Cost of Living Comparison Between Manchester and Slough Cost of Living Comparison Between Manchester and Slough

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,631 per month in Manchester vs $2,665 in Slough, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,842 per month in Manchester vs $3,932 in Slough, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,053 per month in Manchester vs $5,199 in Slough, rent included.

Manchester is about 1% cheaper than Slough, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Manchester and Slough sit above the global median – Manchester by 97%, Slough by 99%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.34 £15.05

$20.07 £14.85

1.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$95.0 £70.3

$88.8 £65.7

7.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.92 £8.08

$11.04 £8.17

-1.09%

Cappuccino

$4.98 £3.68

$4.92 £3.64

1.22%

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

$2.62 £1.94

$2.96 £2.19

-11.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.75 £1.30

$2.22 £1.64

-21.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.38 £5.46

$6.05 £4.48

21.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.40 £5.48

$6.61 £4.89

11.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 £1.21

$1.43 £1.06

14.69%

White Bread (500g)

$1.70 £1.26

$1.31 £0.97

29.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.18 £1.61

$2.63 £1.95

-17.11%

Eggs

$3.94 £2.92

$3.54 £2.62

11.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.35 £9.14

$9.99 £7.39

23.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.85 £7.29

$8.15 £6.03

20.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.45 £12.91

$13.33 £9.87

30.91%

Apples (1kg)

$3.20 £2.37

$2.94 £2.18

8.84%

Banana (1kg)

$1.79 £1.32

$1.56 £1.15

14.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.95 £2.93

$2.98 £2.20

32.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.28 £3.17

$3.27 £2.42

30.89%

Potato (1kg)

$2.03 £1.50

$1.49 £1.10

36.24%

Onion (1kg)

$1.87 £1.38

$1.52 £1.13

23.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.26 £0.93

$1.01 £0.74

24.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.49 £1.10

$1.52 £1.12

-1.97%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$18.70 £13.84

$20.72 £15.33

-9.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.54 £7.80

$9.37 £6.93

12.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.44 £1.81

$2.33 £1.72

4.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.46 £2.56

$2.69 £1.99

28.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.70 £2.00

$5.68 £4.21

-52.46%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$121 £89.2

$89.5 £66.2

34.67%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.40 £4.00

$6.05 £4.48

-10.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.97 £2.20

$1.38 £1.02

115.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$33.45 £24.75

$14.74 £10.91

126.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.90 £1.40

$1.95 £1.45

-2.56%

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

$38.2K £28.3K

$39.0K £28.9K

-2.11%

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

$40.5K £29.9K

$41.7K £30.9K

-3.07%

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

$296 £219

$297 £220

-0.34%

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

$22.50 £16.65

$19.24 £14.24

16.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$43.57 £32.24

$39.52 £29.25

10.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.22 £30.50

$34.95 £25.86

17.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.49 £11.46

$3.38 £2.50

358.28%

Cinema Ticket

$13.83 £10.23

$16.36 £12.11

-15.46%

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

$1,971 £1,459

$1,882 £1,393

4.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.4K £15.9K

$22.8K £16.9K

-6.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$90.1 £66.7

$83.4 £61.7

7.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.94 £31.04

$40.91 £30.28

2.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.7 £65.6

$88.9 £65.8

-0.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 £79.5

$100 £74.0

7.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,625 £1,203

$1,606 £1,189

1.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,255 £929

$1,391 £1,029

-9.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,665 £1,972

$3,026 £2,239

-11.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,052 £1,518

$2,475 £1,831

-17.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,750 £3,515

$27.0K £20.0K

-82.44%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,542 £3,361

$20.4K £15.1K

-77.74%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,392 £2,510

$2,980 £2,205

13.83%

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 27, 2026

Last update for Slough: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,625 in Manchester versus $1,606 in Slough. 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 14% higher in Manchester, 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 $95.0 in Manchester versus $89.0 in Slough. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $333 vs $281 – making Slough 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 Slough: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Slough costs about 1% more than Manchester, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,947 per month in Manchester and $3,997 in Slough. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $1,971 per month in Manchester and $1,882 in Slough. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 19% cheaper in Slough – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,631 in Manchester and $2,665 in Slough. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Manchester – 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 Manchester. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Slough makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.