Cost of Living Comparison Between Manchester and Dundee Cost of Living Comparison Between Manchester and Dundee

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,698 in Manchester versus $1,958 in Dundee.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,892 in Manchester versus $2,989 in Dundee.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,086 in Manchester versus $4,019 in Dundee.

Living in Manchester is roughly 38% more expensive than Dundee, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Manchester 101% above, Dundee 46% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.78 £15.35

$20.27 £14.98

2.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$93.2 £68.9

$96.2 £71.1

-3.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.80 £7.98

$10.16 £7.51

6.30%

Cappuccino

$4.97 £3.67

$4.42 £3.26

12.44%

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

$2.62 £1.93

$2.24 £1.66

16.96%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.76 £1.30

$1.31 £0.97

34.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.60 £5.61

$5.97 £4.42

27.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.59 £5.61

$5.64 £4.17

34.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 £1.26

$2.14 £1.58

-20.56%

White Bread (500g)

$1.72 £1.27

$1.55 £1.15

10.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.14 £1.58

$2.47 £1.83

-13.36%

Eggs

$4.07 £3.01

$4.87 £3.60

-16.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.04 £8.90

$8.41 £6.22

43.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.45 £6.98

$9.57 £7.08

-1.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.21 £12.72

$15.73 £11.62

9.41%

Apples (1kg)

$3.35 £2.47

$3.11 £2.29

7.72%

Banana (1kg)

$1.77 £1.31

$2.33 £1.72

-24.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.90 £2.88

$2.64 £1.95

47.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.37 £3.23

$4.60 £3.40

-5.00%

Potato (1kg)

$2.12 £1.56

$2.10 £1.55

0.95%

Onion (1kg)

$1.82 £1.35

$1.86 £1.38

-2.15%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.27 £0.94

$1.22 £0.90

4.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.44 £1.06

$2.13 £1.58

-32.39%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$18.75 £13.86

$19.09 £14.10

-1.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.73 £7.93

$12.12 £8.96

-11.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.57 £1.90

$3.10 £2.29

-17.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.43 £2.54

$2.99 £2.21

14.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.76 £2.04

$3.60 £2.66

-23.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$121 £89.5

$58.3 £43.10

107.72%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.58 £4.13

$4.66 £3.45

19.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.93 £2.17

$1.38 £1.02

112.32%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$33.44 £24.72

$23.55 £17.40

42.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.95 £1.44

$1.89 £1.40

3.17%

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

$38.2K £28.2K

$38.9K £28.8K

-1.83%

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

$41.1K £30.4K

$46.4K £34.3K

-11.32%

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

$294 £218

$231 £171

27.28%

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

$22.58 £16.69

$14.62 £10.80

54.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.98 £31.77

$46.52 £34.38

-7.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.36 £31.31

$48.87 £36.12

-13.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.92 £11.76

$9.60 £7.09

65.83%

Cinema Ticket

$13.65 £10.09

$12.76 £9.43

6.97%

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

$1,965 £1,452

$1,627 £1,202

20.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.3K £15.7K

$16.6K £12.3K

28.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$91.5 £67.6

$97.3 £71.9

-6.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.55 £30.71

$65.2 £48.18

-36.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.1 £64.4

$137 £101

-36.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 £78.0

$120 £88.7

-11.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,580 £1,168

$917 £678

72.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,281 £947

$675 £499

89.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,681 £1,981

$1,544 £1,141

73.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,077 £1,535

$1,100 £813

88.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,649 £3,435

$4,117 £3,042

12.91%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,518 £3,339

$3,343 £2,471

35.14%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,299 £2,438

$3,294 £2,435

0.14%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.92

5.9

0.34%

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

Last update for Manchester: April 21, 2026

Last update for Dundee: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,580 in Manchester and $917 in Dundee. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Manchester pays 0% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $93 in Manchester vs $96 in Dundee for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $332 vs $336 per month, with Manchester cheaper across the board.

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 Dundee: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Manchester and Dundee differ by about 38% in total monthly costs ($2,698 vs $1,958 including rent). Dundee is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Manchester pays 0% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,580 in Manchester versus $917 in Dundee. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Dundee runs roughly 108% less than in Manchester. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $1,965 in Manchester versus $1,627 in Dundee. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,958 in Dundee versus $2,698 in Manchester, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Dundee but tight or insufficient in Manchester. The gap between the two cities makes Dundee the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Manchester and Dundee are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Dundee gentler on the wallet – expenses run 38% less than in Manchester. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.