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: $2,631 in Manchester versus $2,336 in Exeter.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,842 in Manchester versus $3,803 in Exeter.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,053 in Manchester versus $5,270 in Exeter.

Living in Manchester is roughly 13% more expensive than Exeter, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Manchester 97% above, Exeter 74% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.34 £15.07

$20.53 £15.22

-0.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$95.0 £70.4

$89.9 £66.6

5.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.92 £8.09

$10.09 £7.48

8.23%

Cappuccino

$4.98 £3.69

$4.55 £3.37

9.45%

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

$2.62 £1.94

$3.06 £2.27

-14.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.75 £1.30

$1.71 £1.27

2.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.38 £5.47

$7.26 £5.38

1.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.40 £5.49

$6.07 £4.50

21.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 £1.21

$1.71 £1.27

-4.09%

White Bread (500g)

$1.70 £1.26

$1.83 £1.35

-7.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.18 £1.61

$1.67 £1.23

30.54%

Eggs

$3.94 £2.92

$4.65 £3.44

-15.27%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.35 £9.15

$8.60 £6.38

43.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.85 £7.30

$6.86 £5.08

43.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.45 £12.93

$19.27 £14.28

-9.44%

Apples (1kg)

$3.20 £2.37

$2.33 £1.73

37.34%

Banana (1kg)

$1.79 £1.32

$1.23 £0.91

45.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.95 £2.93

$2.30 £1.71

71.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.28 £3.17

$3.19 £2.36

34.17%

Potato (1kg)

$2.03 £1.50

$1.14 £0.84

78.07%

Onion (1kg)

$1.87 £1.39

$1.26 £0.93

48.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.26 £0.93

$0.99 £0.74

27.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.49 £1.10

$1.39 £1.03

7.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$18.70 £13.86

$21.43 £15.88

-12.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.54 £7.81

$9.26 £6.86

13.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.44 £1.81

$2.65 £1.97

-7.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.46 £2.56

$2.49 £1.85

38.96%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.70 £2.00

$2.74 £2.03

-1.46%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$121 £89.3

$105 £78.1

14.35%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.40 £4.00

$6.67 £4.95

-19.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.97 £2.20

$1.64 £1.22

81.10%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$33.45 £24.79

$21.66 £16.05

54.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.90 £1.40

$1.96 £1.45

-3.06%

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

$38.2K £28.3K

$38.1K £28.2K

0.32%

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

$40.5K £30.0K

$38.4K £28.4K

5.49%

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

$296 £219

$342 £253

-13.42%

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

$22.50 £16.68

$16.33 £12.10

37.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$43.57 £32.28

$45.50 £33.71

-4.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.22 £30.54

$39.16 £29.02

5.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.49 £11.48

$14.45 £10.71

7.20%

Cinema Ticket

$13.83 £10.25

$12.01 £8.90

15.15%

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

$1,971 £1,461

$1,493 £1,107

32.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.4K £15.9K

$21.3K £15.8K

0.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$90.1 £66.7

$76.5 £56.7

17.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.94 £31.08

$34.61 £25.64

21.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.7 £65.7

$101 £74.8

-12.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 £79.6

$110 £81.2

-2.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,625 £1,204

$1,334 £989

21.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,255 £930

$1,008 £747

24.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,665 £1,975

$2,623 £1,943

1.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,052 £1,520

$2,449 £1,815

-16.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,750 £3,520

$5,366 £3,976

-11.49%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,542 £3,366

$6,748 £5,000

-32.69%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,392 £2,513

$3,103 £2,299

9.30%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Exeter: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,625 in Manchester and $1,334 in Exeter. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Manchester pays 9% 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: $95.0 in Manchester vs $90.0 in Exeter for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $333 vs $286 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 13% in total monthly costs ($2,631 vs $2,336 including rent). Exeter is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Manchester pays 9% 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: $1,625 in Manchester versus $1,334 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 $90.0 versus $95.0 in Manchester. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,631 per month in Manchester versus $2,336 in Exeter – a 13% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,336 in Exeter versus $2,631 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 13% less than in Manchester. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.