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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,637 per month in Manchester vs $2,096 in Bury, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,830 per month in Manchester vs $2,390 in Bury, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,024 per month in Manchester vs $2,684 in Bury, rent included.

Manchester costs about 26% more than Bury, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Manchester and Bury sit above the global median – Manchester by 91%, Bury by 52%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.56 £15.20

$19.93 £14.73

3.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$94.0 £69.5

$88.2 £65.2

6.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.03 £8.15

$10.73 £7.93

2.80%

Cappuccino

$4.82 £3.56

$4.34 £3.21

11.06%

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

$2.53 £1.87

$1.79 £1.33

41.34%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.73 £1.28

$1.20 £0.89

44.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.18 £6.05

$5.17 £3.82

58.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.84 £5.05

$4.87 £3.60

40.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.45 £1.07

$1.53 £1.13

-5.23%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 £1.36

$1.43 £1.05

28.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.93 £1.42

$1.52 £1.13

26.97%

Eggs

$3.99 £2.95

$3.71 £2.74

7.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.53 £7.04

$9.54 £7.05

-0.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.96 £6.62

$9.16 £6.77

-2.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.76 £11.65

$10.88 £8.04

44.85%

Apples (1kg)

$3.21 £2.37

$3.36 £2.48

-4.46%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 £1.19

$1.26 £0.93

27.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.01 £2.23

$1.72 £1.27

75.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.42 £2.52

$3.18 £2.35

7.55%

Potato (1kg)

$1.50 £1.11

$1.30 £0.96

15.38%

Onion (1kg)

$1.33 £0.98

$1.28 £0.95

3.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.29 £0.95

$0.91 £0.67

41.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.30 £0.96

$1.32 £0.98

-1.52%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$24.36 £18.01

$24.07 £17.79

1.20%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.88 £8.04

$11.04 £8.16

-1.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.46 £1.82

$2.58 £1.91

-4.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.08 £2.27

$3.89 £2.87

-20.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.68 £1.98

$2.77 £2.04

-3.25%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$109 £80.4

$107 £78.8

2.02%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.64 £3.43

$4.70 £3.47

-1.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.16 £1.60

$1.74 £1.29

24.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.39 £22.46

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.09 £1.55

$1.98 £1.47

5.56%

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

$39.5K £29.2K

-0.01%

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

$41.6K £30.8K

-0.04%

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

$292 £216

$249 £184

17.40%

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

$16.65 £12.31

$18.20 £13.45

-8.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.66 £29.31

$40.24 £29.74

-1.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.3 £40.15

$51.3 £37.91

5.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.86 £13.94

Cinema Ticket

$13.54 £10.00

$11.36 £8.40

19.19%

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

$1,309 £968

$965 £713

35.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.0K £14.8K

$22.0K £16.3K

-9.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$88.1 £65.1

$24.75 £18.30

255.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.59 £30.74

$25.55 £18.89

62.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.3 £70.5

$98.4 £72.7

-3.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 £78.7

$86.3 £63.8

23.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,816 £1,342

$1,142 £844

58.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,295 £957

$951 £703

36.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,067 £2,267

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,020 £1,493

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,729 £3,495

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,465 £3,300

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,446 £2,547

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.87

4.88

-0.20%

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

Last update for Manchester: September 6, 2026

Last update for Bury: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,816 in Manchester versus $1,142 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 $94.0 in Manchester versus $88.0 in Bury. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $300 vs $273 – 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 26% more than Bury, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,955 per month in Manchester and $3,143 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 $2,637 in Manchester and $2,096 in Bury. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 2% 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 $2,096, than in Manchester at $2,637. 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 $2,096 versus $2,637 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.