Cost of Living Comparison Between Exeter and Manchester Cost of Living Comparison Between Exeter and Manchester

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,505 in Exeter versus $2,573 in Manchester.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,948 in Exeter versus $3,790 in Manchester.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,391 in Exeter versus $5,008 in Manchester.

Living in Exeter costs roughly 3% less than in Manchester, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Exeter 83% above, Manchester 88% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.06 £14.86

$20.21 £14.97

-0.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$98.9 £73.3

$94.7 £70.1

4.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.37 £6.94

$10.75 £7.96

-12.84%

Cappuccino

$5.08 £3.76

$4.74 £3.51

7.17%

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

$3.15 £2.33

$2.55 £1.89

23.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.43 £1.80

$1.67 £1.24

45.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.23 £5.35

$7.90 £5.85

-8.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.29 £4.66

$6.79 £5.03

-7.36%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.51 £1.12

$1.52 £1.13

-0.66%

White Bread (500g)

$1.65 £1.23

$1.92 £1.42

-14.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.74 £1.29

$1.99 £1.47

-12.56%

Eggs

$4.37 £3.24

$3.80 £2.82

15.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.98 £6.65

$9.14 £6.77

-1.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.96 £6.64

$9.16 £6.78

-2.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$24.15 £17.89

$15.93 £11.80

51.60%

Apples (1kg)

$3.04 £2.25

$3.27 £2.42

-7.03%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 £1.08

$1.53 £1.13

-5.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.64 £1.96

$2.91 £2.16

-9.28%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.16 £2.34

$3.52 £2.61

-10.23%

Potato (1kg)

$2.32 £1.72

$1.51 £1.12

53.64%

Onion (1kg)

$1.97 £1.46

$1.37 £1.01

43.80%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.62 £1.20

$1.28 £0.95

26.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.89 £1.40

$1.30 £0.96

45.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$24.38 £18.06

$23.77 £17.61

2.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.25 £6.85

$11.21 £8.30

-17.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.63 £2.69

$2.60 £1.93

39.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 £3.26

$3.23 £2.40

36.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.95 £2.93

$2.65 £1.96

49.06%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$107 £79.2

$109 £80.7

-1.80%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.80 £4.30

$4.47 £3.31

29.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.56 £1.89

$2.23 £1.65

14.80%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.15 £17.89

$30.87 £22.87

-21.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.01 £1.49

$2.11 £1.56

-4.74%

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

$39.5K £29.3K

$39.6K £29.3K

-0.14%

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

$41.2K £30.5K

$40.6K £30.1K

1.60%

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

$475 £352

$294 £217

61.70%

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

$15.89 £11.77

$16.69 £12.36

-4.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$46.57 £34.49

$40.09 £29.70

16.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.46 £32.93

$54.6 £40.40

-18.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.39 £9.92

$18.12 £13.42

-26.10%

Cinema Ticket

$12.87 £9.53

$13.38 £9.91

-3.81%

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

$1,470 £1,089

$1,275 £944

15.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.7K £13.1K

$20.3K £15.0K

-12.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.7 £50.9

$84.9 £62.9

-19.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.74 £23.51

$42.46 £31.45

-25.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 £76.0

$95.4 £70.7

7.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$110 £81.1

$107 £79.0

2.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,176 £871

$1,809 £1,340

-34.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$931 £690

$1,265 £937

-26.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,526 £1,871

$3,122 £2,313

-19.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,093 £1,551

$1,987 £1,472

5.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,439 £4,029

$4,695 £3,477

15.85%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,608 £4,895

$4,509 £3,340

46.55%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,117 £2,309

$3,436 £2,545

-9.28%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.11

4.87

4.93%

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

Last update for Exeter: September 13, 2026

Last update for Manchester: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,176 in Exeter and $1,809 in Manchester. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Manchester pays 10% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $99.0 in Exeter vs $95.0 in Manchester for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $336 vs $303 per month, with Manchester 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

Exeter vs Manchester: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Exeter and Manchester differ by about 3% in total monthly costs ($2,505 vs $2,573 including rent). Exeter is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 10% lower in Manchester. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,176 in Exeter versus $1,809 in Manchester. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Exeter – a meal for two runs $99.0 versus $95.0 in Manchester. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,505 per month in Exeter versus $2,573 in Manchester – a 3% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,505 in Exeter versus $2,573 in Manchester, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Exeter but tight or insufficient in Manchester. The gap between the two cities makes Exeter 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.

Safety-wise, Exeter 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 Exeter gentler on the wallet – expenses run 3% less than in Manchester. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.