Cost of Living Comparison Between Manchester and Bath Cost of Living Comparison Between Manchester and Bath

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,631 in Manchester versus $2,808 in Bath.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,842 in Manchester versus $4,184 in Bath.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,053 in Manchester versus $5,560 in Bath.

Living in Manchester costs roughly 6% less than in Bath, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Manchester 97% above, Bath 110% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.34 £15.07

$20.05 £14.86

1.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$95.0 £70.4

$101 £74.6

-5.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.92 £8.09

$10.69 £7.92

2.15%

Cappuccino

$4.98 £3.69

$4.69 £3.47

6.18%

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

$2.62 £1.94

$2.59 £1.92

1.16%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.75 £1.30

$1.73 £1.28

1.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.38 £5.47

$7.83 £5.80

-5.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.40 £5.49

$6.97 £5.17

6.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 £1.21

$1.95 £1.45

-15.90%

White Bread (500g)

$1.70 £1.26

$1.62 £1.20

4.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.18 £1.61

$2.91 £2.16

-25.09%

Eggs

$3.94 £2.92

$5.19 £3.85

-24.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.35 £9.15

$12.04 £8.92

2.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.85 £7.30

$10.52 £7.80

-6.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.45 £12.93

$14.49 £10.74

20.43%

Apples (1kg)

$3.20 £2.37

$3.92 £2.90

-18.37%

Banana (1kg)

$1.79 £1.32

$1.62 £1.20

10.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.95 £2.93

$3.29 £2.44

20.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.28 £3.17

$4.57 £3.38

-6.35%

Potato (1kg)

$2.03 £1.50

$1.69 £1.26

20.12%

Onion (1kg)

$1.87 £1.39

$1.76 £1.30

6.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.26 £0.93

$1.21 £0.90

4.13%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.49 £1.10

$1.77 £1.31

-15.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$18.70 £13.86

$19.25 £14.26

-2.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.54 £7.81

$10.91 £8.08

-3.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.44 £1.81

$3.20 £2.37

-23.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.46 £2.56

$3.22 £2.38

7.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.70 £2.00

$2.68 £1.98

0.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$121 £89.3

$116 £85.8

4.10%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.40 £4.00

$5.38 £3.99

0.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.97 £2.20

$1.70 £1.26

74.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$33.45 £24.79

$27.62 £20.47

21.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.90 £1.40

$1.87 £1.39

1.60%

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

$38.2K £28.3K

-0.10%

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

$40.5K £30.0K

$43.9K £32.6K

-7.95%

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

$296 £219

$351 £260

-15.70%

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

$22.50 £16.68

$18.37 £13.61

22.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$43.57 £32.28

$47.24 £35.01

-7.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.22 £30.54

$49.66 £36.80

-17.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.49 £11.48

$11.70 £8.67

32.39%

Cinema Ticket

$13.83 £10.25

$13.50 £10.01

2.44%

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

$1,971 £1,461

$1,800 £1,334

9.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.4K £15.9K

$16.3K £12.1K

31.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$90.1 £66.7

$84.0 £62.2

7.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.94 £31.08

$49.33 £36.55

-14.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.7 £65.7

$93.9 £69.6

-5.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 £79.6

$85.3 £63.2

25.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,625 £1,204

$1,649 £1,222

-1.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,255 £930

$1,390 £1,030

-9.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,665 £1,975

$3,429 £2,541

-22.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,052 £1,520

$2,368 £1,755

-13.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,750 £3,520

$10.2K £7,527

-53.24%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,542 £3,366

$6,701 £4,965

-32.22%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,392 £2,513

$3,441 £2,550

-1.42%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.92

5.74

3.14%

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

Last update for Manchester: April 27, 2026

Last update for Bath: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,625 in Manchester and $1,649 in Bath. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bath pays 1% 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: $95.0 in Manchester vs $101 in Bath for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $333 vs $345 per month, with Manchester 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 Bath: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Manchester is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Sport & Entertainment. The 7% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Bath earns 1% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,625 in Manchester versus $1,649 in Bath. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,631 per month in Manchester versus $2,808 in Bath – a 7% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Manchester runs roughly 4% less than in Bath. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,500. Manchester is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

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

Expats usually find Manchester gentler on the wallet – expenses run 7% less than in Bath. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.