Cost of Living Comparison Between Manchester and Exeter Cost of Living Comparison Between Manchester and Exeter

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,648 in Manchester versus $2,386 in Exeter.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,928 in Manchester versus $3,893 in Exeter.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,208 in Manchester versus $5,400 in Exeter.

Living in Manchester is roughly 11% more expensive than in Exeter, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Manchester 99% above, Exeter 79% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.42 £15.14

$20.34 £15.08

0.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$94.4 £70.0

$88.1 £65.3

7.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.00 £8.16

$10.30 £7.64

6.80%

Cappuccino

$5.14 £3.81

$4.46 £3.31

15.25%

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

$2.63 £1.95

$3.14 £2.33

-16.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.68 £1.25

$1.69 £1.25

-0.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.57 £5.61

$7.56 £5.60

0.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.44 £5.52

$5.94 £4.41

25.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 £1.27

$1.68 £1.25

1.79%

White Bread (500g)

$1.77 £1.31

$1.90 £1.41

-6.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.24 £1.66

$1.67 £1.24

34.13%

Eggs

$4.09 £3.04

$4.72 £3.50

-13.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.15 £9.01

$8.22 £6.09

47.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.42 £6.99

$6.91 £5.12

36.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.15 £12.72

$19.20 £14.23

-10.68%

Apples (1kg)

$3.33 £2.47

$2.42 £1.80

37.60%

Banana (1kg)

$1.79 £1.33

$1.28 £0.95

39.84%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.93 £2.92

$2.32 £1.72

69.40%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.21 £3.12

$3.09 £2.29

36.25%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 £1.52

$1.14 £0.85

79.82%

Onion (1kg)

$1.89 £1.40

$1.32 £0.98

43.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.26 £0.93

$0.99 £0.73

27.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.50 £1.11

$1.46 £1.08

2.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$19.00 £14.09

$21.94 £16.27

-13.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.29 £7.63

$9.54 £7.07

7.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.58 £1.91

$2.69 £1.99

-4.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.55 £2.63

$2.53 £1.88

40.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.67 £1.98

$2.68 £1.98

-0.37%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$123 £91.5

$106 £78.9

15.95%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.31 £3.94

$6.65 £4.93

-20.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.85 £2.11

$1.72 £1.27

65.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.57 £25.64

$21.98 £16.30

57.28%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.97 £1.46

$1.94 £1.44

1.55%

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

$37.7K £28.0K

$38.9K £28.8K

-3.03%

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

$40.5K £30.0K

$39.1K £29.0K

3.45%

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

$303 £224

$335 £249

-9.80%

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

$22.65 £16.79

$16.41 £12.17

38.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.94 £31.84

$45.34 £33.62

-5.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.89 £30.32

$39.84 £29.54

2.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.65 £11.60

$14.43 £10.70

8.45%

Cinema Ticket

$13.81 £10.24

$12.37 £9.17

11.64%

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

$1,956 £1,450

$1,495 £1,109

30.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.4K £15.8K

$20.9K £15.5K

2.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$88.5 £65.6

$76.0 £56.3

16.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.00 £31.14

$34.52 £25.60

21.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.4 £64.8

$103 £76.7

-15.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 £80.6

$109 £80.7

-0.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,623 £1,204

$1,336 £991

21.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,253 £929

$995 £738

25.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,724 £2,020

$2,588 £1,919

5.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,051 £1,521

$2,454 £1,819

-16.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,997 £3,705

$5,424 £4,022

-7.88%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,610 £3,418

$6,446 £4,780

-28.49%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,183 £2,360

$3,124 £2,317

1.88%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.92

5.72

3.50%

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

Last update for Manchester: July 26, 2026

Last update for Exeter: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,623 in Manchester and $1,336 in Exeter. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Manchester pays 2% 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 $88.0 in Exeter for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $333 vs $288 per month, with Exeter 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 Exeter: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Manchester and Exeter differ by about 11% in total monthly costs ($2,648 vs $2,386 including rent). Exeter is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 2% higher in Manchester, 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: $1,623 in Manchester versus $1,336 in Exeter. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Exeter – a meal for two runs $88.0 versus $94.0 in Manchester. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,648 per month in Manchester versus $2,386 in Exeter – a 11% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,386 in Exeter versus $2,648 in Manchester, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Exeter but tight or insufficient in Manchester. The gap between the two cities makes Exeter 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 Exeter 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 Exeter gentler on the wallet – expenses run 11% less than in Manchester. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.