Cost of Living Comparison Between Manchester and Scarborough Cost of Living Comparison Between Manchester and Scarborough

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,696 per month in Manchester vs $1,985 in Scarborough, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,934 per month in Manchester vs $2,840 in Scarborough, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,171 per month in Manchester vs $3,696 in Scarborough, rent included.

Manchester costs about 36% more than Scarborough, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Manchester and Scarborough sit above the global median – Manchester by 100%, Scarborough by 47%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.33 £15.06

$14.49 £10.73

40.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$96.4 £71.5

$69.5 £51.5

38.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.79 £8.00

$10.20 £7.56

5.78%

Cappuccino

$5.04 £3.74

$4.41 £3.27

14.29%

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

$2.59 £1.92

$2.17 £1.61

19.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.69 £1.25

$0.96 £0.71

76.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.41 £5.49

$5.82 £4.32

27.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.52 £5.57

$4.76 £3.52

57.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.69 £1.25

$1.50 £1.11

12.67%

White Bread (500g)

$1.74 £1.29

$1.63 £1.21

6.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.24 £1.66

$2.42 £1.79

-7.44%

Eggs

$4.11 £3.04

$3.78 £2.80

8.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.17 £9.01

$8.98 £6.66

35.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.33 £6.92

$8.21 £6.09

13.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.36 £12.86

$9.40 £6.97

84.68%

Apples (1kg)

$3.22 £2.39

$3.41 £2.53

-5.57%

Banana (1kg)

$1.77 £1.31

$1.45 £1.08

22.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.94 £2.92

$1.43 £1.06

175.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.36 £3.23

$2.17 £1.60

100.92%

Potato (1kg)

$2.09 £1.55

$1.16 £0.86

80.17%

Onion (1kg)

$1.87 £1.39

$1.51 £1.12

23.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.32 £0.97

$1.05 £0.78

25.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.42 £1.05

$1.82 £1.35

-21.98%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$18.92 £14.02

$11.52 £8.53

64.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.72 £7.94

$10.77 £7.98

-0.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.53 £1.87

$2.81 £2.08

-9.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.47 £2.57

$2.68 £1.99

29.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.76 £2.05

$3.05 £2.26

-9.51%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$122 £90.1

$96.2 £71.3

26.52%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.52 £4.09

$4.26 £3.16

29.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.94 £2.18

$1.19 £0.88

147.06%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$33.51 £24.83

$16.34 £12.10

105.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.98 £1.47

$1.99 £1.48

-0.50%

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

$38.9K £28.8K

$36.2K £26.8K

7.57%

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

$41.2K £30.5K

$39.0K £28.9K

5.72%

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

$296 £219

$281 £208

5.47%

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

$22.89 £16.96

$16.02 £11.87

42.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$43.45 £32.20

$33.93 £25.14

28.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.06 £31.16

$33.93 £25.15

23.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.93 £11.80

$12.88 £9.55

23.68%

Cinema Ticket

$13.43 £9.95

$10.96 £8.12

22.54%

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

$1,956 £1,450

$1,738 £1,288

12.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.9K £15.5K

$18.3K £13.6K

14.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$90.6 £67.2

$68.2 £50.5

32.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.37 £30.66

$36.70 £27.19

12.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.2 £66.1

$113 £83.5

-20.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 £80.3

$89.3 £66.1

21.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,640 £1,216

$895 £663

83.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,256 £931

$858 £636

46.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,700 £2,001

$1,586 £1,175

70.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,083 £1,543

$1,199 £888

73.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,717 £3,495

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,596 £3,405

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,399 £2,519

$2,091 £1,549

62.57%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.92

5.45

8.62%

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

Last update for Manchester: April 14, 2026

Last update for Scarborough: April 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,640 in Manchester versus $895 in Scarborough. 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 63% 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 $69 in Scarborough. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $333 vs $268 – making Scarborough 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 Scarborough: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Manchester is pricier by about 36%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. 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 $2,977 in Scarborough. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Scarborough, 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 $1,738 in Scarborough. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 24% 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 Scarborough, where all-in costs run around $1,985, than in Manchester at $2,696. In Scarborough it covers expenses comfortably, while in Manchester it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Scarborough – 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 Scarborough. 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.