Cost of Living Comparison Between Manchester and Lincoln Cost of Living Comparison Between Manchester and Lincoln

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,651 in Manchester versus $2,288 in Lincoln.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,871 in Manchester versus $3,366 in Lincoln.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,091 in Manchester versus $4,444 in Lincoln.

Living in Manchester is roughly 16% more expensive than Lincoln, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Manchester 98% above, Lincoln 71% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.74 £15.45

$27.59 £20.55

-24.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$94.5 £70.4

$76.0 £56.6

24.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 £8.00

$10.34 £7.70

3.97%

Cappuccino

$4.94 £3.68

$5.41 £4.03

-8.69%

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

$2.59 £1.93

$2.26 £1.68

14.60%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.70 £1.26

$1.57 £1.17

8.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.41 £5.52

$6.91 £5.15

7.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.52 £5.60

$6.59 £4.91

14.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 £1.21

$1.48 £1.10

9.46%

White Bread (500g)

$1.80 £1.34

$1.47 £1.10

22.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.16 £1.61

$1.32 £0.98

63.64%

Eggs

$4.08 £3.04

$3.40 £2.53

20.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.05 £8.97

$9.15 £6.82

31.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.75 £7.26

$9.08 £6.76

7.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.39 £12.95

$11.87 £8.84

46.50%

Apples (1kg)

$3.30 £2.46

$3.86 £2.87

-14.51%

Banana (1kg)

$1.84 £1.37

$1.24 £0.92

48.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.82 £2.84

$2.85 £2.12

34.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.35 £3.24

$3.07 £2.29

41.69%

Potato (1kg)

$2.10 £1.56

$0.98 £0.73

114.29%

Onion (1kg)

$1.80 £1.34

$1.64 £1.22

9.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.31 £0.97

$1.24 £0.92

5.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.47 £1.10

$1.44 £1.07

2.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$18.73 £13.95

$18.84 £14.03

-0.58%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 £7.92

$10.21 £7.60

4.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.57 £1.91

$3.87 £2.88

-33.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.49 £2.60

$3.16 £2.36

10.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.75 £2.05

$4.42 £3.29

-37.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$121 £90.3

$87.8 £65.4

37.99%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.49 £4.09

$4.13 £3.08

32.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.85 £2.12

$1.53 £1.14

86.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.28 £25.53

$47.13 £35.10

-27.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.96 £1.46

$1.98 £1.47

-1.01%

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

$37.8K £28.1K

$34.1K £25.4K

10.65%

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

$41.8K £31.1K

$40.8K £30.4K

2.38%

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

$295 £220

$313 £233

-5.83%

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

$22.44 £16.71

$15.51 £11.55

44.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.92 £31.96

$46.54 £34.67

-7.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.39 £31.57

$43.31 £32.26

-2.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.07 £11.97

$18.75 £13.96

-14.29%

Cinema Ticket

$13.72 £10.22

$16.05 £11.96

-14.52%

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

$1,944 £1,448

$1,848 £1,377

5.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.8K £15.5K

0.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$90.6 £67.5

$108 £80.5

-16.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.85 £31.17

$43.51 £32.41

-3.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.5 £66.6

$78.6 £58.5

13.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 £79.0

$102 £75.7

4.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,637 £1,219

$1,105 £823

48.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,256 £936

$868 £646

44.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,702 £2,013

$1,948 £1,451

38.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,077 £1,547

$1,466 £1,092

41.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,107 £3,804

$2,594 £1,932

96.92%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,671 £3,479

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,247 £2,418

$3,247 £2,419

-0.01%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.92

5.56

6.47%

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

Last update for Manchester: May 31, 2026

Last update for Lincoln: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,637 in Manchester and $1,105 in Lincoln. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lincoln pays 0% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $94.0 in Manchester vs $76.0 in Lincoln for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $335 vs $285 per month, with Lincoln cheaper across the board.

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 Lincoln: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Manchester and Lincoln differ by about 16% in total monthly costs ($2,651 vs $2,288 including rent). Lincoln is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Lincoln earns 0% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,637 in Manchester versus $1,105 in Lincoln. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Lincoln – a meal for two runs $76.0 versus $94.0 in Manchester. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,651 per month in Manchester versus $2,288 in Lincoln – a 16% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,288 in Lincoln versus $2,651 in Manchester, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Lincoln but tight or insufficient in Manchester. The gap between the two cities makes Lincoln the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Manchester and Lincoln are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Lincoln gentler on the wallet – expenses run 16% less than in Manchester. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.