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: $2,386 in Exeter versus $2,648 in Manchester.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,893 in Exeter versus $3,928 in Manchester.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,400 in Exeter versus $5,208 in Manchester.

Living in Exeter costs roughly 10% less than in Manchester, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Exeter 79% above, Manchester 99% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.34 £15.08

$20.42 £15.14

-0.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$88.1 £65.3

$94.4 £70.0

-6.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.30 £7.64

$11.00 £8.16

-6.36%

Cappuccino

$4.46 £3.31

$5.14 £3.81

-13.23%

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

$3.14 £2.33

$2.63 £1.95

19.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.69 £1.25

$1.68 £1.25

0.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.56 £5.60

$7.57 £5.61

-0.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.94 £4.41

$7.44 £5.52

-20.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 £1.25

$1.71 £1.27

-1.75%

White Bread (500g)

$1.90 £1.41

$1.77 £1.31

7.34%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.67 £1.24

$2.24 £1.66

-25.45%

Eggs

$4.72 £3.50

$4.09 £3.04

15.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.22 £6.09

$12.15 £9.01

-32.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.91 £5.12

$9.42 £6.99

-26.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.20 £14.23

$17.15 £12.72

11.95%

Apples (1kg)

$2.42 £1.80

$3.33 £2.47

-27.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.28 £0.95

$1.79 £1.33

-28.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.32 £1.72

$3.93 £2.92

-40.97%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.09 £2.29

$4.21 £3.12

-26.60%

Potato (1kg)

$1.14 £0.85

$2.05 £1.52

-44.39%

Onion (1kg)

$1.32 £0.98

$1.89 £1.40

-30.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 £0.73

$1.26 £0.93

-21.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.46 £1.08

$1.50 £1.11

-2.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$21.94 £16.27

$19.00 £14.09

15.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.54 £7.07

$10.29 £7.63

-7.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.69 £1.99

$2.58 £1.91

4.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 £1.88

$3.55 £2.63

-28.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.68 £1.98

$2.67 £1.98

0.37%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$106 £78.9

$123 £91.5

-13.76%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.65 £4.93

$5.31 £3.94

25.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.72 £1.27

$2.85 £2.11

-39.65%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$21.98 £16.30

$34.57 £25.64

-36.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.94 £1.44

$1.97 £1.46

-1.52%

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

$38.9K £28.8K

$37.7K £28.0K

3.12%

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

$39.1K £29.0K

$40.5K £30.0K

-3.33%

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

$335 £249

$303 £224

10.86%

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

$16.41 £12.17

$22.65 £16.79

-27.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$45.34 £33.62

$42.94 £31.84

5.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.84 £29.54

$40.89 £30.32

-2.57%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.43 £10.70

$15.65 £11.60

-7.80%

Cinema Ticket

$12.37 £9.17

$13.81 £10.24

-10.43%

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

$1,495 £1,109

$1,956 £1,450

-23.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.9K £15.5K

$21.4K £15.8K

-2.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$76.0 £56.3

$88.5 £65.6

-14.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.52 £25.60

$42.00 £31.14

-17.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 £76.7

$87.4 £64.8

18.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 £80.7

$109 £80.6

0.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,336 £991

$1,623 £1,204

-17.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$995 £738

$1,253 £929

-20.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,588 £1,919

$2,724 £2,020

-5.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,454 £1,819

$2,051 £1,521

19.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,424 £4,022

$4,997 £3,705

8.56%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,446 £4,780

$4,610 £3,418

39.83%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,124 £2,317

$3,183 £2,360

-1.85%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.72

5.92

-3.38%

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

Last update for Exeter: July 28, 2026

Last update for Manchester: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,336 in Exeter and $1,623 in Manchester. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Manchester pays 2% 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: $88.0 in Exeter vs $94.0 in Manchester for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $288 vs $333 per month, with Exeter 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 11% in total monthly costs ($2,386 vs $2,648 including rent). Exeter is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 2% 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: $1,336 in Exeter versus $1,623 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 $88.0 versus $94.0 in Manchester. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,386 per month in Exeter versus $2,648 in Manchester – a 11% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,386 in Exeter versus $2,648 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 11% less than in Manchester. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.