Cost of Living Comparison Between Manchester and Hertfordshire Cost of Living Comparison Between Manchester and Hertfordshire

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,696 in Manchester versus $2,516 in Hertfordshire.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,934 in Manchester versus $3,816 in Hertfordshire.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,171 in Manchester versus $5,116 in Hertfordshire.

Living in Manchester is roughly 7% more expensive than Hertfordshire, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Manchester 100% above, Hertfordshire 87% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.33 £15.06

$27.29 £20.22

-25.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$96.4 £71.5

$80.7 £59.8

19.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.79 £8.00

$10.88 £8.07

-0.83%

Cappuccino

$5.04 £3.74

$4.53 £3.36

11.26%

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

$2.59 £1.92

$1.96 £1.45

32.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.69 £1.25

$1.65 £1.22

2.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.41 £5.49

$5.49 £4.07

34.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.52 £5.57

$5.46 £4.04

37.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.69 £1.25

$1.05 £0.78

60.95%

White Bread (500g)

$1.74 £1.29

$1.54 £1.14

12.99%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.24 £1.66

$2.03 £1.50

10.34%

Eggs

$4.11 £3.04

$3.01 £2.23

36.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.17 £9.01

$10.28 £7.62

18.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.33 £6.92

$7.38 £5.47

26.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.36 £12.86

$17.70 £13.11

-1.92%

Apples (1kg)

$3.22 £2.39

$2.31 £1.71

39.39%

Banana (1kg)

$1.77 £1.31

$2.08 £1.54

-14.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.94 £2.92

$3.36 £2.49

17.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.36 £3.23

$2.60 £1.93

67.69%

Potato (1kg)

$2.09 £1.55

$0.93 £0.69

124.73%

Onion (1kg)

$1.87 £1.39

$1.69 £1.25

10.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.32 £0.97

$1.30 £0.97

1.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.42 £1.05

$1.83 £1.35

-22.40%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$18.92 £14.02

$16.48 £12.21

14.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.72 £7.94

$11.44 £8.48

-6.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.53 £1.87

$2.01 £1.49

25.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.47 £2.57

$2.06 £1.53

68.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.76 £2.05

$3.32 £2.46

-16.87%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$122 £90.1

$87.9 £65.2

38.35%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.52 £4.09

$4.51 £3.34

22.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.94 £2.18

$1.75 £1.30

68.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$33.51 £24.83

$22.79 £16.88

47.04%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.98 £1.47

$1.96 £1.45

1.02%

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

$38.9K £28.8K

$38.3K £28.4K

1.67%

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

$41.2K £30.5K

$41.7K £30.9K

-1.10%

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

$296 £219

$163 £121

81.61%

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

$22.89 £16.96

$17.50 £12.97

30.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$43.45 £32.20

$35.42 £26.25

22.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.06 £31.16

$46.58 £34.52

-9.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.93 £11.80

Cinema Ticket

$13.43 £9.95

$12.25 £9.07

9.63%

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

$1,956 £1,450

$1,777 £1,317

10.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.9K £15.5K

$18.1K £13.4K

15.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$90.6 £67.2

$47.72 £35.36

89.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.37 £30.66

$53.9 £39.91

-23.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.2 £66.1

$70.9 £52.5

25.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 £80.3

$88.9 £65.9

21.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,640 £1,216

$1,845 £1,367

-11.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,256 £931

$1,365 £1,012

-7.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,700 £2,001

$2,879 £2,133

-6.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,083 £1,543

$2,354 £1,745

-11.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,717 £3,495

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,596 £3,405

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,399 £2,519

$3,305 £2,449

2.86%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.92

5.93

-0.17%

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

Last update for Manchester: April 14, 2026

Last update for Hertfordshire: April 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,640 in Manchester and $1,845 in Hertfordshire. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Manchester pays 3% 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: $96 in Manchester vs $81 in Hertfordshire for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $333 vs $288 per month, with Hertfordshire 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 Hertfordshire: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Hertfordshire is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Getting Around, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 7% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Manchester pays 3% 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: $1,640 in Manchester versus $1,845 in Hertfordshire. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Hertfordshire – a meal for two runs $81.0 versus $96.0 in Manchester. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,696 per month in Manchester versus $2,516 in Hertfordshire – a 7% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,500. Hertfordshire is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

For families, Hertfordshire is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Manchester, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Manchester and Hertfordshire 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 Hertfordshire gentler on the wallet – expenses run 7% less than in Manchester. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.