Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Manchester and Lewisham

For one person, living is cheaper in Manchester: $2,510 a month against $3,105 in Lewisham, rent and utilities included – about $7,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Manchester, United Kingdom
Lewisham, United Kingdom
Manchester
🇬🇧 United Kingdom
$2,510
/mo nomad
Lewisham
🇬🇧 United Kingdom
$3,105
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Manchester and in Lewisham

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Manchester and in Lewisham actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,510 per month in Manchester vs $3,105 in Lewisham, rent included.

  • Manchester $2,510
  • Lewisham $3,105

A couple spends around $3,643 per month in Manchester vs $4,989 in Lewisham, rent included.

  • Manchester $3,643
  • Lewisham $4,989

A family of three spends $4,776 per month in Manchester vs $6,874 in Lewisham, rent included.

  • Manchester $4,776
  • Lewisham $6,874

Manchester is about 19% cheaper than Lewisham, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both Manchester and Lewisham sit above the global median – Manchester by 86%, Lewisham by 130%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Manchester
Lewisham
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$20.16 £14.98
$23.61 £17.55
-14.61%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$87.5 £65.0
$79.2 £58.9
10.44%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.78 £8.01
$10.54 £7.83
2.28%
Cappuccino
$4.78 £3.55
$4.89 £3.64
-2.25%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.62 £1.95
$1.97 £1.46
32.99%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.74 £1.29
$1.77 £1.32
-1.69%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$7.92 £5.89
$6.37 £4.74
24.33%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$6.52 £4.84
$6.09 £4.52
7.06%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Manchester
Lewisham
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.35 £1.00
$1.73 £1.29
-21.97%
White Bread (500g)
$1.88 £1.39
$1.91 £1.42
-1.57%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.92 £1.42
$2.14 £1.59
-10.28%
Eggs
$4.04 £3.01
$4.40 £3.27
-8.18%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.58 £7.12
$6.55 £4.87
46.26%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.26 £6.88
$6.51 £4.84
42.24%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$15.66 £11.64
$12.15 £9.03
28.89%
Apples (1kg)
$3.07 £2.28
$4.45 £3.30
-31.01%
Banana (1kg)
$1.53 £1.14
$1.51 £1.12
1.32%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.91 £2.16
$1.92 £1.43
51.56%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.53 £2.62
$3.41 £2.54
3.52%
Potato (1kg)
$1.54 £1.15
$1.32 £0.98
16.67%
Onion (1kg)
$1.38 £1.03
$1.93 £1.44
-28.50%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.21 £0.90
$0.80 £0.59
51.25%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.38 £1.03
$1.48 £1.10
-6.76%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$24.21 £17.99
$23.23 £17.27
4.22%
Wine (Bottle)
$11.05 £8.21
$11.23 £8.34
-1.60%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.49 £1.85
$2.35 £1.75
5.96%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.90 £2.15
$1.90 £1.41
52.63%
🚌 Getting Around
Manchester
Lewisham
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.61 £1.94
$3.08 £2.29
-15.26%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$109 £81.1
$154 £114
-28.96%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.47 £3.32
$6.82 £5.07
-34.46%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.21 £1.64
$2.27 £1.69
-2.64%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$30.93 £22.99
$30.20 £22.44
2.42%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.18 £1.62
$2.08 £1.55
4.81%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$39.2K £29.2K
$38.4K £28.5K
2.19%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$39.9K £29.7K
$40.1K £29.8K
-0.42%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Manchester
Lewisham
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$248 £185
$406 £301
-38.79%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$16.31 £12.12
$23.56 £17.51
-30.77%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$39.73 £29.53
$43.77 £32.53
-9.23%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Manchester
Lewisham
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$42.93 £31.91
$46.10 £34.26
-6.88%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.99 £13.37
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$13.46 £10.01
$16.88 £12.54
-20.26%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Manchester
Lewisham
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,448 £1,076
$808 £600
79.37%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$21.0K £15.6K
$22.9K £17.0K
-8.07%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Manchester
Lewisham
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$83.3 £61.9
$156 £116
-46.76%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$43.32 £32.19
$66.8 £49.66
-35.17%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$95.4 £70.9
$136 £101
-29.78%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$99.9 £74.2
$126 £93.3
-20.45%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Manchester
Lewisham
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,818 £1,351
$2,248 £1,671
-19.14%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,234 £917
$1,538 £1,143
-19.78%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,925 £2,174
$2,038 £1,514
43.55%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,921 £1,428
$3,636 £2,702
-47.18%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,751 £3,531
$5,203 £3,867
-8.70%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$4,313 £3,206
$3,908 £2,904
10.39%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Manchester
Lewisham
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,798 £2,823
$3,206 £2,382
18.48%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.79
5.54
-13.54%

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

Last update for Manchester: November 2, 2026

Last update for Lewisham: October 31, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Manchester
$1.2K
Lewisham
$1.5K 24.7% $304
Eating Out
Manchester
$321
Lewisham
$338 5.3% $17
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Manchester
$304
Lewisham
$473 55.4% $169
Groceries & Markets
Manchester
$301
Lewisham
$274 9% $27
Clothing & Footwear
Manchester
$145
Lewisham
$218 50.6% $73
Getting Around
Manchester
$135
Lewisham
$184 36.3% $49
Sport & Entertainment
Manchester
$70
Lewisham
$80 14.3% $10

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,818 in Manchester versus $2,248 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 18% 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 $87 in Manchester versus $79 in Lewisham. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $301 vs $274 – making Lewisham the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇬🇧 Manchester
🇬🇧 Lewisham
🕒 Local time
07:50 7:50 AM
07:50 7:50 AM
Same time as Manchester
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
503,100
96,224
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to GBP – British Pound Converter

British Pound exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 0.743 GBP (1 GBP = 1.35 USD). 1 EUR = 0.835 GBP (1 GBP = 1.2 EUR).

On the map
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  • Manchester Lewisham 270 km
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  • Manchester
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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
Which city is more expensive, Manchester or Lewisham?
Lewisham costs about 24% more than Manchester, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from clothing. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Manchester and in Lewisham?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,765 per month in Manchester and $4,658 in Lewisham. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Manchester or Lewisham?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Manchester, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,818 there versus $2,248 in Lewisham.
Are groceries more expensive in Manchester or in Lewisham?
Interestingly, groceries are about 9% cheaper in Lewisham – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value.
How do dining costs compare in Manchester and in Lewisham?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $87 in Manchester and $79 in Lewisham. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Can you live on $2,500/month in Manchester or in Lewisham?
$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,510 in Manchester and $3,105 in Lewisham. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.
Which city offers a better quality of life: Manchester or Lewisham?
It depends on your priorities. Manchester has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,510 in Manchester to $3,105 in Lewisham. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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