Cost of Living Comparison Between Manchester and Basildon Cost of Living Comparison Between Manchester and Basildon

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,651 per month in Manchester vs $2,396 in Basildon, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,871 per month in Manchester vs $3,602 in Basildon, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,091 per month in Manchester vs $4,809 in Basildon, rent included.

Manchester costs about 11% more than Basildon, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Manchester and Basildon sit above the global median – Manchester by 98%, Basildon by 79%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.74 £15.45

$20.35 £15.16

1.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$94.5 £70.4

-0.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 £8.00

$9.46 £7.05

13.64%

Cappuccino

$4.94 £3.68

$4.06 £3.02

21.67%

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

$2.59 £1.93

$2.18 £1.63

18.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.70 £1.26

$1.66 £1.23

2.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.41 £5.52

$8.24 £6.13

-10.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.52 £5.60

$2.70 £2.01

178.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 £1.21

$1.69 £1.26

-4.14%

White Bread (500g)

$1.80 £1.34

$2.16 £1.61

-16.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.16 £1.61

$2.03 £1.51

6.40%

Eggs

$4.08 £3.04

$4.18 £3.11

-2.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.05 £8.97

$11.65 £8.68

3.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.75 £7.26

$4.58 £3.41

112.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.39 £12.95

$12.33 £9.18

41.04%

Apples (1kg)

$3.30 £2.46

$3.24 £2.41

1.85%

Banana (1kg)

$1.84 £1.37

$1.33 £0.99

38.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.82 £2.84

$3.29 £2.45

16.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.35 £3.24

$3.33 £2.48

30.63%

Potato (1kg)

$2.10 £1.56

$1.55 £1.16

35.48%

Onion (1kg)

$1.80 £1.34

$1.98 £1.48

-9.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.31 £0.97

$1.08 £0.80

21.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.47 £1.10

$1.37 £1.02

7.30%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$18.73 £13.95

$20.28 £15.10

-7.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 £7.92

$11.31 £8.42

-5.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.57 £1.91

$2.71 £2.02

-5.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.49 £2.60

$1.74 £1.30

100.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.75 £2.05

$3.31 £2.47

-16.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$121 £90.3

$68.5 £51.0

76.81%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.49 £4.09

$4.53 £3.37

21.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.85 £2.12

$1.27 £0.95

124.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.28 £25.53

$40.16 £29.91

-14.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.96 £1.46

$1.92 £1.43

2.08%

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

$37.8K £28.1K

$39.1K £29.1K

-3.43%

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

$41.8K £31.1K

$41.5K £30.9K

0.84%

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

$295 £220

$291 £217

1.27%

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

$22.44 £16.71

$18.69 £13.92

20.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.92 £31.96

$36.19 £26.95

18.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.39 £31.57

$65.4 £48.69

-35.16%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.07 £11.97

$34.57 £25.75

-53.51%

Cinema Ticket

$13.72 £10.22

$13.37 £9.96

2.62%

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

$1,944 £1,448

$1,769 £1,317

9.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.8K £15.5K

$18.7K £14.0K

11.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$90.6 £67.5

$33.80 £25.17

168.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.85 £31.17

$41.40 £30.83

1.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.5 £66.6

$39.96 £29.76

123.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 £79.0

$40.74 £30.34

160.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,637 £1,219

$1,517 £1,130

7.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,256 £936

$1,258 £937

-0.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,702 £2,013

$2,439 £1,817

10.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,077 £1,547

$2,048 £1,525

1.42%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,107 £3,804

$5,346 £3,982

-4.47%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,671 £3,479

$3,372 £2,511

38.54%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,247 £2,418

$3,139 £2,338

3.45%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.92

5.63

5.15%

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

Last update for Manchester: May 31, 2026

Last update for Basildon: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,637 in Manchester versus $1,517 in Basildon. 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 3% 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 $95.0 in Basildon. Groceries tell a different story – $335 in Manchester vs $281 in Basildon – so Basildon 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 Basildon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Manchester costs about 11% more than Basildon, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,977 per month in Manchester and $3,594 in Basildon. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Basildon, 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 $2,396 in Basildon. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 77% less in Basildon. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,651 in Manchester and $2,396 in Basildon. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Basildon costs $2,396 versus $2,651 in Manchester. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Basildon. 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.