Cost of Living Comparison Between Manchester and Solihull Cost of Living Comparison Between Manchester and Solihull

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,597 per month in Manchester vs $2,581 in Solihull, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,791 per month in Manchester vs $3,809 in Solihull, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,985 per month in Manchester vs $5,037 in Solihull, rent included.

Manchester costs about 1% more than Solihull, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Manchester and Solihull sit above the global median – Manchester by 89%, Solihull by 88%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.25 £14.97

$26.69 £19.73

-24.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$95.3 £70.5

$80.4 £59.4

18.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.72 £7.92

$10.95 £8.09

-2.10%

Cappuccino

$4.86 £3.59

$5.01 £3.70

-2.99%

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

$2.69 £1.99

$2.51 £1.85

7.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.76 £1.30

$2.14 £1.58

-17.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.08 £5.98

$5.73 £4.24

41.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.97 £5.15

$5.54 £4.09

25.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.50 £1.11

$1.55 £1.15

-3.23%

White Bread (500g)

$1.93 £1.43

$1.86 £1.38

3.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.01 £1.49

$1.71 £1.27

17.54%

Eggs

$3.84 £2.84

$4.22 £3.12

-9.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.26 £6.85

$9.51 £7.03

-2.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.80 £6.51

$8.57 £6.34

2.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.51 £12.20

$13.06 £9.66

26.42%

Apples (1kg)

$3.11 £2.30

$3.41 £2.52

-8.80%

Banana (1kg)

$1.54 £1.14

$1.57 £1.16

-1.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.02 £2.23

$1.84 £1.36

64.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.51 £2.59

$3.61 £2.67

-2.77%

Potato (1kg)

$1.50 £1.11

$1.46 £1.08

2.74%

Onion (1kg)

$1.32 £0.98

$1.63 £1.20

-19.02%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.30 £0.96

$1.34 £0.99

-2.99%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.23 £0.91

$1.32 £0.98

-6.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$24.43 £18.06

Wine (Bottle)

$10.96 £8.10

$8.89 £6.57

23.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.47 £1.83

$2.24 £1.66

10.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.26 £2.41

$1.98 £1.46

64.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.66 £1.97

$2.68 £1.98

-0.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$106 £78.7

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.51 £3.33

$4.29 £3.17

5.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.23 £1.65

$4.09 £3.02

-45.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.69 £22.69

$32.95 £24.36

-6.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.09 £1.55

$2.03 £1.50

2.96%

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

$39.8K £29.4K

$38.8K £28.7K

2.57%

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

$40.8K £30.1K

$40.9K £30.3K

-0.40%

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

$304 £224

$351 £259

-13.41%

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

$16.90 £12.49

$17.86 £13.21

-5.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.38 £29.85

$48.08 £35.54

-16.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.1 £40.73

$47.06 £34.79

17.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.59 £13.74

Cinema Ticket

$13.65 £10.09

$13.78 £10.19

-0.94%

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

$1,287 £951

$1,514 £1,119

-14.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.5K £15.1K

$24.4K £18.1K

-16.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$93.8 £69.4

$86.3 £63.8

8.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.08 £31.84

$54.8 £40.53

-21.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.4 £72.8

$113 £83.8

-13.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 £80.2

$110 £81.6

-1.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,833 £1,355

$1,075 £794

70.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,269 £938

$1,234 £912

2.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,134 £2,317

$2,191 £1,619

43.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,028 £1,499

$2,125 £1,571

-4.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,007 £3,701

$5,623 £4,157

-10.97%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,739 £3,503

$3,667 £2,710

29.26%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,318 £2,453

$4,876 £3,604

-31.94%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.13

5.21

-1.54%

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

Last update for Manchester: August 31, 2026

Last update for Solihull: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,833 in Manchester versus $1,075 in Solihull. 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 47% higher in Solihull, 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 $80.0 in Solihull. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $301 vs $282 – making Solihull 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 Solihull: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Manchester is pricier by about 1%, 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 $3,895 per month in Manchester and $3,872 in Solihull. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,597 in Manchester and $2,581 in Solihull. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $1,287 per month in Manchester and $1,514 in Solihull. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Solihull, where all-in costs run around $2,581, than in Manchester at $2,597. In Solihull it covers expenses comfortably, while in Manchester it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Solihull – 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 Solihull. 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.