Cost of Living Comparison Between Manchester and Lewisham Cost of Living Comparison Between Manchester and Lewisham

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,573 per month in Manchester vs $3,107 in Lewisham, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,790 per month in Manchester vs $5,002 in Lewisham, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,008 per month in Manchester vs $6,897 in Lewisham, rent included.

Manchester is about 17% cheaper than Lewisham, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Manchester and Lewisham sit above the global median – Manchester by 88%, Lewisham by 127%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.21 £15.11

$23.92 £17.88

-15.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$94.7 £70.8

$80.4 £60.1

17.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 £8.03

$10.90 £8.14

-1.38%

Cappuccino

$4.74 £3.55

$4.76 £3.55

-0.42%

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

$2.55 £1.91

$2.05 £1.54

24.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 £1.25

$1.80 £1.35

-7.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.90 £5.91

$6.74 £5.04

17.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 £5.08

$6.13 £4.58

10.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.52 £1.14

$1.76 £1.32

-13.64%

White Bread (500g)

$1.92 £1.44

$2.01 £1.50

-4.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.99 £1.49

$2.11 £1.58

-5.69%

Eggs

$3.80 £2.84

$4.38 £3.27

-13.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.14 £6.83

$6.84 £5.11

33.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.16 £6.84

$6.56 £4.90

39.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.93 £11.90

$12.09 £9.04

31.76%

Apples (1kg)

$3.27 £2.44

$4.32 £3.23

-24.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.53 £1.14

$1.46 £1.09

4.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.91 £2.18

$1.90 £1.42

53.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.52 £2.63

$3.48 £2.60

1.15%

Potato (1kg)

$1.51 £1.13

$1.38 £1.03

9.42%

Onion (1kg)

$1.37 £1.02

$1.89 £1.41

-27.51%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.28 £0.96

$0.76 £0.57

68.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.30 £0.97

$1.51 £1.13

-13.91%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$23.77 £17.76

$23.95 £17.90

-0.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.21 £8.38

$11.62 £8.69

-3.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.60 £1.94

$2.27 £1.70

14.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 £2.42

$1.86 £1.39

73.66%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.65 £1.98

$2.99 £2.24

-11.37%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$109 £81.4

$158 £118

-30.88%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.47 £3.34

$6.56 £4.90

-31.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.23 £1.67

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.87 £23.07

$31.04 £23.20

-0.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.11 £1.57

$1.96 £1.47

7.65%

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

$39.6K £29.6K

$38.4K £28.7K

3.04%

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

$40.6K £30.3K

$40.3K £30.1K

0.64%

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

$294 £219

$408 £305

-28.06%

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

$16.69 £12.47

$24.78 £18.52

-32.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.09 £29.96

$43.23 £32.30

-7.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.6 £40.76

$46.30 £34.60

17.82%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.12 £13.54

Cinema Ticket

$13.38 £10.00

$17.04 £12.73

-21.48%

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

$1,275 £953

$817 £611

56.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.3K £15.2K

$82.1K £61.4K

-75.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$84.9 £63.4

$161 £120

-47.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.46 £31.73

$67.5 £50.4

-37.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.4 £71.3

$136 £102

-29.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 £79.7

$129 £96.4

-17.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,809 £1,352

$2,325 £1,738

-22.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,265 £946

$1,571 £1,174

-19.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,122 £2,333

$5,568 £4,161

-43.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,987 £1,485

$3,655 £2,731

-45.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,695 £3,508

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,509 £3,370

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,436 £2,567

$3,248 £2,428

5.76%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.87

5.54

-12.09%

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

Last update for Manchester: September 12, 2026

Last update for Lewisham: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,809 in Manchester versus $2,325 in Lewisham. 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 6% higher in Manchester, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $95.0 in Manchester versus $80.0 in Lewisham. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $303 vs $276 – making Lewisham 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 Lewisham: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lewisham costs about 21% more than Manchester, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,860 per month in Manchester and $4,660 in Lewisham. 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 10% cheaper in Lewisham – 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 $95.0 in Manchester and $80.0 in Lewisham. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,573 in Manchester and $3,107 in Lewisham. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Manchester costs $2,573 versus $3,107 in Lewisham. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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