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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,222 per month in Guildford vs $2,631 in Manchester, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,479 per month in Guildford vs $3,842 in Manchester, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,735 per month in Guildford vs $5,053 in Manchester, rent included.

Guildford costs about 22% more than Manchester, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Guildford and Manchester sit above the global median – Guildford by 141%, Manchester by 97%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.57 £15.24

$20.34 £15.07

1.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$88.3 £65.5

$95.0 £70.4

-7.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.34 £8.40

$10.92 £8.09

3.85%

Cappuccino

$4.72 £3.50

$4.98 £3.69

-5.22%

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

$2.63 £1.95

$2.62 £1.94

0.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.86 £1.38

$1.75 £1.30

6.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.30 £6.15

$7.38 £5.47

12.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.88 £5.10

$7.40 £5.49

-7.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.61 £1.19

$1.64 £1.21

-1.83%

White Bread (500g)

$1.04 £0.77

$1.70 £1.26

-38.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.81 £1.34

$2.18 £1.61

-16.97%

Eggs

$4.52 £3.35

$3.94 £2.92

14.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.84 £11.00

$12.35 £9.15

20.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.28 £7.61

$9.85 £7.30

4.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.13 £11.95

$17.45 £12.93

-7.56%

Apples (1kg)

$3.66 £2.71

$3.20 £2.37

14.37%

Banana (1kg)

$2.19 £1.62

$1.79 £1.32

22.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.40 £3.26

$3.95 £2.93

11.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.94 £3.66

$4.28 £3.17

15.42%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 £1.33

$2.03 £1.50

-11.82%

Onion (1kg)

$1.45 £1.07

$1.87 £1.39

-22.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 £0.80

$1.26 £0.93

-14.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.22 £0.91

$1.49 £1.10

-18.12%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$20.14 £14.92

$18.70 £13.86

7.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.52 £10.02

$10.54 £7.81

28.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.44 £1.81

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 £2.60

$3.46 £2.56

1.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.92 £2.17

$2.70 £2.00

8.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$94.5 £70.1

$121 £89.3

-21.57%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.74 £5.00

$5.40 £4.00

24.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.59 £1.18

$2.97 £2.20

-46.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.17 £17.17

$33.45 £24.79

-30.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.92 £1.42

$1.90 £1.40

1.05%

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

$37.7K £27.9K

$38.2K £28.3K

-1.31%

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

$40.9K £30.3K

$40.5K £30.0K

1.18%

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

$391 £289

$296 £219

31.95%

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

$17.08 £12.66

$22.50 £16.68

-24.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$41.49 £30.74

$43.57 £32.28

-4.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$71.6 £53.1

$41.22 £30.54

73.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.55 £12.26

$15.49 £11.48

6.84%

Cinema Ticket

$16.69 £12.37

$13.83 £10.25

20.68%

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

$2,111 £1,564

$1,971 £1,461

7.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.7K £18.3K

$21.4K £15.9K

15.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$83.9 £62.2

$90.1 £66.7

-6.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$67.1 £49.70

$41.94 £31.08

59.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.0 £70.4

$88.7 £65.7

7.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 £92.2

$107 £79.6

15.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,856 £1,375

$1,625 £1,204

14.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,647 £1,220

$1,255 £930

31.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,682 £1,987

$2,665 £1,975

0.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,490 £1,845

$2,052 £1,520

21.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,764 £5,753

$4,750 £3,520

63.45%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,138 £5,289

$4,542 £3,366

57.16%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,665 £2,716

$3,392 £2,513

8.06%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Manchester: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,856 in Guildford versus $1,625 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 8% 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 $88.0 in Guildford versus $95.0 in Manchester. Groceries tell a different story – $343 in Guildford vs $333 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 22%, 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 $4,834 per month in Guildford and $3,947 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 3% 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 $88.0 in Guildford and $95.0 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 $3,222 in Guildford and $2,631 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.