Cost of Living Comparison Between Manchester and Andover Cost of Living Comparison Between Manchester and Andover

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,684 in Manchester versus $2,227 in Andover.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,957 in Manchester versus $3,366 in Andover.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,230 in Manchester versus $4,505 in Andover.

Living in Manchester is roughly 21% more expensive than in Andover, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Manchester 101% above, Andover 67% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.17 £15.01

$13.01 £9.69

55.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$96.9 £72.1

$61.0 £45.40

58.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.78 £8.02

$9.10 £6.77

18.46%

Cappuccino

$5.10 £3.80

$4.05 £3.01

25.93%

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

$2.53 £1.88

$1.99 £1.48

27.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.68 £1.25

$1.33 £0.99

26.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.31 £5.44

$4.40 £3.27

66.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.67 £5.71

$5.58 £4.16

37.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.69 £1.26

$1.58 £1.17

6.96%

White Bread (500g)

$1.71 £1.27

$1.51 £1.13

13.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.25 £1.68

$1.59 £1.18

41.51%

Eggs

$4.07 £3.03

$3.19 £2.37

27.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.25 £9.12

$8.56 £6.37

43.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.42 £7.02

$7.55 £5.62

24.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.22 £12.82

$15.27 £11.37

12.77%

Apples (1kg)

$3.35 £2.50

$4.26 £3.17

-21.36%

Banana (1kg)

$1.80 £1.34

$1.19 £0.89

51.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.01 £2.99

$2.01 £1.49

99.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.14 £3.08

$2.13 £1.59

94.37%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 £1.52

$1.10 £0.82

86.36%

Onion (1kg)

$1.80 £1.34

$1.28 £0.95

40.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.25 £0.93

$1.05 £0.78

19.05%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.49 £1.11

$1.39 £1.04

7.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$19.21 £14.30

$16.79 £12.50

14.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.00 £7.45

$11.02 £8.20

-9.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.46 £1.83

$2.73 £2.03

-9.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.61 £2.69

$1.82 £1.35

98.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.65 £1.97

$2.78 £2.07

-4.68%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$122 £90.6

$48.57 £36.16

150.42%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.33 £3.97

$4.71 £3.50

13.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.86 £2.13

$1.52 £1.13

88.16%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$33.58 £25.00

$16.61 £12.36

102.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.89 £1.40

$1.94 £1.45

-2.58%

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

$38.7K £28.8K

$36.2K £26.9K

6.98%

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

$41.5K £30.9K

$40.9K £30.5K

1.38%

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

$302 £225

$267 £199

13.14%

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

$22.97 £17.10

$15.39 £11.46

49.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$43.39 £32.30

$40.90 £30.45

6.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.99 £30.52

$44.65 £33.24

-8.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.62 £11.63

$9.63 £7.17

62.20%

Cinema Ticket

$13.50 £10.05

$11.07 £8.24

21.95%

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

$1,984 £1,477

$1,305 £972

51.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.0K £15.6K

$18.4K £13.7K

13.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$91.3 £67.9

$45.68 £34.01

99.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.23 £31.44

$43.12 £32.10

-2.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.1 £65.6

$81.3 £60.5

8.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 £80.6

$65.0 £48.38

66.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,638 £1,220

$1,268 £944

29.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,256 £935

$1,172 £872

7.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,747 £2,045

$2,109 £1,570

30.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,049 £1,526

$2,274 £1,693

-9.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,946 £3,682

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,671 £3,478

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,154 £2,348

$2,896 £2,156

8.90%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.92

5.9

0.34%

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

Last update for Manchester: July 13, 2026

Last update for Andover: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,638 in Manchester and $1,268 in Andover. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Manchester pays 9% 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: $97.0 in Manchester vs $61.0 in Andover for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $331 vs $272 per month, with Andover 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

Manchester vs Andover: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Manchester and Andover differ by about 21% in total monthly costs ($2,684 vs $2,227 including rent). Andover is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 9% higher in Manchester, 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: $1,638 in Manchester versus $1,268 in Andover. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,684 per month in Manchester versus $2,227 in Andover – a 21% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Andover runs roughly 150% less than in Manchester. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $2,227 in Andover versus $2,684 in Manchester, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Andover but tight or insufficient in Manchester. The gap between the two cities makes Andover the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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, Manchester and Andover 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 Andover gentler on the wallet – expenses run 21% less than in Manchester. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.