Cost of Living Comparison Between Manchester and Sunderland Cost of Living Comparison Between Manchester and Sunderland

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,597 per month in Manchester vs $1,915 in Sunderland, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,791 per month in Manchester vs $2,836 in Sunderland, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,985 per month in Manchester vs $3,757 in Sunderland, rent included.

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

Both Manchester and Sunderland sit above the global median – Manchester by 89%, Sunderland by 39%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.25 £14.98

$19.16 £14.18

5.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$95.3 £70.5

$72.2 £53.4

31.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.72 £7.93

$10.03 £7.42

6.88%

Cappuccino

$4.86 £3.60

$5.04 £3.73

-3.57%

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

$2.69 £1.99

$2.27 £1.68

18.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.76 £1.30

$2.08 £1.54

-15.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.08 £5.98

$4.53 £3.35

78.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.97 £5.15

$4.36 £3.23

59.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.50 £1.11

$1.43 £1.05

4.90%

White Bread (500g)

$1.93 £1.43

$1.45 £1.08

33.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.01 £1.49

$2.35 £1.74

-14.47%

Eggs

$3.84 £2.84

$3.60 £2.66

6.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.26 £6.85

$10.15 £7.51

-8.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.80 £6.51

$9.36 £6.93

-5.98%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.51 £12.21

$15.07 £11.15

9.56%

Apples (1kg)

$3.11 £2.30

$3.33 £2.47

-6.61%

Banana (1kg)

$1.54 £1.14

$1.68 £1.24

-8.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.02 £2.23

$2.97 £2.19

1.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.51 £2.60

$3.84 £2.84

-8.59%

Potato (1kg)

$1.50 £1.11

$1.86 £1.38

-19.35%

Onion (1kg)

$1.32 £0.98

$1.53 £1.13

-13.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.30 £0.96

$1.17 £0.86

11.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.23 £0.91

$1.55 £1.14

-20.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$24.43 £18.08

$22.95 £16.98

6.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.96 £8.11

$10.65 £7.88

2.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.47 £1.83

$3.78 £2.79

-34.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.26 £2.42

$3.51 £2.60

-7.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.66 £1.97

$2.16 £1.59

23.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$106 £78.7

$122 £90.3

-12.82%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.51 £3.33

$4.50 £3.33

0.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.23 £1.65

$1.58 £1.17

41.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.69 £22.70

$28.73 £21.26

6.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.09 £1.55

$1.99 £1.47

5.03%

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

$39.8K £29.4K

$38.6K £28.6K

2.95%

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

$40.8K £30.2K

$41.8K £31.0K

-2.57%

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

$304 £225

$260 £192

16.95%

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

$16.90 £12.50

$18.38 £13.60

-8.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.38 £29.87

$42.62 £31.53

-5.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.1 £40.76

$40.68 £30.09

35.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.59 £13.75

$12.36 £9.15

50.40%

Cinema Ticket

$13.65 £10.10

$10.80 £7.99

26.39%

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

$1,287 £952

$822 £608

56.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.5K £15.1K

$18.0K £13.3K

13.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$93.8 £69.4

$94.2 £69.7

-0.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.08 £31.87

$48.58 £35.94

-11.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.4 £72.8

$110 £81.5

-10.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 £80.2

$98.6 £72.9

10.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,833 £1,356

$815 £603

124.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,269 £939

$609 £450

108.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,134 £2,319

$1,330 £984

135.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,028 £1,501

$979 £724

107.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,007 £3,704

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,739 £3,506

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,318 £2,455

$3,700 £2,737

-10.32%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.13

5.15

-0.39%

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

Last update for Manchester: August 31, 2026

Last update for Sunderland: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,833 in Manchester versus $815 in Sunderland. 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 12% higher in Sunderland, 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 $72.0 in Sunderland. Groceries tell a different story – $301 in Manchester vs $312 in Sunderland – so Manchester wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Sunderland: 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 $3,895 per month in Manchester and $2,872 in Sunderland. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $1,287 per month in Manchester and $822 in Sunderland. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 3% cheaper in Manchester – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Sunderland, where all-in costs run around $1,915, than in Manchester at $2,597. In Sunderland it covers expenses comfortably, while in Manchester it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Sunderland – 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 Sunderland. 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.