Cost of Living Comparison Between Manchester and Nottingham Cost of Living Comparison Between Manchester and Nottingham

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,684 per month in Manchester vs $2,264 in Nottingham, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,957 per month in Manchester vs $3,188 in Nottingham, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,230 per month in Manchester vs $4,112 in Nottingham, rent included.

Manchester costs about 19% more than Nottingham, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Manchester and Nottingham sit above the global median – Manchester by 101%, Nottingham by 69%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.17 £15.01

$20.65 £15.37

-2.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$96.9 £72.1

$68.0 £50.6

42.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.78 £8.02

$10.79 £8.03

-0.09%

Cappuccino

$5.10 £3.80

$4.55 £3.39

12.09%

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

$2.53 £1.88

$2.50 £1.86

1.20%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.68 £1.25

$1.34 £1.00

25.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.31 £5.44

$5.95 £4.43

22.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.67 £5.71

$6.37 £4.74

20.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.69 £1.26

$1.75 £1.30

-3.43%

White Bread (500g)

$1.71 £1.27

$1.55 £1.16

10.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.25 £1.68

$1.45 £1.08

55.17%

Eggs

$4.07 £3.03

$4.32 £3.22

-5.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.25 £9.12

$7.21 £5.36

69.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.42 £7.02

$8.89 £6.62

5.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.22 £12.82

$16.05 £11.95

7.29%

Apples (1kg)

$3.35 £2.50

$3.23 £2.40

3.72%

Banana (1kg)

$1.80 £1.34

$2.18 £1.62

-17.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.01 £2.99

$4.15 £3.09

-3.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.14 £3.08

$2.99 £2.22

38.46%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 £1.52

$1.81 £1.35

13.26%

Onion (1kg)

$1.80 £1.34

$1.47 £1.10

22.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.25 £0.93

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.49 £1.11

$1.61 £1.20

-7.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$19.21 £14.30

$20.65 £15.37

-6.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.00 £7.45

$13.25 £9.86

-24.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.46 £1.83

$3.66 £2.72

-32.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.61 £2.69

$4.78 £3.56

-24.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.65 £1.97

$4.15 £3.09

-36.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$122 £90.6

$95.5 £71.1

27.41%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.33 £3.97

$5.52 £4.11

-3.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.86 £2.13

$1.50 £1.12

90.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$33.58 £25.00

$22.93 £17.07

46.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.89 £1.40

$1.98 £1.47

-4.55%

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

$38.7K £28.8K

$37.8K £28.2K

2.33%

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

$41.5K £30.9K

$42.2K £31.4K

-1.62%

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

$302 £225

$253 £188

19.47%

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

$22.97 £17.10

$16.25 £12.10

41.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$43.39 £32.30

$41.41 £30.83

4.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.99 £30.52

$41.25 £30.71

-0.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.62 £11.63

$7.84 £5.84

99.23%

Cinema Ticket

$13.50 £10.05

$15.96 £11.89

-15.41%

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

$1,984 £1,477

$1,766 £1,315

12.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.0K £15.6K

$23.0K £17.1K

-8.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$91.3 £67.9

$76.8 £57.2

18.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.23 £31.44

$68.0 £50.7

-37.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.1 £65.6

$100 £74.7

-12.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 £80.6

$95.5 £71.1

13.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,638 £1,220

$1,234 £919

32.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,256 £935

$929 £692

35.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,747 £2,045

$1,773 £1,320

54.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,049 £1,526

$1,390 £1,035

47.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,946 £3,682

$4,102 £3,054

20.58%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,671 £3,478

$4,864 £3,621

-3.96%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,154 £2,348

$3,458 £2,574

-8.79%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Nottingham: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,638 in Manchester versus $1,234 in Nottingham. 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 10% higher in Nottingham, 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 $97.0 in Manchester versus $68.0 in Nottingham. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $331 vs $318 – making Nottingham 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 Nottingham: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Manchester is pricier by about 19%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,026 per month in Manchester and $3,396 in Nottingham. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $1,984 per month in Manchester and $1,766 in Nottingham. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 4% more in Manchester, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Nottingham, where all-in costs run around $2,264, than in Manchester at $2,684. In Nottingham it covers expenses comfortably, while in Manchester it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Nottingham – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Nottingham. 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.