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: $2,637 in Manchester versus $2,559 in Hertfordshire.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,830 in Manchester versus $3,810 in Hertfordshire.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,024 in Manchester versus $5,062 in Hertfordshire.

Living in Manchester is roughly 3% more expensive than in Hertfordshire, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Manchester 91% above, Hertfordshire 86% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.56 £15.22

$27.55 £20.40

-25.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$94.0 £69.6

$80.9 £59.9

16.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.03 £8.17

$10.81 £8.00

2.04%

Cappuccino

$4.82 £3.57

$5.02 £3.72

-3.98%

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

$2.53 £1.87

$2.46 £1.82

2.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.73 £1.28

$2.09 £1.54

-17.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.18 £6.06

$5.61 £4.15

45.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.84 £5.06

$5.57 £4.12

22.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.45 £1.08

$1.54 £1.14

-5.84%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 £1.36

$1.96 £1.45

-6.12%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.93 £1.43

$2.77 £2.05

-30.32%

Eggs

$3.99 £2.96

$3.67 £2.72

8.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.53 £7.05

$8.18 £6.06

16.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.96 £6.63

$7.28 £5.39

23.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.76 £11.67

$16.89 £12.50

-6.69%

Apples (1kg)

$3.21 £2.38

$3.44 £2.55

-6.69%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 £1.20

$1.64 £1.22

-1.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.01 £2.23

$3.13 £2.32

-3.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.42 £2.53

$3.46 £2.56

-1.16%

Potato (1kg)

$1.50 £1.11

$1.20 £0.88

25.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.33 £0.99

$1.83 £1.35

-27.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.29 £0.95

$1.28 £0.95

0.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.30 £0.96

$1.29 £0.95

0.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$24.36 £18.03

$21.90 £16.21

11.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.88 £8.05

$10.20 £7.55

6.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.46 £1.82

$2.07 £1.54

18.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.08 £2.28

$1.97 £1.46

56.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.68 £1.99

$3.50 £2.59

-23.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$109 £80.5

$88.1 £65.2

23.44%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.64 £3.43

$4.22 £3.13

9.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.16 £1.60

$4.15 £3.07

-47.95%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.39 £22.49

$31.88 £23.60

-4.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.09 £1.55

$2.03 £1.50

2.96%

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

$39.5K £29.2K

$38.6K £28.6K

2.25%

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

$41.6K £30.8K

$41.1K £30.4K

1.26%

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

$292 £216

$164 £122

78.07%

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

$16.65 £12.32

$17.96 £13.29

-7.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.66 £29.36

$45.81 £33.91

-13.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.3 £40.21

$47.42 £35.10

14.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.86 £13.96

Cinema Ticket

$13.54 £10.02

$13.71 £10.15

-1.24%

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

$1,309 £969

$1,640 £1,214

-20.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.0K £14.8K

$22.0K £16.3K

-9.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$88.1 £65.2

$47.50 £35.16

85.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.59 £30.79

$40.78 £30.19

1.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.3 £70.6

$75.0 £55.5

27.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 £78.9

$110 £81.7

-3.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,816 £1,344

$1,834 £1,357

-0.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,295 £958

$1,370 £1,014

-5.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,067 £2,270

$2,886 £2,137

6.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,020 £1,495

$2,335 £1,728

-13.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,729 £3,500

$5,138 £3,803

-7.96%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,465 £3,305

$4,448 £3,293

0.37%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,446 £2,551

$3,275 £2,424

5.21%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.87

5.21

-6.53%

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

Last update for Manchester: September 6, 2026

Last update for Hertfordshire: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,816 in Manchester and $1,834 in Hertfordshire. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Manchester pays 5% 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 $81.0 in Hertfordshire for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $300 vs $292 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, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 3% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 5% 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: $1,816 in Manchester versus $1,834 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 $94.0 in Manchester. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,637 per month in Manchester versus $2,559 in Hertfordshire – a 3% 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 3% less than in Manchester. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.