Cost of Living Comparison Between Manchester and Bracknell Cost of Living Comparison Between Manchester and Bracknell

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,651 per month in Manchester vs $2,895 in Bracknell, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,871 per month in Manchester vs $4,296 in Bracknell, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,091 per month in Manchester vs $5,696 in Bracknell, rent included.

Manchester is about 8% cheaper than Bracknell, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Manchester and Bracknell sit above the global median – Manchester by 98%, Bracknell by 116%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.74 £15.45

$26.92 £20.05

-22.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$94.5 £70.4

$79.2 £59.0

19.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 £8.00

$10.94 £8.15

-1.74%

Cappuccino

$4.94 £3.68

$4.88 £3.64

1.23%

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

$2.59 £1.93

$3.33 £2.48

-22.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.70 £1.26

$2.93 £2.18

-41.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.41 £5.52

$7.00 £5.21

5.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.52 £5.60

$6.92 £5.15

8.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 £1.21

$1.43 £1.06

13.29%

White Bread (500g)

$1.80 £1.34

$1.38 £1.03

30.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.16 £1.61

$2.67 £1.99

-19.10%

Eggs

$4.08 £3.04

$3.72 £2.77

9.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.05 £8.97

$9.66 £7.19

24.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.75 £7.26

$8.10 £6.03

20.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.39 £12.95

$12.88 £9.60

35.02%

Apples (1kg)

$3.30 £2.46

$2.42 £1.81

36.36%

Banana (1kg)

$1.84 £1.37

$1.52 £1.13

21.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.82 £2.84

$2.40 £1.79

59.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.35 £3.24

$3.12 £2.33

39.42%

Potato (1kg)

$2.10 £1.56

$1.49 £1.11

40.94%

Onion (1kg)

$1.80 £1.34

$1.21 £0.90

48.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.31 £0.97

$0.96 £0.71

36.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.47 £1.10

$1.59 £1.18

-7.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$18.73 £13.95

$17.56 £13.08

6.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 £7.92

$11.41 £8.50

-6.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.57 £1.91

$2.74 £2.04

-6.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.49 £2.60

$3.35 £2.50

4.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.75 £2.05

$3.51 £2.62

-21.65%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$121 £90.3

$131 £97.5

-7.45%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.49 £4.09

$4.47 £3.33

22.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.85 £2.12

$1.76 £1.31

61.93%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.28 £25.53

$14.87 £11.08

130.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.96 £1.46

$1.91 £1.42

2.62%

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

$37.8K £28.1K

$37.9K £28.2K

-0.29%

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

$41.8K £31.1K

$41.6K £31.0K

0.40%

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

$295 £220

$342 £255

-13.72%

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

$22.44 £16.71

$19.44 £14.48

15.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.92 £31.96

$52.8 £39.31

-18.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.39 £31.57

$27.48 £20.47

54.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.07 £11.97

Cinema Ticket

$13.72 £10.22

$13.33 £9.93

2.93%

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

$1,944 £1,448

$1,505 £1,121

29.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.8K £15.5K

$18.3K £13.6K

13.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$90.6 £67.5

$82.9 £61.8

9.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.85 £31.17

$49.24 £36.67

-15.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.5 £66.6

$109 £81.0

-17.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 £79.0

$99.5 £74.1

6.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,637 £1,219

$1,727 £1,287

-5.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,256 £936

$1,514 £1,128

-17.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,702 £2,013

$2,330 £1,736

15.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,077 £1,547

$2,672 £1,990

-22.26%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,107 £3,804

$7,910 £5,891

-35.43%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,671 £3,479

$6,821 £5,080

-31.52%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,247 £2,418

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.92

5.62

5.34%

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

Last update for Manchester: May 31, 2026

Last update for Bracknell: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,637 in Manchester versus $1,727 in Bracknell. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $94.0 in Manchester versus $79.0 in Bracknell. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $335 vs $281 – making Bracknell 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 Bracknell: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Bracknell is pricier by about 9%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. 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 $4,342 in Bracknell. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Manchester, 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 $2,895 in Bracknell. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 8% less in Manchester. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,651 in Manchester and $2,895 in Bracknell. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Manchester – 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 Manchester. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Bracknell makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.