Cost of Living Comparison Between Manchester and Alton Cost of Living Comparison Between Manchester and Alton

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,614 per month in Manchester vs $2,493 in Alton, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,917 per month in Manchester vs $3,816 in Alton, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,220 per month in Manchester vs $5,140 in Alton, rent included.

Manchester costs about 5% more than Alton, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Manchester and Alton sit above the global median – Manchester by 95%, Alton by 85%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.40 £15.17

$27.01 £20.08

-24.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$96.5 £71.7

$111 £82.3

-12.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.72 £7.97

$10.94 £8.13

-2.01%

Cappuccino

$5.01 £3.73

$5.06 £3.76

-0.99%

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

$2.61 £1.94

$2.76 £2.05

-5.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.70 £1.27

$1.86 £1.38

-8.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.53 £5.60

$9.01 £6.70

-16.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.44 £5.53

$8.18 £6.08

-9.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 £1.25

$1.72 £1.28

-2.33%

White Bread (500g)

$1.70 £1.27

$2.24 £1.66

-24.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.13 £1.59

$2.50 £1.86

-14.80%

Eggs

$3.94 £2.93

$3.57 £2.66

10.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.33 £9.17

$11.38 £8.46

8.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.73 £7.23

$8.62 £6.41

12.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.04 £12.67

$14.58 £10.84

16.87%

Apples (1kg)

$3.33 £2.47

$3.45 £2.56

-3.48%

Banana (1kg)

$1.77 £1.31

$1.95 £1.45

-9.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.86 £2.87

$3.14 £2.33

22.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.36 £3.24

$3.58 £2.66

21.79%

Potato (1kg)

$2.03 £1.51

$1.71 £1.27

18.71%

Onion (1kg)

$1.83 £1.36

$1.80 £1.34

1.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.26 £0.94

$1.37 £1.02

-8.03%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.42 £1.06

$1.98 £1.47

-28.28%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$18.75 £13.94

$22.68 £16.86

-17.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.59 £7.87

$10.70 £7.96

-1.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.49 £1.85

$2.41 £1.79

3.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.43 £2.55

$2.78 £2.07

23.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.68 £1.99

$3.28 £2.44

-18.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$124 £92.4

$86.8 £64.6

43.04%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.51 £4.09

$5.56 £4.13

-0.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.92 £2.17

$1.89 £1.41

54.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.55 £25.69

$40.25 £29.93

-14.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.96 £1.46

$1.94 £1.44

1.03%

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

$38.3K £28.5K

$37.9K £28.2K

0.93%

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

$41.6K £31.0K

$39.8K £29.6K

4.71%

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

$299 £222

$320 £238

-6.54%

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

$22.46 £16.70

$20.15 £14.98

11.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.39 £31.51

$43.64 £32.45

-2.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.08 £31.29

$46.02 £34.22

-8.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.04 £11.93

Cinema Ticket

$13.61 £10.12

$20.06 £14.92

-32.15%

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

$1,940 £1,442

$2,523 £1,876

-23.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.9K £15.6K

$28.5K £21.2K

-26.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$88.5 £65.8

$118 £87.9

-25.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.66 £30.97

$48.32 £35.92

-13.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.5 £67.3

$131 £97.7

-31.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 £79.7

$157 £117

-31.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,599 £1,189

$1,240 £922

28.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,261 £937

$1,009 £750

24.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,704 £2,011

$2,073 £1,542

30.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,038 £1,515

$1,685 £1,252

20.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,929 £3,665

$5,658 £4,206

-12.87%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,694 £3,490

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,254 £2,419

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.92

5.05

17.23%

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

Last update for Manchester: June 7, 2026

Last update for Alton: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,599 in Manchester versus $1,240 in Alton. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $96.0 in Manchester versus $111 in Alton. Groceries tell a different story – $332 in Manchester vs $321 in Alton – so Alton 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

Manchester vs Alton: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,614 in Manchester, $2,493 in Alton – roughly 5% apart. Manchester costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,921 per month in Manchester and $3,739 in Alton. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Alton, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 43% less in Alton. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $1,940 per month in Manchester and $2,523 in Alton. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Alton, where all-in costs run around $2,493, than in Manchester at $2,614. In Alton it covers expenses comfortably, while in Manchester it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Manchester has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,493 in Alton to $2,614 in Manchester. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Alton. 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.