Cost of Living Comparison Between Manchester and Cambridge Cost of Living Comparison Between Manchester and Cambridge

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,684 per month in Manchester vs $3,165 in Cambridge, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,957 per month in Manchester vs $4,481 in Cambridge, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,230 per month in Manchester vs $5,797 in Cambridge, rent included.

Manchester is about 15% cheaper than Cambridge, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Manchester and Cambridge sit above the global median – Manchester by 101%, Cambridge by 137%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.17 £15.00

$27.66 £20.57

-27.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$96.9 £72.1

$95.6 £71.1

1.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.78 £8.02

$10.72 £7.97

0.56%

Cappuccino

$5.10 £3.79

$4.93 £3.67

3.45%

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

$2.53 £1.88

$2.80 £2.09

-9.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.68 £1.25

$2.06 £1.53

-18.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.31 £5.43

$8.30 £6.17

-11.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.67 £5.70

$8.24 £6.13

-6.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.69 £1.26

$1.89 £1.40

-10.58%

White Bread (500g)

$1.71 £1.27

$2.25 £1.68

-24.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.25 £1.68

$2.94 £2.18

-23.47%

Eggs

$4.07 £3.03

$4.61 £3.43

-11.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.25 £9.11

$12.39 £9.21

-1.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.42 £7.01

$10.33 £7.68

-8.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.22 £12.81

$18.22 £13.55

-5.49%

Apples (1kg)

$3.35 £2.49

$3.33 £2.47

0.60%

Banana (1kg)

$1.80 £1.34

$1.96 £1.46

-8.16%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.01 £2.99

$3.60 £2.68

11.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.14 £3.08

$3.67 £2.73

12.81%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 £1.52

$1.88 £1.40

9.04%

Onion (1kg)

$1.80 £1.34

$2.06 £1.54

-12.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.25 £0.93

$1.32 £0.99

-5.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.49 £1.11

$1.54 £1.15

-3.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$19.21 £14.29

$20.01 £14.89

-4.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.00 £7.44

$10.96 £8.15

-8.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.46 £1.83

$3.49 £2.60

-29.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.61 £2.69

$4.23 £3.14

-14.66%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.65 £1.97

$2.66 £1.98

-0.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$122 £90.5

$81.0 £60.2

50.20%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.33 £3.96

$6.62 £4.93

-19.49%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.86 £2.12

$2.45 £1.82

16.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$33.58 £24.98

$55.2 £41.09

-39.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.89 £1.40

$1.92 £1.43

-1.56%

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

$38.7K £28.8K

$38.9K £28.9K

-0.52%

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

$41.5K £30.9K

$43.9K £32.7K

-5.53%

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

$302 £225

$338 £251

-10.46%

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

$22.97 £17.08

$15.78 £11.74

45.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$43.39 £32.27

$39.86 £29.65

8.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.99 £30.49

$74.1 £55.1

-44.66%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.62 £11.62

$14.91 £11.09

4.76%

Cinema Ticket

$13.50 £10.04

$16.20 £12.05

-16.67%

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

$1,984 £1,476

$2,277 £1,693

-12.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.0K £15.6K

$23.4K £17.4K

-10.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$91.3 £67.9

$87.5 £65.1

4.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.23 £31.41

$55.5 £41.30

-23.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.1 £65.6

$85.6 £63.7

2.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 £80.5

$124 £92.2

-12.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,638 £1,218

$1,899 £1,412

-13.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,256 £934

$1,620 £1,205

-22.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,747 £2,043

$3,522 £2,620

-22.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,049 £1,524

$2,557 £1,902

-19.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,946 £3,679

$9,013 £6,704

-45.13%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,671 £3,474

$6,024 £4,481

-22.46%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,154 £2,346

$4,419 £3,287

-28.63%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.92

5.54

6.86%

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

Last update for Manchester: July 13, 2026

Last update for Cambridge: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,638 in Manchester versus $1,899 in Cambridge. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 40% higher in Cambridge, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $97.0 in Manchester versus $96.0 in Cambridge. Groceries tell a different story – $331 in Manchester vs $358 in Cambridge – so Manchester wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Cambridge: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Cambridge is pricier by about 18%, 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 $4,026 per month in Manchester and $4,748 in Cambridge. 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $97.0 in Manchester and $96.0 in Cambridge. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,684 in Manchester and $3,165 in Cambridge. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,684 in Manchester and $3,165 in Cambridge. 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, Cambridge makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.