Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Lewisham and Manchester

For one person, living is cheaper in Manchester: $2,510 a month against $3,105 in Lewisham, rent and utilities included – about $7,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Lewisham, United Kingdom
Manchester, United Kingdom
Lewisham
🇬🇧 United Kingdom
$3,105
/mo nomad
Manchester
🇬🇧 United Kingdom
$2,510
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Lewisham and in Manchester

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Lewisham and in Manchester actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,105 per month in Lewisham vs $2,510 in Manchester, rent included.

  • Lewisham $3,105
  • Manchester $2,510

A couple spends around $4,989 per month in Lewisham vs $3,643 in Manchester, rent included.

  • Lewisham $4,989
  • Manchester $3,643

A family of three spends $6,874 per month in Lewisham vs $4,776 in Manchester, rent included.

  • Lewisham $6,874
  • Manchester $4,776

Lewisham costs about 24% more than Manchester, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both Lewisham and Manchester sit above the global median – Lewisham by 130%, Manchester by 86%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Lewisham
Manchester
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$23.61 £17.55
$20.16 £14.98
17.11%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$79.2 £58.9
$87.5 £65.0
-9.45%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.54 £7.83
$10.78 £8.01
-2.23%
Cappuccino
$4.89 £3.64
$4.78 £3.55
2.30%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.97 £1.46
$2.62 £1.95
-24.81%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.77 £1.32
$1.74 £1.29
1.72%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$6.37 £4.74
$7.92 £5.89
-19.57%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$6.09 £4.52
$6.52 £4.85
-6.60%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Lewisham
Manchester
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.73 £1.29
$1.35 £1.00
28.15%
White Bread (500g)
$1.91 £1.42
$1.88 £1.39
1.60%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.14 £1.59
$1.92 £1.42
11.46%
Eggs
$4.40 £3.27
$4.04 £3.01
8.91%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$6.55 £4.87
$9.58 £7.12
-31.63%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$6.51 £4.84
$9.26 £6.88
-29.70%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.15 £9.03
$15.66 £11.64
-22.41%
Apples (1kg)
$4.45 £3.30
$3.07 £2.28
44.95%
Banana (1kg)
$1.51 £1.12
$1.53 £1.14
-1.31%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.92 £1.43
$2.91 £2.16
-34.02%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.41 £2.54
$3.53 £2.62
-3.40%
Potato (1kg)
$1.32 £0.98
$1.54 £1.15
-14.29%
Onion (1kg)
$1.93 £1.44
$1.38 £1.03
39.86%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.80 £0.59
$1.21 £0.90
-33.88%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.48 £1.10
$1.38 £1.03
7.25%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$23.23 £17.27
$24.21 £17.99
-4.05%
Wine (Bottle)
$11.23 £8.34
$11.05 £8.21
1.63%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.35 £1.75
$2.49 £1.85
-5.62%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.90 £1.41
$2.90 £2.15
-34.48%
🚌 Getting Around
Lewisham
Manchester
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$3.08 £2.29
$2.61 £1.94
18.01%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$154 £114
$109 £81.1
40.76%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$6.82 £5.07
$4.47 £3.32
52.57%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.27 £1.69
$2.21 £1.64
2.71%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$30.20 £22.44
$30.93 £22.99
-2.36%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.08 £1.55
$2.18 £1.62
-4.59%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$38.4K £28.5K
$39.2K £29.2K
-2.15%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$40.1K £29.8K
$39.9K £29.7K
0.42%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lewisham
Manchester
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$406 £301
$248 £185
63.37%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$23.56 £17.51
$16.31 £12.12
44.45%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$43.77 £32.53
$39.73 £29.53
10.17%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Lewisham
Manchester
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$46.10 £34.26
$42.93 £31.91
7.38%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$17.99 £13.37
-
Cinema Ticket
$16.88 £12.55
$13.46 £10.01
25.41%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Lewisham
Manchester
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$808 £600
$1,448 £1,077
-44.25%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$22.9K £17.0K
$21.0K £15.6K
8.78%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Lewisham
Manchester
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$156 £116
$83.3 £61.9
87.83%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$66.8 £49.66
$43.32 £32.20
54.25%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$136 £101
$95.4 £70.9
42.42%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$126 £93.3
$99.9 £74.2
25.71%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Lewisham
Manchester
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,248 £1,671
$1,818 £1,351
23.67%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,538 £1,143
$1,234 £917
24.66%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,038 £1,514
$2,925 £2,174
-30.34%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$3,636 £2,703
$1,921 £1,428
89.31%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$5,203 £3,867
$4,751 £3,531
9.52%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,908 £2,904
$4,313 £3,206
-9.41%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Lewisham
Manchester
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,206 £2,383
$3,798 £2,823
-15.60%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.54
4.79
15.66%

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

Last update for Lewisham: October 31, 2026

Last update for Manchester: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Lewisham
$1.5K
Manchester
$1.2K 19.8% $304
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lewisham
$473
Manchester
$304 35.7% $169
Eating Out
Lewisham
$338
Manchester
$321 5.1% $17
Groceries & Markets
Lewisham
$274
Manchester
$301 9.8% $27
Clothing & Footwear
Lewisham
$218
Manchester
$145 33.6% $73
Getting Around
Lewisham
$184
Manchester
$135 26.6% $49
Sport & Entertainment
Lewisham
$80
Manchester
$70 12.5% $10

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,248 in Lewisham versus $1,818 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 18% higher in Manchester, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $79 in Lewisham versus $87 in Manchester. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $274 vs $301 – making Lewisham the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇬🇧 Lewisham
🇬🇧 Manchester
🕒 Local time
18:25 6:25 PM
18:25 6:25 PM
Same time as Lewisham
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
96,224
503,100
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to GBP – British Pound Converter

British Pound exchange rates as of November 5, 2026: 1 USD = 0.743 GBP (1 GBP = 1.35 USD). 1 EUR = 0.835 GBP (1 GBP = 1.2 EUR).

On the map
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  • Lewisham Manchester 270 km
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  • Lewisham
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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
Lewisham vs Manchester: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Lewisham or Manchester?
Lewisham costs about 24% more than Manchester, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from clothing. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Lewisham and in Manchester?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,658 per month in Lewisham and $3,765 in Manchester. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Lewisham or Manchester?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Manchester, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,818 there versus $2,248 in Lewisham.
Are groceries more expensive in Lewisham or in Manchester?
Interestingly, groceries are about 9% cheaper in Lewisham – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value.
How do dining costs compare in Lewisham and in Manchester?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $79 in Lewisham and $87 in Manchester. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Can you live on $2,500/month in Lewisham or in Manchester?
$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,105 in Lewisham and $2,510 in Manchester. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.
Which city offers a better quality of life: Lewisham or Manchester?
It depends on your priorities. Manchester has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,510 in Manchester to $3,105 in Lewisham. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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