Cost of Living Comparison Between Manchester and Stevenage Cost of Living Comparison Between Manchester and Stevenage

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,614 per month in Manchester vs $2,417 in Stevenage, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,917 per month in Manchester vs $3,748 in Stevenage, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,220 per month in Manchester vs $5,080 in Stevenage, rent included.

Manchester costs about 8% more than Stevenage, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Manchester and Stevenage sit above the global median – Manchester by 95%, Stevenage by 80%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.40 £15.17

$26.63 £19.80

-23.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$96.5 £71.7

$81.8 £60.8

17.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.72 £7.97

$10.66 £7.93

0.56%

Cappuccino

$5.01 £3.73

$3.32 £2.47

50.90%

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

$2.61 £1.94

$1.65 £1.23

58.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.70 £1.27

$1.61 £1.20

5.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.53 £5.60

$5.47 £4.07

37.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.44 £5.53

$5.52 £4.11

34.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 £1.25

$1.78 £1.32

-5.62%

White Bread (500g)

$1.70 £1.27

$1.47 £1.09

15.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.13 £1.59

$1.22 £0.90

74.59%

Eggs

$3.94 £2.93

$3.27 £2.43

20.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.33 £9.17

$11.84 £8.80

4.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.73 £7.23

$7.32 £5.44

32.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.04 £12.67

$10.48 £7.79

62.60%

Apples (1kg)

$3.33 £2.47

$3.66 £2.72

-9.02%

Banana (1kg)

$1.77 £1.31

$1.44 £1.07

22.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.86 £2.87

$3.23 £2.40

19.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.36 £3.24

$2.55 £1.90

70.98%

Potato (1kg)

$2.03 £1.51

$0.92 £0.68

120.65%

Onion (1kg)

$1.83 £1.36

$1.37 £1.02

33.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.26 £0.94

$1.15 £0.86

9.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.42 £1.06

$1.05 £0.78

35.24%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$18.75 £13.94

$16.35 £12.16

14.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.59 £7.87

$11.37 £8.45

-6.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.49 £1.85

$2.56 £1.91

-2.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.43 £2.55

$3.40 £2.53

0.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.68 £1.99

$3.56 £2.65

-24.72%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$124 £92.4

$93.6 £69.6

32.77%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.51 £4.09

$4.62 £3.44

19.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.92 £2.17

$1.74 £1.30

67.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.55 £25.69

$20.30 £15.10

70.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.96 £1.46

$1.88 £1.40

4.26%

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

$38.3K £28.5K

$38.8K £28.8K

-1.30%

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

$41.6K £31.0K

$41.4K £30.8K

0.44%

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

$299 £222

$235 £175

27.14%

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

$22.46 £16.70

$22.61 £16.81

-0.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.39 £31.51

$35.92 £26.70

18.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.08 £31.29

$55.8 £41.47

-24.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.04 £11.93

Cinema Ticket

$13.61 £10.12

$12.38 £9.20

9.94%

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

$1,940 £1,442

$1,784 £1,326

8.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.9K £15.6K

$18.2K £13.6K

14.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$88.5 £65.8

$96.5 £71.7

-8.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.66 £30.97

$40.27 £29.94

3.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.5 £67.3

$61.0 £45.37

48.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 £79.7

$90.1 £67.0

18.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,599 £1,189

$1,500 £1,116

6.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,261 £937

$1,232 £916

2.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,704 £2,011

$3,217 £2,392

-15.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,038 £1,515

$2,435 £1,810

-16.31%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,929 £3,665

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,694 £3,490

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,254 £2,419

$3,385 £2,517

-3.89%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.92

5.6

5.71%

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

Last update for Manchester: June 7, 2026

Last update for Stevenage: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,599 in Manchester versus $1,500 in Stevenage. 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 4% higher in Stevenage, 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 $96.0 in Manchester versus $82.0 in Stevenage. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $332 vs $272 – making Stevenage 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 Stevenage: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Manchester is pricier by about 8%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,921 per month in Manchester and $3,625 in Stevenage. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $1,940 per month in Manchester and $1,784 in Stevenage. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 22% more in Manchester, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$3,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,614 in Manchester and $2,417 in Stevenage. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Stevenage – 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 Stevenage. 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.