Cost of Living Comparison Between Manchester and Stockton-on-Tees Cost of Living Comparison Between Manchester and Stockton-on-Tees

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,708 per month in Manchester vs $1,785 in Stockton-on-Tees, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,934 per month in Manchester vs $2,674 in Stockton-on-Tees, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,161 per month in Manchester vs $3,563 in Stockton-on-Tees, rent included.

Manchester costs about 52% more than Stockton-on-Tees, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Manchester and Stockton-on-Tees sit above the global median – Manchester by 103%, Stockton-on-Tees by 34%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.49 £15.31

$20.17 £15.08

1.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$94.7 £70.8

$80.0 £59.8

18.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.01 £8.23

$9.28 £6.93

18.64%

Cappuccino

$5.10 £3.81

$4.65 £3.48

9.68%

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

$2.53 £1.89

$2.02 £1.51

25.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.75 £1.31

$1.59 £1.19

10.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.58 £5.66

$6.77 £5.06

11.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.60 £5.68

$5.38 £4.02

41.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 £1.26

$1.63 £1.22

3.07%

White Bread (500g)

$1.71 £1.28

$1.65 £1.23

3.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 £1.62

$3.81 £2.85

-43.04%

Eggs

$4.08 £3.05

$4.01 £2.99

1.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.40 £9.27

$10.63 £7.95

16.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.72 £7.27

$8.32 £6.22

16.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.02 £12.72

$17.33 £12.95

-1.79%

Apples (1kg)

$3.36 £2.51

$3.62 £2.71

-7.18%

Banana (1kg)

$1.84 £1.38

$1.94 £1.45

-5.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.96 £2.96

$3.11 £2.33

27.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.17 £3.12

$3.83 £2.86

8.88%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 £1.53

$1.73 £1.29

17.92%

Onion (1kg)

$1.83 £1.37

$2.08 £1.55

-12.02%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.25 £0.94

$1.45 £1.08

-13.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.42 £1.06

$1.74 £1.30

-18.39%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$18.99 £14.20

$18.65 £13.94

1.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 £7.75

$8.00 £5.98

29.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.47 £1.84

$2.82 £2.11

-12.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.54 £2.64

$1.86 £1.39

90.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.76 £2.06

$3.32 £2.48

-16.87%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$123 £91.8

$89.3 £66.7

37.57%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.56 £4.16

$6.53 £4.88

-14.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.87 £2.15

$1.03 £0.77

178.64%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$33.37 £24.94

$16.03 £11.98

108.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.89 £1.41

$1.95 £1.46

-3.08%

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

$38.7K £28.9K

$31.6K £23.6K

22.51%

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

$41.6K £31.1K

$33.8K £25.3K

22.91%

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

$299 £224

$290 £217

3.25%

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

$23.27 £17.39

$16.98 £12.69

37.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.43 £31.71

$40.89 £30.56

3.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.48 £31.75

$60.3 £45.08

-29.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.54 £11.61

Cinema Ticket

$13.80 £10.31

$12.72 £9.51

8.49%

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

$1,981 £1,481

$1,569 £1,173

26.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.1K £15.8K

$6,819 £5,096

209.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.8 £67.1

$81.4 £60.8

10.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.96 £31.36

$44.18 £33.02

-5.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.5 £66.2

$86.4 £64.6

2.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 £81.0

$72.1 £53.9

50.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,619 £1,210

$614 £459

163.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,252 £936

$519 £388

141.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,719 £2,032

$813 £607

234.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,077 £1,553

$720 £538

188.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,993 £3,732

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,595 £3,434

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,139 £2,346

$2,719 £2,032

15.45%

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: July 20, 2026

Last update for Stockton-on-Tees: July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,619 in Manchester versus $614 in Stockton-on-Tees. 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 15% 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 $95.0 in Manchester versus $80.0 in Stockton-on-Tees. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $332 vs $321 – making Stockton-on-Tees 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 Stockton-on-Tees: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Manchester is pricier by about 52%, 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 $4,062 per month in Manchester and $2,677 in Stockton-on-Tees. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $1,981 per month in Manchester and $1,569 in Stockton-on-Tees. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 4% 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 Stockton-on-Tees, where all-in costs run around $1,785, than in Manchester at $2,708. In Stockton-on-Tees it covers expenses comfortably, while in Manchester it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Stockton-on-Tees – 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 Stockton-on-Tees. 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.