Cost of Living Comparison Between Manchester and Ashford Cost of Living Comparison Between Manchester and Ashford

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,651 in Manchester versus $2,268 in Ashford.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,871 in Manchester versus $3,164 in Ashford.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,091 in Manchester versus $4,060 in Ashford.

Living in Manchester is roughly 17% more expensive than Ashford, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Manchester 98% above, Ashford 69% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.74 £15.45

$19.98 £14.88

3.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$94.5 £70.4

$95.0 £70.8

-0.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 £8.01

$10.91 £8.13

-1.47%

Cappuccino

$4.94 £3.68

$4.01 £2.99

23.19%

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

$2.59 £1.93

$2.86 £2.13

-9.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.70 £1.26

$1.97 £1.47

-13.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.41 £5.52

$6.21 £4.62

19.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.52 £5.60

$6.27 £4.67

19.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 £1.21

$1.88 £1.40

-13.83%

White Bread (500g)

$1.80 £1.34

$1.46 £1.09

23.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.16 £1.61

$2.82 £2.10

-23.40%

Eggs

$4.08 £3.04

$3.75 £2.79

8.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.05 £8.97

$6.03 £4.50

99.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.75 £7.26

$6.83 £5.09

42.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.39 £12.96

$13.04 £9.72

33.36%

Apples (1kg)

$3.30 £2.46

$3.31 £2.47

-0.30%

Banana (1kg)

$1.84 £1.37

$1.97 £1.47

-6.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.82 £2.84

$3.72 £2.77

2.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.35 £3.24

$3.54 £2.64

22.88%

Potato (1kg)

$2.10 £1.56

$1.97 £1.46

6.60%

Onion (1kg)

$1.80 £1.34

$2.10 £1.57

-14.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.31 £0.97

$1.21 £0.90

8.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.47 £1.10

$1.46 £1.09

0.68%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$18.73 £13.95

$19.80 £14.75

-5.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 £7.93

$9.53 £7.10

11.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.57 £1.91

$3.51 £2.62

-26.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.49 £2.60

$4.25 £3.16

-17.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.75 £2.05

$3.34 £2.49

-17.66%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$121 £90.3

$89.7 £66.9

35.04%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.49 £4.09

$6.91 £5.15

-20.55%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.85 £2.12

$1.56 £1.16

82.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.28 £25.54

$53.3 £39.69

-35.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.96 £1.46

$1.95 £1.45

0.51%

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

$37.8K £28.1K

$24.9K £18.6K

51.58%

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

$41.8K £31.1K

$26.3K £19.6K

58.76%

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

$295 £220

$252 £188

17.18%

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

$22.44 £16.72

$15.62 £11.64

43.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.92 £31.97

$33.76 £25.15

27.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.39 £31.58

$59.4 £44.25

-28.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.07 £11.97

Cinema Ticket

$13.72 £10.22

$16.51 £12.30

-16.90%

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

$1,944 £1,448

$2,296 £1,711

-15.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.8K £15.5K

$22.8K £17.0K

-8.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$90.6 £67.5

$88.3 £65.8

2.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.85 £31.18

$29.50 £21.98

41.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.5 £66.6

$85.7 £63.9

4.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 £79.1

$91.6 £68.2

15.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,637 £1,220

$1,293 £963

26.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,256 £936

$995 £741

26.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,702 £2,013

$1,866 £1,390

44.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,077 £1,547

$1,283 £956

61.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,107 £3,805

$6,583 £4,905

-22.42%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,671 £3,480

$4,754 £3,542

-1.74%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,247 £2,419

$2,481 £1,849

30.86%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.92

5.54

6.86%

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

Last update for Manchester: May 31, 2026

Last update for Ashford: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,637 in Manchester and $1,293 in Ashford. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Manchester pays 31% 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: $94.0 in Manchester vs $95.0 in Ashford. Groceries flip the comparison at $335 vs $290, with Ashford cheaper for home cooking.

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 Ashford: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ashford is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Getting Around, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 17% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Manchester pays 31% 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: $1,637 in Manchester versus $1,293 in Ashford. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Ashford – a meal for two runs $95.0 versus $94.0 in Manchester. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,651 per month in Manchester versus $2,268 in Ashford – a 17% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,268 in Ashford versus $2,651 in Manchester, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Ashford but tight or insufficient in Manchester. The gap between the two cities makes Ashford the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Ashford is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Manchester, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Manchester and Ashford 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 Ashford gentler on the wallet – expenses run 17% less than in Manchester. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.