Cost of Living Comparison Between Manchester and Retford Cost of Living Comparison Between Manchester and Retford

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,696 per month in Manchester vs $2,301 in Retford, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,934 per month in Manchester vs $3,426 in Retford, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,171 per month in Manchester vs $4,552 in Retford, rent included.

Manchester costs about 17% more than Retford, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Manchester and Retford sit above the global median – Manchester by 100%, Retford by 71%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.33 £15.02

$20.39 £15.07

-0.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$96.4 £71.3

$81.3 £60.1

18.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.79 £7.97

$10.23 £7.56

5.47%

Cappuccino

$5.04 £3.73

$4.55 £3.36

10.77%

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

$2.59 £1.91

$2.38 £1.76

8.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.69 £1.25

$1.66 £1.23

1.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.41 £5.47

$6.09 £4.50

21.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.52 £5.56

$6.18 £4.56

21.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.69 £1.25

$1.66 £1.22

1.81%

White Bread (500g)

$1.74 £1.29

$1.58 £1.17

10.13%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.24 £1.66

$2.31 £1.70

-3.03%

Eggs

$4.11 £3.04

$3.96 £2.93

3.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.17 £8.99

$9.61 £7.10

26.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.33 £6.90

$8.77 £6.48

6.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.36 £12.83

$14.08 £10.41

23.30%

Apples (1kg)

$3.22 £2.38

$3.06 £2.26

5.23%

Banana (1kg)

$1.77 £1.31

$1.63 £1.20

8.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.94 £2.91

$2.88 £2.13

36.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.36 £3.22

$3.47 £2.57

25.65%

Potato (1kg)

$2.09 £1.54

$1.67 £1.24

25.15%

Onion (1kg)

$1.87 £1.38

$1.47 £1.08

27.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.32 £0.97

$1.11 £0.82

18.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.42 £1.05

$1.45 £1.07

-2.07%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$18.92 £13.98

$19.32 £14.28

-2.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.72 £7.92

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.53 £1.87

$2.74 £2.02

-7.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.47 £2.57

$3.10 £2.29

11.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.76 £2.04

$3.46 £2.56

-20.23%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$122 £89.9

$88.8 £65.6

37.02%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.52 £4.08

$5.28 £3.90

4.55%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.94 £2.17

$1.58 £1.16

86.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$33.51 £24.77

$23.19 £17.14

44.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.98 £1.47

$1.87 £1.38

5.88%

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

$38.9K £28.8K

$38.0K £28.1K

2.50%

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

$41.2K £30.5K

$41.1K £30.4K

0.33%

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

$296 £219

$301 £222

-1.58%

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

$22.89 £16.92

$16.92 £12.50

35.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$43.45 £32.11

$43.68 £32.28

-0.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.06 £31.08

$45.93 £33.94

-8.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.93 £11.77

Cinema Ticket

$13.43 £9.93

$13.64 £10.08

-1.54%

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

$1,956 £1,446

$1,574 £1,163

24.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.9K £15.5K

$18.0K £13.3K

16.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$90.6 £67.0

$83.0 £61.3

9.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.37 £30.57

$43.87 £32.42

-5.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.2 £65.9

$93.1 £68.8

-4.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 £80.0

$100 £73.9

8.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,640 £1,212

$1,234 £912

32.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,256 £928

$998 £738

25.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,700 £1,996

$2,032 £1,501

32.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,083 £1,539

$1,704 £1,259

22.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,717 £3,486

$2,180 £1,611

116.36%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,596 £3,396

$2,026 £1,497

126.79%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,399 £2,512

$1,375 £1,016

147.21%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.92

5.63

5.15%

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

Last update for Manchester: April 14, 2026

Last update for Retford: April 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,640 in Manchester versus $1,234 in Retford. 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 147% 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 $96 in Manchester versus $81 in Retford. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $333 vs $297 – making Retford 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 Retford: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Manchester is pricier by about 17%, 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 $4,045 per month in Manchester and $3,451 in Retford. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $1,956 per month in Manchester and $1,574 in Retford. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 12% 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 Retford, where all-in costs run around $2,301, than in Manchester at $2,696. In Retford it covers expenses comfortably, while in Manchester it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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

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 Retford. 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.