Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Manchester and Perth

For one person, living is cheaper in Perth: $2,216 a month against $2,532 in Manchester, rent and utilities included – about $3,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Manchester
🇬🇧 United Kingdom
$2,532
/mo nomad
Perth
🇬🇧 United Kingdom
$2,216
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Manchester and in Perth

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 Perth actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,532 per month in Manchester vs $2,216 in Perth, rent included.

  • Manchester $2,532
  • Perth $2,216

A couple spends around $3,686 per month in Manchester vs $3,240 in Perth, rent included.

  • Manchester $3,686
  • Perth $3,240

A family of three spends $4,839 per month in Manchester vs $4,263 in Perth, rent included.

  • Manchester $4,839
  • Perth $4,263

Manchester costs about 14% more than Perth, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Manchester and Perth sit above the global median – Manchester by 87%, Perth by 64%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Manchester
Perth
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$20.23 £15.18
$23.86 £17.90
-15.21%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$87.1 £65.3
$79.7 £59.8
9.29%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.83 £8.12
$16.07 £12.05
-32.61%
Cappuccino
$4.81 £3.61
$4.12 £3.09
16.75%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.44 £1.83
$2.40 £1.80
1.67%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.62 £1.21
$1.69 £1.26
-4.14%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$7.82 £5.87
$6.50 £4.88
20.31%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$6.48 £4.86
$5.64 £4.23
14.89%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Manchester
Perth
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.45 £1.09
$1.40 £1.05
3.57%
White Bread (500g)
$1.95 £1.47
$1.37 £1.03
42.34%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.86 £1.40
$1.86 £1.40
-
Eggs
$4.05 £3.04
$2.43 £1.82
66.67%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.76 £7.32
$8.20 £6.15
19.02%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.11 £6.83
$8.65 £6.49
5.32%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$15.52 £11.64
$13.57 £10.18
14.37%
Apples (1kg)
$3.20 £2.40
$2.20 £1.65
45.45%
Banana (1kg)
$1.52 £1.14
$1.62 £1.21
-6.17%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.02 £2.26
$2.61 £1.95
15.71%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.34 £2.51
$3.23 £2.42
3.41%
Potato (1kg)
$1.55 £1.17
$1.50 £1.12
3.33%
Onion (1kg)
$1.30 £0.98
$1.71 £1.28
-23.98%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.22 £0.92
$1.06 £0.79
15.09%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.28 £0.96
$1.54 £1.16
-16.88%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$23.68 £17.77
$20.81 £15.61
13.79%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.88 £8.16
$11.27 £8.45
-3.46%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.55 £1.91
$3.00 £2.25
-15.00%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.15 £2.36
$2.87 £2.15
9.76%
🚌 Getting Around
Manchester
Perth
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.68 £2.01
$3.61 £2.71
-25.76%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$105 £79.1
$97.8 £73.4
7.79%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.42 £3.31
$5.21 £3.91
-15.16%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.20 £1.65
$2.64 £1.98
-16.67%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$30.45 £22.85
$24.06 £18.05
26.56%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.04 £1.53
$1.92 £1.44
6.25%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$39.2K £29.4K
$35.2K £26.4K
11.18%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$40.3K £30.2K
$40.7K £30.6K
-1.17%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Manchester
Perth
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$252 £189
$614 £460
-58.99%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$16.62 £12.47
$13.28 £9.96
25.15%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$40.61 £30.47
$36.40 £27.31
11.57%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Manchester
Perth
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$55.1 £41.32
$46.47 £34.86
18.53%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.02 £13.52
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$13.26 £9.95
$14.41 £10.81
-7.98%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Manchester
Perth
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,252 £939
$1,234 £926
1.44%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$19.9K £14.9K
$25.2K £18.9K
-21.10%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Manchester
Perth
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$84.2 £63.2
$91.5 £68.6
-7.96%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$42.72 £32.05
$45.09 £33.82
-5.26%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$92.2 £69.2
$66.8 £50.1
38.15%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$106 £79.8
$142 £107
-25.30%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Manchester
Perth
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,789 £1,342
$691 £518
158.98%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,242 £932
$568 £426
118.62%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,014 £2,261
$1,207 £906
149.60%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,961 £1,471
$1,092 £819
79.50%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,552 £3,415
$5,077 £3,809
-10.35%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$4,349 £3,262
$3,805 £2,854
14.30%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Manchester
Perth
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,460 £2,596
$2,454 £1,841
40.99%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.82
5.07
-4.93%

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

Last update for Manchester: October 18, 2026

Last update for Perth: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Manchester
$1.2K
Perth
$568 54.3% $674
Eating Out
Manchester
$320
Perth
$349 8.8% $28
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Manchester
$309
Perth
$663 115% $354
Groceries & Markets
Manchester
$301
Perth
$275 8.8% $27
Clothing & Footwear
Manchester
$146
Perth
$156 6.2% $9.1
Getting Around
Manchester
$132
Perth
$131 0.7% $0.9
Sport & Entertainment
Manchester
$82
Perth
$75 7.7% $6.3

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,789 in Manchester versus $691 in Perth. 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 41% higher in Manchester, 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 $87.0 in Manchester versus $80.0 in Perth. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $301 vs $275 – making Perth the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇬🇧 Manchester
🇬🇧 Perth
🕒 Local time
06:06 6:06 AM
06:06 6:06 AM
Same time as Manchester
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
503,100
46,660
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to GBP – British Pound Converter

British Pound exchange rates as of October 23, 2026: 1 USD = 0.75 GBP (1 GBP = 1.33 USD). 1 EUR = 0.843 GBP (1 GBP = 1.19 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Manchester Perth 330 km
From you
  • Manchester
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Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Perth: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Perth cheaper than Manchester?
Yes – Manchester is pricier by about 14%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,798 per month in Manchester and $3,324 in Perth. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Perth, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $1,252 per month in Manchester and $1,234 in Perth. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
How do food prices compare in Manchester and in Perth?
Groceries cost about 10% more in Manchester, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Is $2,000 a realistic budget for living in Manchester or in Perth?
A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Perth, where all-in costs run around $2,216, than in Manchester at $2,532. In Perth it covers expenses comfortably, while in Manchester it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Manchester or Perth more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Perth – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is safer, Manchester or Perth?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Perth. 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.

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