Cost of Living Comparison Between Manchester and Bury Cost of Living Comparison Between Manchester and Bury

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,684 per month in Manchester vs $2,271 in Bury, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,957 per month in Manchester vs $3,388 in Bury, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,230 per month in Manchester vs $4,505 in Bury, rent included.

Manchester costs about 18% more than Bury, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Manchester and Bury sit above the global median – Manchester by 101%, Bury by 70%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.17 £15.01

$20.43 £15.21

-1.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$96.9 £72.1

$82.3 £61.3

17.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.78 £8.02

$8.75 £6.52

23.20%

Cappuccino

$5.10 £3.80

$3.69 £2.75

38.21%

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

$2.53 £1.88

$2.70 £2.01

-6.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.68 £1.25

$1.81 £1.35

-7.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.31 £5.44

$3.75 £2.79

94.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.67 £5.71

$3.64 £2.71

110.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.69 £1.26

$1.56 £1.16

8.33%

White Bread (500g)

$1.71 £1.27

$2.32 £1.73

-26.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.25 £1.68

$1.83 £1.37

22.95%

Eggs

$4.07 £3.03

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.25 £9.12

$12.34 £9.19

-0.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.42 £7.02

$11.41 £8.50

-17.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.22 £12.82

$12.11 £9.02

42.20%

Apples (1kg)

$3.35 £2.50

$3.53 £2.63

-5.10%

Banana (1kg)

$1.80 £1.34

$1.64 £1.22

9.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.01 £2.99

$2.74 £2.04

46.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.14 £3.08

$4.16 £3.10

-0.48%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 £1.52

$2.02 £1.50

1.49%

Onion (1kg)

$1.80 £1.34

$1.77 £1.32

1.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.25 £0.93

$1.19 £0.89

5.04%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.49 £1.11

$1.78 £1.33

-16.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$19.21 £14.30

$21.11 £15.72

-9.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.00 £7.45

$10.64 £7.92

-6.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.46 £1.83

$2.83 £2.11

-13.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.61 £2.69

$2.85 £2.12

26.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.65 £1.97

$2.74 £2.04

-3.28%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$122 £90.6

$88.4 £65.8

37.56%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.33 £3.97

$4.90 £3.64

8.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.86 £2.13

$2.58 £1.92

10.85%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$33.58 £25.00

$27.55 £20.51

21.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.89 £1.40

$1.88 £1.40

0.53%

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

$38.7K £28.8K

$38.8K £28.9K

-0.32%

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

$41.5K £30.9K

$35.8K £26.7K

15.86%

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

$302 £225

$301 £224

0.59%

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

$22.97 £17.10

$16.44 £12.24

39.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$43.39 £32.30

$45.65 £33.99

-4.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.99 £30.52

$38.04 £28.32

7.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.62 £11.63

Cinema Ticket

$13.50 £10.05

$9.35 £6.96

44.39%

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

$1,984 £1,477

$2,181 £1,624

-9.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.0K £15.6K

$25.0K £18.6K

-16.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$91.3 £67.9

$95.9 £71.4

-4.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.23 £31.44

$48.30 £35.96

-12.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.1 £65.6

$115 £85.4

-23.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 £80.6

$139 £104

-22.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,638 £1,220

$1,143 £851

43.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,256 £935

$936 £697

34.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,747 £2,045

$2,064 £1,536

33.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,049 £1,526

$1,710 £1,273

19.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,946 £3,682

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,671 £3,478

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,154 £2,348

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.92

5.6

5.71%

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

Last update for Manchester: July 13, 2026

Last update for Bury: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,638 in Manchester versus $1,143 in Bury. 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 $97.0 in Manchester versus $82.0 in Bury. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $331 vs $329 – making Bury 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 Bury: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Manchester costs about 18% more than Bury, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,026 per month in Manchester and $3,406 in Bury. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Bury, 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 $2,684 in Manchester and $2,271 in Bury. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 38% less in Bury. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Bury, where all-in costs run around $2,271, than in Manchester at $2,684. In Bury it covers expenses comfortably, while in Manchester it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Bury costs $2,271 versus $2,684 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 Bury. 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.