Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Manchester and Brentwood

For one person, living is cheaper in Manchester: $2,499 a month against $3,111 in Brentwood, rent and utilities included – about $7,300 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Brentwood outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

Manchester, United Kingdom
Brentwood, United Kingdom
Manchester
🇬🇧 United Kingdom
$2,499
/mo nomad
Brentwood
🇬🇧 United Kingdom
$3,111
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Manchester and in Brentwood

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Manchester and in Brentwood actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,499 per month in Manchester vs $3,111 in Brentwood, rent included.

  • Manchester $2,499
  • Brentwood $3,111

A couple spends around $3,623 per month in Manchester vs $4,366 in Brentwood, rent included.

  • Manchester $3,623
  • Brentwood $4,366

A family of three spends $4,747 per month in Manchester vs $5,620 in Brentwood, rent included.

  • Manchester $4,747
  • Brentwood $5,620

Manchester is about 20% cheaper than Brentwood, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in leisure.

Both Manchester and Brentwood sit above the global median – Manchester by 84%, Brentwood by 129%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Manchester
Brentwood
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$20.22 £15.10
$19.84 £14.81
1.92%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$86.0 £64.2
$81.4 £60.8
5.68%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.74 £8.02
$11.77 £8.79
-8.75%
Cappuccino
$4.68 £3.49
$4.88 £3.64
-4.10%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.44 £1.82
$1.89 £1.41
29.10%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.62 £1.21
$1.15 £0.86
40.87%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$7.78 £5.81
$6.69 £4.99
16.29%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$6.70 £5.00
$5.95 £4.44
12.61%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Manchester
Brentwood
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.51 £1.12
$1.69 £1.26
-10.65%
White Bread (500g)
$1.88 £1.41
$1.10 £0.82
70.91%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.94 £1.45
$2.25 £1.68
-13.78%
Eggs
$4.08 £3.04
$4.10 £3.06
-0.49%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.61 £7.17
$8.32 £6.21
15.50%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.98 £6.71
$6.27 £4.68
43.22%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$15.41 £11.51
$13.08 £9.76
17.81%
Apples (1kg)
$3.09 £2.31
$3.22 £2.40
-4.04%
Banana (1kg)
$1.58 £1.18
$1.43 £1.07
10.49%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.95 £2.20
$2.57 £1.92
14.79%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.35 £2.50
$2.88 £2.15
16.32%
Potato (1kg)
$1.51 £1.13
$0.75 £0.56
101.33%
Onion (1kg)
$1.35 £1.01
$1.24 £0.93
8.87%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.26 £0.94
$0.84 £0.63
50.00%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.23 £0.92
$1.31 £0.98
-6.11%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$24.05 £17.95
$17.20 £12.85
39.83%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.88 £8.13
$9.37 £7.00
16.12%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.43 £1.81
$2.10 £1.57
15.71%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.17 £2.36
$2.12 £1.58
49.53%
🚌 Getting Around
Manchester
Brentwood
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.73 £2.04
$5.21 £3.89
-47.60%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$108 £80.6
$95.3 £71.1
13.27%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.52 £3.37
$5.03 £3.76
-10.14%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.22 £1.66
$1.43 £1.07
55.24%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$30.82 £23.01
$22.24 £16.60
38.58%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.14 £1.60
$1.99 £1.49
7.54%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$38.5K £28.7K
$39.3K £29.3K
-2.12%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$40.0K £29.9K
$40.1K £29.9K
-0.11%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Manchester
Brentwood
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$252 £189
$316 £236
-20.07%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$16.23 £12.12
$14.14 £10.56
14.78%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$39.58 £29.56
$41.24 £30.79
-4.03%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Manchester
Brentwood
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$42.67 £31.86
$33.66 £25.13
26.77%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.05 £13.48
$23.07 £17.23
-21.76%
Cinema Ticket
$13.44 £10.04
$20.57 £15.36
-34.66%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Manchester
Brentwood
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,494 £1,116
$1,914 £1,429
-21.93%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$19.7K £14.7K
$22.4K £16.7K
-12.13%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Manchester
Brentwood
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$83.5 £62.4
$92.3 £68.9
-9.51%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$42.97 £32.09
$39.45 £29.46
8.92%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$95.0 £70.9
$81.0 £60.5
17.33%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$106 £79.1
$96.7 £72.2
9.52%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Manchester
Brentwood
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,785 £1,333
$1,527 £1,140
16.92%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,222 £913
$1,832 £1,368
-33.29%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,930 £2,188
$2,781 £2,077
5.37%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,899 £1,418
$2,858 £2,134
-33.55%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,668 £3,486
$5,041 £3,764
-7.39%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$4,397 £3,283
$3,864 £2,885
13.81%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Manchester
Brentwood
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,395 £2,535
$3,389 £2,530
0.19%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.82
4.67
3.21%

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

Last update for Manchester: October 25, 2026

Last update for Brentwood: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Manchester
$1.2K
Brentwood
$1.8K 49.9% $610
Eating Out
Manchester
$319
Brentwood
$310 2.7% $8.6
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Manchester
$308
Brentwood
$371 20.4% $63
Groceries & Markets
Manchester
$299
Brentwood
$256 14.4% $43
Clothing & Footwear
Manchester
$147
Brentwood
$139 5.5% $8.1
Getting Around
Manchester
$134
Brentwood
$128 4.6% $6.1
Sport & Entertainment
Manchester
$70
Brentwood
$75 7.5% $5.3

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,785 in Manchester versus $1,527 in Brentwood. 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 $86 in Manchester versus $81 in Brentwood. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $299 vs $256 – making Brentwood the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇬🇧 Manchester
🇬🇧 Brentwood
🕒 Local time
00:10 12:10 AM
00:10 12:10 AM
Same time as Manchester
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
503,100
76,575
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to GBP – British Pound Converter

British Pound exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 0.747 GBP (1 GBP = 1.34 USD). 1 EUR = 0.834 GBP (1 GBP = 1.2 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Manchester Brentwood 270 km
From you
  • Manchester
  • Brentwood

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Brentwood: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Manchester or Brentwood?
Brentwood costs about 24% more than Manchester, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from leisure. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Manchester and in Brentwood?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,749 per month in Manchester and $4,667 in Brentwood. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Manchester or Brentwood?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Brentwood, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,527 there versus $1,785 in Manchester.
How do dining costs compare in Manchester and in Brentwood?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $86 in Manchester and $81 in Brentwood. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
How much does it cost to live in Manchester compared to Brentwood?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,499 in Manchester and $3,111 in Brentwood. That makes Manchester about 20% cheaper.
Which city offers a better quality of life: Manchester or Brentwood?
It depends on your priorities. Manchester has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,499 in Manchester to $3,111 in Brentwood. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Manchester vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities

Show times on the 12-hour clock, temperatures in °F and distances in miles?