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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,651 per month in Manchester vs $1,807 in Barnsley, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,871 per month in Manchester vs $2,743 in Barnsley, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,091 per month in Manchester vs $3,679 in Barnsley, rent included.

Manchester costs about 47% more than Barnsley, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Manchester and Barnsley sit above the global median – Manchester by 98%, Barnsley by 35%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.74 £15.45

$27.28 £20.31

-23.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$94.5 £70.4

$87.9 £65.5

7.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 £8.00

$10.43 £7.77

3.07%

Cappuccino

$4.94 £3.68

$4.59 £3.42

7.63%

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

$2.59 £1.93

$2.42 £1.80

7.02%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.70 £1.26

$1.78 £1.33

-4.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.41 £5.52

$5.58 £4.16

32.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.52 £5.60

$6.75 £5.02

11.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 £1.21

$1.50 £1.12

8.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.80 £1.34

$1.62 £1.20

11.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.16 £1.61

$1.95 £1.45

10.77%

Eggs

$4.08 £3.04

$3.88 £2.89

5.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.05 £8.97

$9.74 £7.25

23.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.75 £7.26

$8.72 £6.49

11.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.39 £12.95

$11.92 £8.88

45.89%

Apples (1kg)

$3.30 £2.46

$2.93 £2.18

12.63%

Banana (1kg)

$1.84 £1.37

$1.49 £1.11

23.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.82 £2.84

$2.70 £2.01

41.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.35 £3.24

$3.01 £2.24

44.52%

Potato (1kg)

$2.10 £1.56

$1.81 £1.35

16.02%

Onion (1kg)

$1.80 £1.34

$1.61 £1.20

11.80%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.31 £0.97

$1.11 £0.83

18.02%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.47 £1.10

$1.41 £1.05

4.26%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$18.73 £13.95

$19.25 £14.34

-2.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 £7.92

$11.35 £8.45

-6.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.57 £1.91

$2.69 £2.00

-4.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.49 £2.60

$3.41 £2.54

2.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.75 £2.05

$2.65 £1.98

3.77%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$121 £90.3

$88.3 £65.8

37.21%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.49 £4.09

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.85 £2.12

$1.27 £0.95

124.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.28 £25.53

$20.08 £14.96

70.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.96 £1.46

$1.90 £1.42

3.16%

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

$37.8K £28.1K

$37.9K £28.2K

-0.22%

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

$41.8K £31.1K

$41.0K £30.5K

1.93%

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

$295 £220

$201 £149

47.01%

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

$22.44 £16.71

$18.97 £14.13

18.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.92 £31.96

$43.01 £32.04

-0.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.39 £31.57

$46.13 £34.36

-8.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.07 £11.97

Cinema Ticket

$13.72 £10.22

$12.03 £8.96

14.05%

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

$1,944 £1,448

$1,518 £1,130

28.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.8K £15.5K

$6,729 £5,012

209.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$90.6 £67.5

$59.1 £44.01

53.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.85 £31.17

$38.69 £28.82

8.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.5 £66.6

$84.6 £63.0

5.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 £79.0

$80.8 £60.2

31.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,637 £1,219

$755 £562

116.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,256 £936

$584 £435

115.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,702 £2,013

$1,152 £858

134.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,077 £1,547

$972 £724

113.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,107 £3,804

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,671 £3,479

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,247 £2,418

$2,986 £2,224

8.73%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Barnsley: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,637 in Manchester versus $755 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 9% 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 $94.0 in Manchester versus $88.0 in Barnsley. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $335 vs $285 – making Barnsley the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 47%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,977 per month in Manchester and $2,711 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 $2,651 in Manchester and $1,807 in Barnsley. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 37% less in Barnsley. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Barnsley, where all-in costs run around $1,807, than in Manchester at $2,651. 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.