Cost of Living Comparison Between Leicester and Manchester Cost of Living Comparison Between Leicester and Manchester

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,263 per month in Leicester vs $2,651 in Manchester, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,227 per month in Leicester vs $3,871 in Manchester, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,192 per month in Leicester vs $5,091 in Manchester, rent included.

Leicester is about 15% cheaper than Manchester, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Leicester and Manchester sit above the global median – Leicester by 69%, Manchester by 98%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.77 £15.47

$20.74 £15.45

0.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.3 £50.9

$94.5 £70.4

-27.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.90 £6.63

$10.75 £8.00

-17.21%

Cappuccino

$3.63 £2.71

$4.94 £3.68

-26.52%

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

$1.96 £1.46

$2.59 £1.93

-24.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.16 £0.86

$1.70 £1.26

-31.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.40 £4.02

$7.41 £5.52

-27.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.22 £4.63

$7.52 £5.60

-17.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.92 £1.43

$1.62 £1.21

18.52%

White Bread (500g)

$1.64 £1.22

$1.80 £1.34

-8.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.35 £1.75

$2.16 £1.61

8.80%

Eggs

$3.60 £2.68

$4.08 £3.04

-11.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.13 £9.03

$12.05 £8.97

0.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.64 £7.18

$9.75 £7.26

-1.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.10 £9.01

$17.39 £12.95

-30.42%

Apples (1kg)

$2.33 £1.74

$3.30 £2.46

-29.39%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 £1.30

$1.84 £1.37

-5.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.67 £1.99

$3.82 £2.84

-30.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.19 £2.37

$4.35 £3.24

-26.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.25 £0.93

$2.10 £1.56

-40.48%

Onion (1kg)

$1.64 £1.22

$1.80 £1.34

-8.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.81 £0.60

$1.31 £0.97

-38.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.43 £1.06

$1.47 £1.10

-2.72%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$20.58 £15.33

$18.73 £13.95

9.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.25 £8.38

$10.64 £7.92

5.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.82 £2.10

$2.57 £1.91

9.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 £2.05

$3.49 £2.60

-20.92%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.30 £2.46

$2.75 £2.05

20.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$85.8 £63.9

$121 £90.3

-29.17%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.29 £3.94

$5.49 £4.09

-3.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.36 £1.01

$2.85 £2.12

-52.28%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$40.88 £30.45

$34.28 £25.53

19.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.96 £1.46

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

$38.7K £28.8K

$37.8K £28.1K

2.54%

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

$42.1K £31.4K

$41.8K £31.1K

0.82%

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

$282 £210

$295 £220

-4.52%

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

$17.10 £12.73

$22.44 £16.71

-23.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$41.75 £31.10

$42.92 £31.96

-2.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.14 £29.90

$42.39 £31.57

-5.31%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$32.26 £24.03

$16.07 £11.97

100.75%

Cinema Ticket

$14.96 £11.14

$13.72 £10.22

9.04%

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

$1,028 £765

$1,944 £1,448

-47.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$33.6K £25.0K

$20.8K £15.5K

61.10%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$95.6 £71.2

$90.6 £67.5

5.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.79 £27.40

$41.85 £31.17

-12.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$132 £98.1

$89.5 £66.6

47.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$94.5 £70.4

$106 £79.0

-10.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,029 £767

$1,637 £1,219

-37.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,031 £768

$1,256 £936

-17.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,727 £1,286

$2,702 £2,013

-36.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,512 £1,126

$2,077 £1,547

-27.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,122 £3,815

$5,107 £3,804

0.29%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,562 £2,653

$4,671 £3,479

-23.75%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,882 £2,147

$3,247 £2,418

-11.24%

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 Leicester: June 1, 2026

Last update for Manchester: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,029 in Leicester 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 13% higher in Manchester, 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 $68.0 in Leicester versus $94.0 in Manchester. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $299 vs $335 – making Leicester 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

Leicester vs Manchester: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Manchester costs about 17% more than Leicester, with the gap driven mainly by Getting Around. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,394 per month in Leicester 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 Leicester, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 12% more in Manchester, 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 $68.0 in Leicester and $94.0 in Manchester. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Leicester, where all-in costs run around $2,263, than in Manchester at $2,651. In Leicester it covers expenses comfortably, while in Manchester it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Leicester costs $2,263 versus $2,651 in Manchester. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

If budget matters most, go with Leicester. 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.