Cost of Living Comparison Between Manchester and Lichfield Cost of Living Comparison Between Manchester and Lichfield

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,651 per month in Manchester vs $2,229 in Lichfield, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,871 per month in Manchester vs $3,299 in Lichfield, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,091 per month in Manchester vs $4,370 in Lichfield, rent included.

Manchester costs about 19% more than Lichfield, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Manchester and Lichfield sit above the global median – Manchester by 98%, Lichfield by 66%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.74 £15.45

$20.69 £15.41

0.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$94.5 £70.4

$67.1 £49.98

40.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 £8.00

$8.85 £6.59

21.47%

Cappuccino

$4.94 £3.68

$4.04 £3.01

22.28%

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

$2.59 £1.93

$1.96 £1.46

32.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.70 £1.26

$1.18 £0.88

44.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.41 £5.52

$5.46 £4.07

35.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.52 £5.60

$6.23 £4.64

20.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 £1.21

$1.66 £1.24

-2.41%

White Bread (500g)

$1.80 £1.34

$1.60 £1.19

12.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.16 £1.61

$2.31 £1.72

-6.49%

Eggs

$4.08 £3.04

$3.55 £2.64

14.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.05 £8.97

$9.93 £7.39

21.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.75 £7.26

$7.89 £5.87

23.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.39 £12.95

$12.10 £9.01

43.72%

Apples (1kg)

$3.30 £2.46

$2.26 £1.69

46.02%

Banana (1kg)

$1.84 £1.37

$1.74 £1.30

5.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.82 £2.84

$2.01 £1.50

90.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.35 £3.24

$2.81 £2.09

54.80%

Potato (1kg)

$2.10 £1.56

$1.23 £0.92

70.73%

Onion (1kg)

$1.80 £1.34

$1.42 £1.05

26.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.31 £0.97

$0.82 £0.61

59.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.47 £1.10

$1.37 £1.02

7.30%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$18.73 £13.95

$19.19 £14.29

-2.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 £7.92

$11.15 £8.30

-4.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.57 £1.91

$2.91 £2.17

-11.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.49 £2.60

$2.63 £1.96

32.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.75 £2.05

$3.32 £2.47

-17.17%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$121 £90.3

$87.0 £64.8

39.34%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.49 £4.09

$5.19 £3.87

5.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.85 £2.12

$1.38 £1.03

106.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.28 £25.53

$23.26 £17.33

47.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.96 £1.46

$1.95 £1.45

0.51%

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

$37.8K £28.1K

$38.4K £28.6K

-1.69%

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

$41.8K £31.1K

$39.4K £29.3K

6.16%

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

$295 £220

$278 £207

6.21%

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

$22.44 £16.71

$17.00 £12.67

32.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.92 £31.96

$41.45 £30.87

3.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.39 £31.57

$46.55 £34.67

-8.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.07 £11.97

Cinema Ticket

$13.72 £10.22

$15.12 £11.26

-9.26%

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

$1,944 £1,448

$1,046 £779

85.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.8K £15.5K

$19.1K £14.2K

9.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$90.6 £67.5

$94.2 £70.2

-3.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.85 £31.17

$37.62 £28.02

11.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.5 £66.6

$119 £88.9

-25.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 £79.0

$94.8 £70.6

11.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,637 £1,219

$1,232 £917

32.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,256 £936

$1,018 £759

23.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,702 £2,013

$1,385 £1,031

95.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,077 £1,547

$1,724 £1,284

20.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,107 £3,804

$5,253 £3,912

-2.77%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,671 £3,479

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,247 £2,418

$4,527 £3,372

-28.28%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.92

5.9

0.34%

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

Last update for Manchester: May 31, 2026

Last update for Lichfield: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,637 in Manchester versus $1,232 in Lichfield. 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 39% higher in Lichfield, 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 $94.0 in Manchester versus $67.0 in Lichfield. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $335 vs $274 – making Lichfield 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 Lichfield: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,651 in Manchester, $2,229 in Lichfield – roughly 19% apart. Manchester costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,977 per month in Manchester and $3,344 in Lichfield. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 39% less in Lichfield. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $1,944 per month in Manchester and $1,046 in Lichfield. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Lichfield, where all-in costs run around $2,229, than in Manchester at $2,651. In Lichfield it covers expenses comfortably, while in Manchester it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Manchester has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,229 in Lichfield to $2,651 in Manchester. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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