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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,651 per month in Manchester vs $3,153 in Cambridge, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,871 per month in Manchester vs $4,455 in Cambridge, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,091 per month in Manchester vs $5,757 in Cambridge, rent included.

Manchester is about 16% cheaper than Cambridge, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Manchester and Cambridge sit above the global median – Manchester by 98%, Cambridge by 135%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.74 £15.42

$26.65 £19.81

-22.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$94.5 £70.2

$94.8 £70.5

-0.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 £7.99

$10.89 £8.09

-1.29%

Cappuccino

$4.94 £3.67

$4.91 £3.65

0.61%

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

$2.59 £1.92

$2.87 £2.13

-9.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.70 £1.26

$2.01 £1.49

-15.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.41 £5.51

$7.93 £5.90

-6.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.52 £5.59

$8.13 £6.05

-7.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 £1.21

$1.95 £1.45

-16.92%

White Bread (500g)

$1.80 £1.34

$2.23 £1.66

-19.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.16 £1.60

$2.91 £2.16

-25.77%

Eggs

$4.08 £3.03

$4.62 £3.43

-11.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.05 £8.95

$12.63 £9.39

-4.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.75 £7.25

$10.22 £7.60

-4.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.39 £12.93

$18.20 £13.53

-4.45%

Apples (1kg)

$3.30 £2.46

$3.16 £2.35

4.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.84 £1.37

$2.01 £1.49

-8.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.82 £2.84

$3.77 £2.80

1.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.35 £3.23

$3.55 £2.64

22.54%

Potato (1kg)

$2.10 £1.56

$1.95 £1.45

7.69%

Onion (1kg)

$1.80 £1.34

$2.10 £1.56

-14.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.31 £0.97

$1.38 £1.02

-5.07%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.47 £1.10

$1.46 £1.09

0.68%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$18.73 £13.92

$20.53 £15.26

-8.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 £7.91

$11.26 £8.37

-5.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.57 £1.91

$3.48 £2.58

-26.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.49 £2.60

$4.17 £3.10

-16.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.75 £2.04

$2.68 £1.99

2.61%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$121 £90.1

$81.1 £60.3

49.44%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.49 £4.08

$6.71 £4.99

-18.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.85 £2.12

$2.50 £1.86

14.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.28 £25.48

$53.3 £39.62

-35.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.96 £1.46

$1.88 £1.40

4.26%

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

$37.8K £28.1K

-0.09%

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

$41.8K £31.1K

$44.6K £33.1K

-6.19%

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

$295 £219

$341 £253

-13.46%

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

$22.44 £16.68

$15.52 £11.54

44.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.92 £31.90

$38.75 £28.80

10.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.39 £31.51

$73.7 £54.8

-42.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.07 £11.94

$14.71 £10.93

9.25%

Cinema Ticket

$13.72 £10.19

$16.27 £12.09

-15.67%

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

$1,944 £1,445

$2,297 £1,707

-15.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.8K £15.5K

$23.3K £17.3K

-10.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$90.6 £67.4

$85.9 £63.9

5.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.85 £31.11

$56.6 £42.07

-26.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.5 £66.5

$86.1 £64.0

3.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 £78.9

$120 £89.5

-11.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,637 £1,217

$1,912 £1,421

-14.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,256 £934

$1,573 £1,169

-20.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,702 £2,009

$3,540 £2,632

-23.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,077 £1,544

$2,484 £1,847

-16.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,107 £3,796

$9,341 £6,943

-45.33%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,671 £3,472

$6,064 £4,507

-22.96%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,247 £2,414

$4,417 £3,283

-26.49%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Cambridge: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,637 in Manchester versus $1,912 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 36% 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 $94.0 in Manchester versus $95.0 in Cambridge. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $335 vs $358 – making Manchester 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 Cambridge: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Cambridge is pricier by about 19%, 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 $3,977 per month in Manchester and $4,730 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 $94.0 in Manchester and $95.0 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 $2,651 in Manchester and $3,153 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 $2,651 in Manchester and $3,153 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.