Cost of Living Comparison Between Manchester and Buckingham Cost of Living Comparison Between Manchester and Buckingham

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,597 in Manchester versus $2,281 in Buckingham.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,791 in Manchester versus $3,357 in Buckingham.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,985 in Manchester versus $4,433 in Buckingham.

Living in Manchester is roughly 14% more expensive than in Buckingham, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Manchester 89% above, Buckingham 66% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.25 £14.97

$20.83 £15.40

-2.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$95.3 £70.5

$82.7 £61.1

15.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.72 £7.92

$11.00 £8.13

-2.55%

Cappuccino

$4.86 £3.59

$4.77 £3.53

1.89%

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

$2.69 £1.99

$2.12 £1.57

26.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.76 £1.30

$1.58 £1.17

11.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.08 £5.98

$5.80 £4.29

39.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.97 £5.15

$4.78 £3.53

45.82%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.50 £1.11

$1.51 £1.11

-0.66%

White Bread (500g)

$1.93 £1.43

$1.87 £1.39

3.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.01 £1.49

$2.78 £2.05

-27.70%

Eggs

$3.84 £2.84

$4.16 £3.07

-7.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.26 £6.85

$9.71 £7.18

-4.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.80 £6.51

$7.58 £5.60

16.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.51 £12.20

$16.80 £12.42

-1.73%

Apples (1kg)

$3.11 £2.30

$3.34 £2.47

-6.89%

Banana (1kg)

$1.54 £1.14

$1.66 £1.23

-7.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.02 £2.23

$2.92 £2.16

3.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.51 £2.59

$3.29 £2.43

6.69%

Potato (1kg)

$1.50 £1.11

$1.21 £0.89

23.97%

Onion (1kg)

$1.32 £0.98

$1.80 £1.33

-26.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.30 £0.96

$1.13 £0.84

15.04%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.23 £0.91

$1.39 £1.03

-11.51%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$24.43 £18.06

$24.06 £17.78

1.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.96 £8.10

$10.11 £7.48

8.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.47 £1.83

$3.28 £2.43

-24.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.26 £2.41

$2.14 £1.58

52.34%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.66 £1.97

$3.50 £2.59

-24.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$106 £78.7

$96.7 £71.5

10.04%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.51 £3.33

$4.22 £3.12

6.87%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.23 £1.65

$2.74 £2.03

-18.61%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.69 £22.69

$24.90 £18.41

23.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.09 £1.55

$1.94 £1.44

7.73%

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

$39.8K £29.4K

$38.5K £28.5K

3.26%

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

$40.8K £30.1K

$41.1K £30.4K

-0.87%

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

$304 £224

$212 £156

43.40%

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

$16.90 £12.49

$17.57 £12.99

-3.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.38 £29.85

$44.58 £32.95

-9.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.1 £40.73

$47.74 £35.29

15.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.59 £13.74

Cinema Ticket

$13.65 £10.09

$13.44 £9.94

1.56%

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

$1,287 £951

$1,571 £1,161

-18.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.5K £15.1K

$15.8K £11.7K

29.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$93.8 £69.4

$89.3 £66.0

5.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.08 £31.84

$38.09 £28.16

13.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.4 £72.8

$76.2 £56.3

29.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 £80.2

$96.8 £71.6

12.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,833 £1,355

$1,508 £1,115

21.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,269 £938

$1,044 £772

21.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,134 £2,317

$2,101 £1,553

49.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,028 £1,499

$1,693 £1,252

19.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,007 £3,701

$5,364 £3,965

-6.66%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,739 £3,503

$4,174 £3,085

13.55%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,318 £2,453

$4,710 £3,481

-29.55%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.13

5.06

1.38%

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

Last update for Manchester: August 31, 2026

Last update for Buckingham: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,833 in Manchester and $1,508 in Buckingham. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Buckingham pays 42% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $95.0 in Manchester vs $83.0 in Buckingham. Groceries flip the comparison at $301 vs $303, with Manchester cheaper for home cooking.

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 Buckingham: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Manchester and Buckingham differ by about 14% in total monthly costs ($2,597 vs $2,281 including rent). Buckingham is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 42% lower in Buckingham. 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: $1,833 in Manchester versus $1,508 in Buckingham. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,597 per month in Manchester versus $2,281 in Buckingham – a 14% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Buckingham runs roughly 10% less than in Manchester. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Both cities are expensive relative to $3,000. Buckingham is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Buckingham gentler on the wallet – expenses run 14% less than in Manchester. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.