,186 in Cheltenham versus $2,684 in Manchester, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Cheltenham but tight or insufficient in Manchester. The gap between the two cities makes Cheltenham the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Cheltenham is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Manchester, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Cheltenham and Manchester are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Cheltenham gentler on the wallet – expenses run 23% less than in Manchester. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.