Cost of Living Comparison Between Manchester and Barnsley Cost of Living Comparison Between Manchester and Barnsley

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,597 per month in Manchester vs $1,901 in Barnsley, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,791 per month in Manchester vs $2,913 in Barnsley, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,985 per month in Manchester vs $3,925 in Barnsley, rent included.

Manchester costs about 37% more than Barnsley, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Manchester and Barnsley sit above the global median – Manchester by 89%, Barnsley by 38%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.25 £14.98

$24.10 £17.83

-15.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$95.3 £70.5

$84.6 £62.6

12.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.72 £7.93

$10.86 £8.03

-1.29%

Cappuccino

$4.86 £3.60

$5.17 £3.83

-6.00%

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

$2.69 £1.99

$2.32 £1.71

15.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.76 £1.30

$1.72 £1.27

2.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.08 £5.98

$6.12 £4.53

32.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.97 £5.15

$6.82 £5.05

2.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.50 £1.11

$1.66 £1.23

-9.64%

White Bread (500g)

$1.93 £1.43

$1.97 £1.46

-2.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.01 £1.49

$2.10 £1.56

-4.29%

Eggs

$3.84 £2.84

$4.02 £2.98

-4.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.26 £6.85

$8.90 £6.58

4.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.80 £6.51

$8.77 £6.48

0.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.51 £12.21

$15.00 £11.10

10.07%

Apples (1kg)

$3.11 £2.30

$3.02 £2.24

2.98%

Banana (1kg)

$1.54 £1.14

$1.96 £1.45

-21.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.02 £2.23

$2.59 £1.92

16.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.51 £2.60

$2.87 £2.13

22.30%

Potato (1kg)

$1.50 £1.11

$1.93 £1.42

-22.28%

Onion (1kg)

$1.32 £0.98

$1.65 £1.22

-20.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.30 £0.96

$1.50 £1.11

-13.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.23 £0.91

$1.42 £1.05

-13.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$24.43 £18.08

$23.59 £17.45

3.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.96 £8.11

$11.71 £8.66

-6.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.47 £1.83

$3.36 £2.49

-26.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.26 £2.42

$3.39 £2.51

-3.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.66 £1.97

$2.69 £1.99

-1.12%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$106 £78.7

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.51 £3.33

$5.40 £4.00

-16.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.23 £1.65

$1.46 £1.08

52.74%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.69 £22.70

$19.57 £14.48

56.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.09 £1.55

$2.02 £1.49

3.47%

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

$39.8K £29.4K

$39.1K £28.9K

1.66%

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

$40.8K £30.2K

$41.1K £30.4K

-0.73%

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

$304 £225

$291 £215

4.34%

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

$16.90 £12.50

$20.89 £15.45

-19.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.38 £29.87

$44.29 £32.77

-8.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.1 £40.76

$67.2 £49.69

-17.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.59 £13.75

Cinema Ticket

$13.65 £10.10

$12.84 £9.50

6.31%

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

$1,287 £952

$1,485 £1,098

-13.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.5K £15.1K

$16.5K £12.2K

24.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$93.8 £69.4

$62.6 £46.33

49.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.08 £31.87

$42.60 £31.52

1.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.4 £72.8

$94.2 £69.7

4.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 £80.2

$78.4 £58.0

38.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,833 £1,356

$938 £694

95.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,269 £939

$677 £501

87.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,134 £2,319

$1,389 £1,028

125.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,028 £1,501

$1,118 £827

81.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,007 £3,704

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,739 £3,506

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,318 £2,455

$3,030 £2,242

9.51%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.13

5.61

-8.56%

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

Last update for Manchester: August 31, 2026

Last update for Barnsley: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,833 in Manchester versus $938 in Barnsley. 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 10% 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 $95.0 in Manchester versus $85.0 in Barnsley. Groceries tell a different story – $301 in Manchester vs $307 in Barnsley – so Manchester 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 Barnsley: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Manchester is pricier by about 37%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,895 per month in Manchester and $2,851 in Barnsley. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,597 in Manchester and $1,901 in Barnsley. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $1,287 per month in Manchester and $1,485 in Barnsley. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Barnsley, where all-in costs run around $1,901, than in Manchester at $2,597. In Barnsley it covers expenses comfortably, while in Manchester it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Barnsley – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Barnsley. 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.