Cost of Living Comparison Between Manchester and Ilford Cost of Living Comparison Between Manchester and Ilford

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,651 per month in Manchester vs $3,005 in Ilford, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,871 per month in Manchester vs $3,949 in Ilford, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,091 per month in Manchester vs $4,893 in Ilford, rent included.

Manchester is about 12% cheaper than Ilford, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Manchester and Ilford sit above the global median – Manchester by 98%, Ilford by 124%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.74 £15.42

$20.59 £15.30

0.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$94.5 £70.2

$88.3 £65.7

6.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 £7.99

$10.70 £7.96

0.47%

Cappuccino

$4.94 £3.67

$4.68 £3.48

5.56%

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

$2.59 £1.92

$1.51 £1.13

71.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.70 £1.26

$1.09 £0.81

55.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.41 £5.51

$5.29 £3.93

40.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.52 £5.59

$6.28 £4.67

19.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 £1.21

$1.41 £1.05

14.89%

White Bread (500g)

$1.80 £1.34

$1.41 £1.05

27.66%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.16 £1.60

$2.17 £1.61

-0.46%

Eggs

$4.08 £3.03

$3.62 £2.69

12.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.05 £8.95

$8.34 £6.20

44.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.75 £7.25

$8.44 £6.27

15.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.39 £12.93

$13.32 £9.90

30.56%

Apples (1kg)

$3.30 £2.46

$3.23 £2.40

2.17%

Banana (1kg)

$1.84 £1.37

$1.56 £1.16

17.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.82 £2.84

$2.87 £2.13

33.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.35 £3.23

$2.91 £2.16

49.48%

Potato (1kg)

$2.10 £1.56

$1.74 £1.29

20.69%

Onion (1kg)

$1.80 £1.34

$1.51 £1.12

19.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.31 £0.97

$1.29 £0.96

1.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.47 £1.10

$1.40 £1.04

5.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$18.73 £13.92

$20.45 £15.20

-8.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 £7.91

$9.04 £6.72

17.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.57 £1.91

$2.73 £2.03

-5.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.49 £2.60

$2.44 £1.81

43.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.75 £2.04

$3.48 £2.59

-20.98%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$121 £90.1

$89.4 £66.4

35.58%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.49 £4.08

$6.14 £4.57

-10.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.85 £2.12

$2.12 £1.58

34.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.28 £25.48

$29.52 £21.94

16.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.96 £1.46

$1.93 £1.44

1.55%

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

$37.8K £28.1K

$38.3K £28.5K

-1.48%

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

$41.8K £31.1K

$38.6K £28.7K

8.36%

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

$295 £219

$318 £236

-7.09%

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

$22.44 £16.68

$16.22 £12.05

38.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.92 £31.90

$35.41 £26.32

21.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.39 £31.51

$28.63 £21.28

48.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.07 £11.94

Cinema Ticket

$13.72 £10.19

$20.71 £15.39

-33.75%

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

$1,944 £1,445

$1,880 £1,397

3.39%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.8K £15.5K

$22.6K £16.8K

-7.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$90.6 £67.4

$103 £76.3

-11.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.85 £31.11

$41.29 £30.69

1.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.5 £66.5

$90.1 £66.9

-0.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 £78.9

$98.8 £73.4

7.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,637 £1,217

$1,387 £1,031

18.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,256 £934

$1,747 £1,299

-28.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,702 £2,009

$3,015 £2,241

-10.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,077 £1,544

$2,191 £1,628

-5.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,107 £3,796

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,671 £3,472

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,247 £2,414

$3,566 £2,651

-8.95%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.92

5.45

8.62%

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

Last update for Manchester: May 31, 2026

Last update for Ilford: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,637 in Manchester versus $1,387 in Ilford. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 10% higher in Ilford, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $94.0 in Manchester versus $88.0 in Ilford. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $335 vs $277 – making Ilford the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Ilford: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ilford costs about 13% more than Manchester, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,977 per month in Manchester and $4,508 in Ilford. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Manchester, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 21% cheaper in Ilford – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $94.0 in Manchester and $88.0 in Ilford. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Manchester, where all-in costs run around $2,651, than in Ilford at $3,005. In Manchester it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ilford it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Manchester costs $2,651 versus $3,005 in Ilford. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Manchester. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Ilford makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.