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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,614 per month in Manchester vs $3,199 in Lewisham, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,917 per month in Manchester vs $5,053 in Lewisham, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,220 per month in Manchester vs $6,908 in Lewisham, rent included.

Manchester is about 18% cheaper than Lewisham, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Manchester and Lewisham sit above the global median – Manchester by 95%, Lewisham by 138%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.40 £15.17

$20.44 £15.19

-0.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$96.5 £71.7

$80.8 £60.1

19.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.72 £7.97

$10.07 £7.49

6.45%

Cappuccino

$5.01 £3.73

$4.81 £3.58

4.16%

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

$2.61 £1.94

$2.00 £1.49

30.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.70 £1.27

$1.85 £1.38

-8.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.53 £5.60

$8.99 £6.68

-16.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.44 £5.53

$8.65 £6.43

-13.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 £1.25

$2.16 £1.60

-22.22%

White Bread (500g)

$1.70 £1.27

$2.49 £1.85

-31.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.13 £1.59

$3.06 £2.27

-30.39%

Eggs

$3.94 £2.93

$5.91 £4.40

-33.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.33 £9.17

$6.81 £5.06

81.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.73 £7.23

$7.64 £5.68

27.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.04 £12.67

$12.28 £9.13

38.76%

Apples (1kg)

$3.33 £2.47

$4.65 £3.46

-28.39%

Banana (1kg)

$1.77 £1.31

$1.63 £1.21

8.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.86 £2.87

$2.86 £2.13

34.97%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.36 £3.24

$3.97 £2.95

9.82%

Potato (1kg)

$2.03 £1.51

$1.61 £1.20

26.09%

Onion (1kg)

$1.83 £1.36

$2.64 £1.96

-30.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.26 £0.94

$0.93 £0.69

35.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.42 £1.06

$1.53 £1.14

-7.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$18.75 £13.94

$25.70 £19.11

-27.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.59 £7.87

$11.30 £8.40

-6.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.49 £1.85

$2.31 £1.72

7.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.43 £2.55

$1.85 £1.37

85.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.68 £1.99

$6.09 £4.53

-55.99%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$124 £92.4

$87.7 £65.2

41.72%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.51 £4.09

$5.61 £4.17

-1.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.92 £2.17

$2.18 £1.62

33.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.55 £25.69

$22.95 £17.06

50.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.96 £1.46

$2.17 £1.62

-9.68%

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

$38.3K £28.5K

$38.7K £28.7K

-0.98%

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

$41.6K £31.0K

$40.5K £30.1K

2.75%

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

$299 £222

$412 £306

-27.40%

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

$22.46 £16.70

$17.36 £12.91

29.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.39 £31.51

$39.51 £29.38

7.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.08 £31.29

$44.10 £32.79

-4.58%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.04 £11.93

Cinema Ticket

$13.61 £10.12

$20.33 £15.11

-33.05%

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

$1,940 £1,442

$1,595 £1,186

21.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.9K £15.6K

$18.5K £13.8K

13.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$88.5 £65.8

$161 £120

-45.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.66 £30.97

$59.9 £44.55

-30.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.5 £67.3

$149 £111

-39.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 £79.7

$168 £125

-36.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,599 £1,189

$2,127 £1,581

-24.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,261 £937

$1,572 £1,169

-19.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,704 £2,011

$2,054 £1,527

31.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,038 £1,515

$3,655 £2,717

-44.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,929 £3,665

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,694 £3,490

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,254 £2,419

$3,867 £2,875

-15.86%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.92

6.93

-14.57%

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

Last update for Manchester: June 7, 2026

Last update for Lewisham: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,599 in Manchester versus $2,127 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 19% higher in Lewisham, 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 $96.0 in Manchester versus $81.0 in Lewisham. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $332 vs $312 – 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 22% 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 $3,921 per month in Manchester and $4,799 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 6% 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 $96.0 in Manchester and $81.0 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 $2,614 in Manchester and $3,199 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 $2,614 versus $3,199 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.