Cost of Living Comparison Between Kingston upon Thames and Manchester Cost of Living Comparison Between Kingston upon Thames and Manchester

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,330 in Kingston upon Thames versus $2,651 in Manchester.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,854 in Kingston upon Thames versus $3,871 in Manchester.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,379 in Kingston upon Thames versus $5,091 in Manchester.

Living in Kingston upon Thames is roughly 26% more expensive than Manchester, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Kingston upon Thames 149% above, Manchester 98% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$22.67 £16.85

$20.74 £15.42

9.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$86.6 £64.4

$94.5 £70.2

-8.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.26 £7.63

$10.75 £7.99

-4.56%

Cappuccino

$5.29 £3.93

$4.94 £3.67

7.09%

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

$2.87 £2.13

$2.59 £1.92

10.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.87 £1.39

$1.70 £1.26

10.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.67 £6.44

$7.41 £5.51

17.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.28 £6.16

$7.52 £5.59

10.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.66 £1.23

$1.62 £1.21

2.47%

White Bread (500g)

$1.54 £1.15

$1.80 £1.34

-14.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.81 £2.09

$2.16 £1.60

30.09%

Eggs

$4.12 £3.06

$4.08 £3.03

0.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.06 £7.48

$12.05 £8.95

-16.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.82 £6.56

$9.75 £7.25

-9.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.89 £11.06

$17.39 £12.93

-14.38%

Apples (1kg)

$3.41 £2.53

$3.30 £2.46

3.33%

Banana (1kg)

$2.04 £1.51

$1.84 £1.37

10.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.95 £2.19

$3.82 £2.84

-22.77%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.61 £2.68

$4.35 £3.23

-17.01%

Potato (1kg)

$1.51 £1.12

$2.10 £1.56

-28.10%

Onion (1kg)

$1.87 £1.39

$1.80 £1.34

3.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.05 £0.78

$1.31 £0.97

-19.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.94 £1.44

$1.47 £1.10

31.97%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$17.64 £13.11

$18.73 £13.92

-5.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.34 £8.43

$10.64 £7.91

6.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.18 £2.37

$2.57 £1.91

23.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.93 £2.92

$3.49 £2.60

12.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.36 £1.75

$2.75 £2.04

-14.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$43.38 £32.25

$121 £90.1

-64.20%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.12 £3.81

$5.49 £4.08

-6.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.18 £1.62

$2.85 £2.12

-23.51%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.62 £25.73

$34.28 £25.48

0.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.95 £1.45

$1.96 £1.46

-0.51%

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

$38.2K £28.4K

$37.8K £28.1K

1.21%

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

$39.0K £29.0K

$41.8K £31.1K

-6.80%

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

$327 £243

$295 £219

10.77%

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

$15.81 £11.75

$22.44 £16.68

-29.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$41.55 £30.88

$42.92 £31.90

-3.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$90.6 £67.4

$42.39 £31.51

113.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.37 £6.96

$16.07 £11.94

-41.69%

Cinema Ticket

$20.44 £15.19

$13.72 £10.19

48.98%

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

$1,892 £1,407

$1,944 £1,445

-2.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.6K £13.1K

$20.8K £15.5K

-15.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$86.6 £64.4

$90.6 £67.4

-4.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.69 £31.73

$41.85 £31.11

2.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.7 £64.5

$89.5 £66.5

-3.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$140 £104

$106 £78.9

31.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,072 £1,540

$1,637 £1,217

26.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,865 £1,386

$1,256 £934

48.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,725 £2,769

$2,702 £2,009

37.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,252 £2,417

$2,077 £1,544

56.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$16.6K £12.3K

$5,107 £3,796

225.09%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,376 £3,252

$4,671 £3,472

-6.33%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,768 £3,544

$3,247 £2,414

46.85%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.9

5.92

-0.34%

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

Last update for Kingston upon Thames: May 30, 2026

Last update for Manchester: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,072 in Kingston upon Thames and $1,637 in Manchester. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Kingston upon Thames pays 47% 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: $87.0 in Kingston upon Thames vs $94.0 in Manchester for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $320 vs $335 per month, with Kingston upon Thames 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

Kingston upon Thames vs Manchester: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kingston upon Thames and Manchester differ by about 26% in total monthly costs ($3,330 vs $2,651 including rent). Manchester is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Kingston upon Thames pays 47% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $2,072 in Kingston upon Thames versus $1,637 in Manchester. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Manchester runs roughly 179% less than in Kingston upon Thames. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $1,892 in Kingston upon Thames versus $1,944 in Manchester. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,500. Manchester is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

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, Kingston upon Thames 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 Manchester gentler on the wallet – expenses run 26% less than in Kingston upon Thames. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.