Cost of Living Comparison Between Guildford and Manchester Cost of Living Comparison Between Guildford and Manchester

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,203 per month in Guildford vs $2,614 in Manchester, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,398 per month in Guildford vs $3,917 in Manchester, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,592 per month in Guildford vs $5,220 in Manchester, rent included.

Guildford costs about 23% more than Manchester, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Guildford and Manchester sit above the global median – Guildford by 138%, Manchester by 95%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.68 £15.37

$20.40 £15.17

1.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$88.7 £65.9

$96.5 £71.7

-8.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.11 £8.26

$10.72 £7.97

3.64%

Cappuccino

$4.63 £3.44

$5.01 £3.73

-7.58%

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

$2.68 £1.99

$2.61 £1.94

2.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.83 £1.36

$1.70 £1.27

7.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.19 £6.09

$7.53 £5.60

8.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.72 £5.00

$7.44 £5.53

-9.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.58 £1.18

$1.68 £1.25

-5.95%

White Bread (500g)

$1.08 £0.80

$1.70 £1.27

-36.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.80 £1.34

$2.13 £1.59

-15.49%

Eggs

$4.37 £3.25

$3.94 £2.93

10.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.64 £10.88

$12.33 £9.17

18.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.23 £7.60

$9.73 £7.23

5.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.99 £11.89

$17.04 £12.67

-6.16%

Apples (1kg)

$3.60 £2.68

$3.33 £2.47

8.11%

Banana (1kg)

$2.12 £1.58

$1.77 £1.31

19.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.34 £3.23

$3.86 £2.87

12.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.78 £3.55

$4.36 £3.24

9.63%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 £1.32

$2.03 £1.51

-12.32%

Onion (1kg)

$1.40 £1.04

$1.83 £1.36

-23.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.09 £0.81

$1.26 £0.94

-13.49%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 £0.90

$1.42 £1.06

-14.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$20.29 £15.08

$18.75 £13.94

8.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.41 £9.97

$10.59 £7.87

26.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.53 £1.88

$2.49 £1.85

1.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.52 £2.62

$3.43 £2.55

2.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.92 £2.17

$2.68 £1.99

8.96%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$94.8 £70.5

$124 £92.4

-23.69%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.76 £5.02

$5.51 £4.09

22.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.55 £1.15

$2.92 £2.17

-46.92%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.46 £17.44

$34.55 £25.69

-32.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.96 £1.46

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

$39.1K £29.0K

$38.3K £28.5K

2.00%

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

$41.2K £30.6K

$41.6K £31.0K

-1.08%

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

$392 £291

$299 £222

30.92%

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

$17.26 £12.83

$22.46 £16.70

-23.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$41.81 £31.08

$42.39 £31.51

-1.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$71.9 £53.4

$42.08 £31.29

70.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.49 £12.26

$16.04 £11.93

2.81%

Cinema Ticket

$16.97 £12.62

$13.61 £10.12

24.69%

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

$2,172 £1,615

$1,940 £1,442

11.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.0K £17.8K

$20.9K £15.6K

14.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$82.9 £61.6

$88.5 £65.8

-6.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$68.4 £50.9

$41.66 £30.97

64.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.2 £70.0

$90.5 £67.3

4.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$126 £94.0

$107 £79.7

18.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,836 £1,365

$1,599 £1,189

14.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,643 £1,222

$1,261 £937

30.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,687 £1,998

$2,704 £2,011

-0.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,492 £1,853

$2,038 £1,515

22.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,629 £5,672

$4,929 £3,665

54.77%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,134 £5,304

$4,694 £3,490

51.98%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,648 £2,712

$3,254 £2,419

12.12%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.24

5.92

5.41%

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

Last update for Guildford: June 7, 2026

Last update for Manchester: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,836 in Guildford versus $1,599 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 12% higher in Guildford, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89.0 in Guildford versus $96.0 in Manchester. Groceries tell a different story – $340 in Guildford vs $332 in Manchester – so Manchester 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

Guildford vs Manchester: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Guildford is pricier by about 23%, and the gap shows up most in Sport & Entertainment. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,805 per month in Guildford and $3,921 in Manchester. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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.

Groceries cost about 2% more in Guildford, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89.0 in Guildford and $96.0 in Manchester. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,203 in Guildford and $2,614 in Manchester. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Manchester – 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 Manchester. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Guildford makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.