Cost of Living Comparison Between Ilford and Manchester Cost of Living Comparison Between Ilford and Manchester

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,005 per month in Ilford vs $2,651 in Manchester, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,949 per month in Ilford vs $3,871 in Manchester, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,893 per month in Ilford vs $5,091 in Manchester, rent included.

Ilford costs about 13% more than Manchester, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Ilford and Manchester sit above the global median – Ilford by 124%, Manchester by 98%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.59 £15.30

$20.74 £15.42

-0.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$88.3 £65.7

$94.5 £70.2

-6.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.70 £7.96

$10.75 £7.99

-0.47%

Cappuccino

$4.68 £3.48

$4.94 £3.67

-5.26%

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

$1.51 £1.13

$2.59 £1.92

-41.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.09 £0.81

$1.70 £1.26

-35.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.29 £3.93

$7.41 £5.51

-28.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.28 £4.67

$7.52 £5.59

-16.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.41 £1.05

$1.62 £1.21

-12.96%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 £1.05

$1.80 £1.34

-21.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 £1.61

$2.16 £1.60

0.46%

Eggs

$3.62 £2.69

$4.08 £3.03

-11.27%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 £6.20

$12.05 £8.95

-30.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.44 £6.27

$9.75 £7.25

-13.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.32 £9.90

$17.39 £12.93

-23.40%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 £2.40

$3.30 £2.46

-2.12%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 £1.16

$1.84 £1.37

-15.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.87 £2.13

$3.82 £2.84

-24.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.91 £2.16

$4.35 £3.23

-33.10%

Potato (1kg)

$1.74 £1.29

$2.10 £1.56

-17.14%

Onion (1kg)

$1.51 £1.12

$1.80 £1.34

-16.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.29 £0.96

$1.31 £0.97

-1.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 £1.04

$1.47 £1.10

-4.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$20.45 £15.20

$18.73 £13.92

9.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.04 £6.72

$10.64 £7.91

-15.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.73 £2.03

$2.57 £1.91

6.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.44 £1.81

$3.49 £2.60

-30.09%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.48 £2.59

$2.75 £2.04

26.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$89.4 £66.4

$121 £90.1

-26.24%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.14 £4.57

$5.49 £4.08

11.84%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.12 £1.58

$2.85 £2.12

-25.61%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.52 £21.94

$34.28 £25.48

-13.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.93 £1.44

$1.96 £1.46

-1.53%

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

$38.3K £28.5K

$37.8K £28.1K

1.50%

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

$38.6K £28.7K

$41.8K £31.1K

-7.72%

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

$318 £236

$295 £219

7.63%

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

$16.22 £12.05

$22.44 £16.68

-27.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.41 £26.32

$42.92 £31.90

-17.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$28.63 £21.28

$42.39 £31.51

-32.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.07 £11.94

Cinema Ticket

$20.71 £15.39

$13.72 £10.19

50.95%

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

$1,880 £1,397

$1,944 £1,445

-3.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$22.6K £16.8K

$20.8K £15.5K

8.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$103 £76.3

$90.6 £67.4

13.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.29 £30.69

$41.85 £31.11

-1.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.1 £66.9

$89.5 £66.5

0.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$98.8 £73.4

$106 £78.9

-6.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,387 £1,031

$1,637 £1,217

-15.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,747 £1,299

$1,256 £934

39.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,015 £2,241

$2,702 £2,009

11.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,191 £1,628

$2,077 £1,544

5.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,107 £3,796

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,671 £3,472

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,566 £2,651

$3,247 £2,414

9.83%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.45

5.92

-7.94%

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

Last update for Ilford: May 31, 2026

Last update for Manchester: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,387 in Ilford versus $1,637 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 10% higher in Ilford, 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 Ilford versus $94.0 in Manchester. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $277 vs $335 – making Ilford the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Ilford vs Manchester: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ilford costs about 13% more than Manchester, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,508 per month in Ilford and $3,977 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.

Interestingly, groceries are about 21% cheaper in Ilford – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $88.0 in Ilford and $94.0 in Manchester. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Manchester, where all-in costs run around $2,651, than in Ilford at $3,005. In Manchester it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ilford it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Manchester costs $2,651 versus $3,005 in Ilford. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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, Ilford makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.