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: $2,651 in Manchester versus $1,967 in Dundee.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,871 in Manchester versus $2,970 in Dundee.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,091 in Manchester versus $3,974 in Dundee.

Living in Manchester is roughly 35% more expensive than Dundee, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Manchester 98% above, Dundee 47% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.74 £15.55

$20.56 £15.42

0.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$94.5 £70.8

$93.9 £70.4

0.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 £8.06

$10.24 £7.68

4.98%

Cappuccino

$4.94 £3.70

$4.58 £3.43

7.86%

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

$2.59 £1.94

$2.32 £1.74

11.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.70 £1.27

$1.32 £0.99

28.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.41 £5.56

$5.98 £4.49

23.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.52 £5.64

$5.80 £4.35

29.66%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 £1.22

$2.13 £1.60

-23.94%

White Bread (500g)

$1.80 £1.35

$1.55 £1.16

16.13%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.16 £1.62

$2.48 £1.86

-12.90%

Eggs

$4.08 £3.06

$4.88 £3.66

-16.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.05 £9.03

$8.31 £6.23

45.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.75 £7.31

$10.05 £7.54

-2.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.39 £13.04

$15.54 £11.65

11.90%

Apples (1kg)

$3.30 £2.48

$3.19 £2.39

3.45%

Banana (1kg)

$1.84 £1.38

$2.43 £1.82

-24.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.82 £2.86

$2.63 £1.97

45.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.35 £3.26

$4.57 £3.43

-4.81%

Potato (1kg)

$2.10 £1.57

$2.12 £1.59

-0.94%

Onion (1kg)

$1.80 £1.35

$1.93 £1.45

-6.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.31 £0.98

$1.23 £0.92

6.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.47 £1.11

$2.07 £1.55

-28.99%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$18.73 £14.04

$18.67 £14.00

0.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 £7.98

$11.87 £8.90

-10.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.57 £1.92

$3.25 £2.44

-20.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.49 £2.62

$2.86 £2.15

22.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.75 £2.06

$3.49 £2.61

-21.20%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$121 £90.9

$58.4 £43.77

107.59%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.49 £4.12

$4.86 £3.64

12.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.85 £2.14

$1.41 £1.05

102.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.28 £25.70

$23.08 £17.31

48.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.96 £1.47

$1.87 £1.40

4.81%

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

$37.8K £28.3K

$39.0K £29.2K

-3.09%

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

$41.8K £31.3K

$46.7K £35.0K

-10.46%

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

$295 £221

$235 £176

25.78%

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

$22.44 £16.83

$14.61 £10.95

53.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.92 £32.18

$47.93 £35.94

-10.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.39 £31.78

$49.40 £37.04

-14.19%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.07 £12.05

$9.55 £7.16

68.27%

Cinema Ticket

$13.72 £10.28

$12.82 £9.62

7.02%

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

$1,944 £1,457

$1,589 £1,192

22.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.8K £15.6K

$16.4K £12.3K

26.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$90.6 £68.0

$97.1 £72.8

-6.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.85 £31.38

$64.5 £48.34

-35.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.5 £67.1

$137 £103

-34.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 £79.6

$122 £91.2

-12.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,637 £1,228

$942 £707

73.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,256 £942

$670 £502

87.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,702 £2,026

$1,547 £1,160

74.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,077 £1,557

$1,123 £842

84.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,107 £3,829

$4,136 £3,101

23.49%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,671 £3,502

$3,363 £2,521

38.92%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,247 £2,435

$3,219 £2,413

0.88%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Dundee: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,637 in Manchester and $942 in Dundee. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Manchester pays 1% 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: $94.0 in Manchester vs $94.0 in Dundee for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $335 vs $338 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 35% in total monthly costs ($2,651 vs $1,967 including rent). Dundee is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Manchester pays 1% 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: $1,637 in Manchester versus $942 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 $1,944 in Manchester versus $1,589 in Dundee. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,967 in Dundee versus $2,651 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 35% less than in Manchester. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.