Cost of Living Comparison Between Godalming and Manchester Cost of Living Comparison Between Godalming and Manchester

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,364 per month in Godalming vs $2,637 in Manchester, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,473 per month in Godalming vs $3,830 in Manchester, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,581 per month in Godalming vs $5,024 in Manchester, rent included.

Godalming is about 10% cheaper than Manchester, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Godalming and Manchester sit above the global median – Godalming by 71%, Manchester by 91%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$23.84 £17.66

$20.56 £15.23

15.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$97.1 £71.9

$94.0 £69.7

3.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.31 £7.64

$11.03 £8.17

-6.53%

Cappuccino

$5.02 £3.72

$4.82 £3.57

4.15%

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

$3.31 £2.45

$2.53 £1.87

30.83%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.75 £2.04

$1.73 £1.28

58.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.18 £6.80

$8.18 £6.06

12.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.33 £3.95

$6.84 £5.06

-22.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.99 £1.48

$1.45 £1.08

37.24%

White Bread (500g)

$1.96 £1.45

$1.84 £1.36

6.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.22 £1.64

$1.93 £1.43

15.03%

Eggs

$4.53 £3.35

$3.99 £2.96

13.53%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.71 £4.97

$9.53 £7.06

-29.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.19 £4.59

$8.96 £6.63

-30.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.71 £3.49

$15.76 £11.68

-70.11%

Apples (1kg)

$2.79 £2.07

$3.21 £2.38

-13.08%

Banana (1kg)

$2.03 £1.50

$1.61 £1.20

26.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.84 £1.36

$3.01 £2.23

-38.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.71 £1.27

$3.42 £2.53

-50.00%

Potato (1kg)

$2.25 £1.67

$1.50 £1.11

50.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.46 £1.08

$1.33 £0.99

9.77%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.05 £0.78

$1.29 £0.95

-18.60%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 £1.25

$1.30 £0.96

30.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$23.81 £17.63

$24.36 £18.04

-2.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.08 £8.21

$10.88 £8.06

1.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.99 £2.22

$2.46 £1.82

21.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.16 £2.34

$3.08 £2.28

2.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.59 £2.66

$2.68 £1.99

33.96%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$93.6 £69.4

$109 £80.5

-13.87%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.08 £3.02

$4.64 £3.44

-12.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.77 £2.05

$2.16 £1.60

28.24%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.35 £9.88

$30.39 £22.51

-56.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.09 £1.55

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

$30.3K £22.5K

$39.5K £29.3K

-23.26%

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

$41.4K £30.7K

$41.6K £30.8K

-0.49%

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

$295 £218

$292 £217

0.69%

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

$17.25 £12.78

$16.65 £12.33

3.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$46.58 £34.50

$39.66 £29.37

17.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.42 £35.13

$54.3 £40.23

-12.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.86 £13.97

Cinema Ticket

$15.07 £11.16

$13.54 £10.03

11.30%

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

$2,075 £1,537

$1,309 £970

58.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.3K £23.2K

$20.0K £14.8K

56.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$91.2 £67.6

$88.1 £65.2

3.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.97 £34.05

$41.59 £30.81

10.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 £78.3

$95.3 £70.6

10.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$53.8 £39.82

$107 £78.9

-49.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,226 £908

$1,816 £1,345

-32.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,041 £771

$1,295 £959

-19.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,121 £1,571

$3,067 £2,272

-30.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,706 £1,264

$2,020 £1,496

-15.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,022 £3,719

$4,729 £3,502

6.19%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,479 £2,577

$4,465 £3,307

-22.08%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,446 £2,552

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.12

4.87

5.13%

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

Last update for Godalming: September 7, 2026

Last update for Manchester: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,226 in Godalming versus $1,816 in Manchester. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $97.0 in Godalming versus $94.0 in Manchester. Groceries tell a different story – $251 in Godalming vs $300 in Manchester – so Godalming wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Godalming vs Manchester: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Manchester is pricier by about 12%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,547 per month in Godalming and $3,955 in Manchester. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Godalming, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,364 in Godalming and $2,637 in Manchester. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 16% less in Godalming. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Godalming, where all-in costs run around $2,364, than in Manchester at $2,637. In Godalming it covers expenses comfortably, while in Manchester it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Godalming – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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.

If budget matters most, go with Godalming. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Manchester makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.