Cost of Living Comparison Between Manchester and Chatham Cost of Living Comparison Between Manchester and Chatham

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,597 per month in Manchester vs $3,016 in Chatham, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,791 per month in Manchester vs $4,125 in Chatham, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,985 per month in Manchester vs $5,235 in Chatham, rent included.

Manchester is about 14% cheaper than Chatham, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Manchester and Chatham sit above the global median – Manchester by 89%, Chatham by 119%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.25 £14.98

$23.51 £17.40

-13.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$95.3 £70.5

$94.4 £69.9

0.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.72 £7.93

$10.07 £7.45

6.45%

Cappuccino

$4.86 £3.60

$3.62 £2.68

34.25%

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

$2.69 £1.99

$3.10 £2.29

-13.23%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.76 £1.30

$1.73 £1.28

1.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.08 £5.98

$6.29 £4.65

28.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.97 £5.15

$6.84 £5.06

1.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.50 £1.11

$1.95 £1.44

-23.08%

White Bread (500g)

$1.93 £1.43

$2.07 £1.53

-6.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.01 £1.49

$2.21 £1.64

-9.05%

Eggs

$3.84 £2.84

$4.13 £3.06

-7.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.26 £6.85

$10.82 £8.00

-14.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.80 £6.51

$9.27 £6.86

-5.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.51 £12.21

$15.55 £11.50

6.17%

Apples (1kg)

$3.11 £2.30

$3.05 £2.26

1.97%

Banana (1kg)

$1.54 £1.14

$2.02 £1.49

-23.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.02 £2.23

$2.77 £2.05

9.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.51 £2.60

$3.86 £2.86

-9.07%

Potato (1kg)

$1.50 £1.11

$2.04 £1.51

-26.47%

Onion (1kg)

$1.32 £0.98

$1.85 £1.37

-28.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.30 £0.96

$1.17 £0.87

11.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.23 £0.91

$1.76 £1.30

-30.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$24.43 £18.08

$22.35 £16.53

9.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.96 £8.11

$11.41 £8.44

-3.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.47 £1.83

$3.11 £2.30

-20.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.26 £2.42

$2.40 £1.78

35.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.66 £1.97

$4.01 £2.97

-33.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$106 £78.7

$68.0 £50.3

56.51%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.51 £3.33

$5.01 £3.71

-9.98%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.23 £1.65

$2.79 £2.06

-20.07%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.69 £22.70

$20.10 £14.87

52.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.09 £1.55

$1.94 £1.43

7.73%

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

$39.8K £29.4K

$38.5K £28.5K

3.22%

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

$40.8K £30.2K

$37.3K £27.6K

9.30%

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

$304 £225

$286 £211

6.27%

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

$16.90 £12.50

$16.92 £12.52

-0.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.38 £29.87

$27.58 £20.41

46.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.1 £40.76

$121 £89.3

-54.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.59 £13.75

$9.53 £7.05

95.07%

Cinema Ticket

$13.65 £10.10

$18.09 £13.38

-24.54%

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

$1,287 £952

$2,131 £1,577

-39.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.5K £15.1K

$31.2K £23.1K

-34.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$93.8 £69.4

$93.4 £69.1

0.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.08 £31.87

$45.64 £33.76

-5.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.4 £72.8

$105 £78.0

-6.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 £80.2

$91.4 £67.6

18.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,833 £1,356

$2,040 £1,509

-10.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,269 £939

$1,631 £1,207

-22.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,134 £2,319

$2,511 £1,857

24.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,028 £1,501

$2,174 £1,608

-6.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,007 £3,704

$8,018 £5,931

-37.56%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,739 £3,506

$7,586 £5,612

-37.53%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,318 £2,455

$3,017 £2,232

9.98%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.13

5.12

0.20%

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

Last update for Manchester: August 31, 2026

Last update for Chatham: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,833 in Manchester versus $2,040 in Chatham. 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 10% higher in Manchester, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $95.0 in Manchester versus $94.0 in Chatham. Groceries tell a different story – $301 in Manchester vs $327 in Chatham – 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 Chatham: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chatham costs about 16% more than Manchester, with the gap driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,895 per month in Manchester and $4,524 in Chatham. 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.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,597 in Manchester and $3,016 in Chatham. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 57% less in Manchester. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,597 in Manchester and $3,016 in Chatham. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Manchester costs $2,597 versus $3,016 in Chatham. 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 Manchester. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Chatham makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.