Cost of Living Comparison Between Manchester and Swansea Cost of Living Comparison Between Manchester and Swansea

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,631 per month in Manchester vs $2,229 in Swansea, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,842 per month in Manchester vs $3,242 in Swansea, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,053 per month in Manchester vs $4,256 in Swansea, rent included.

Manchester costs about 18% more than Swansea, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Manchester and Swansea sit above the global median – Manchester by 97%, Swansea by 66%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.34 £15.07

$24.06 £17.83

-15.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$95.0 £70.4

$68.8 £51.0

38.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.92 £8.09

$10.03 £7.43

8.87%

Cappuccino

$4.98 £3.69

$5.04 £3.73

-1.19%

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

$2.62 £1.94

$2.35 £1.74

11.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.75 £1.30

$1.17 £0.87

49.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.38 £5.47

$6.00 £4.45

23.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.40 £5.49

$7.01 £5.19

5.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 £1.21

$1.97 £1.46

-16.75%

White Bread (500g)

$1.70 £1.26

$1.85 £1.37

-8.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.18 £1.61

$1.73 £1.28

26.01%

Eggs

$3.94 £2.92

$3.70 £2.74

6.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.35 £9.15

$8.36 £6.20

47.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.85 £7.30

$8.91 £6.60

10.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.45 £12.93

$12.97 £9.61

34.54%

Apples (1kg)

$3.20 £2.37

$2.97 £2.20

7.74%

Banana (1kg)

$1.79 £1.32

$1.27 £0.94

40.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.95 £2.93

$2.29 £1.70

72.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.28 £3.17

$3.46 £2.56

23.70%

Potato (1kg)

$2.03 £1.50

$2.12 £1.57

-4.25%

Onion (1kg)

$1.87 £1.39

$1.70 £1.26

10.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.26 £0.93

$1.03 £0.77

22.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.49 £1.10

$1.88 £1.39

-20.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$18.70 £13.86

$22.74 £16.85

-17.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.54 £7.81

$10.62 £7.87

-0.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.44 £1.81

$2.69 £1.99

-9.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.46 £2.56

$3.94 £2.92

-12.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.70 £2.00

$4.17 £3.09

-35.25%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$121 £89.3

$96.1 £71.2

25.37%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.40 £4.00

$4.10 £3.04

31.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.97 £2.20

$2.47 £1.83

20.24%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$33.45 £24.79

$34.25 £25.38

-2.34%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.90 £1.40

$1.97 £1.46

-3.55%

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

$38.2K £28.3K

$38.8K £28.7K

-1.51%

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

$40.5K £30.0K

$48.9K £36.2K

-17.22%

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

$296 £219

$316 £234

-6.31%

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

$22.50 £16.68

$15.57 £11.54

44.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$43.57 £32.28

$45.29 £33.56

-3.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.22 £30.54

$36.21 £26.83

13.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.49 £11.48

$16.47 £12.21

-5.95%

Cinema Ticket

$13.83 £10.25

$10.29 £7.62

34.40%

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

$1,971 £1,461

$1,520 £1,127

29.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.4K £15.9K

$18.2K £13.5K

17.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$90.1 £66.7

$57.1 £42.33

57.64%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.94 £31.08

$40.23 £29.81

4.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.7 £65.7

$125 £92.3

-28.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 £79.6

$85.0 £63.0

26.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,625 £1,204

$1,122 £831

44.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,255 £930

$899 £666

39.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,665 £1,975

$1,673 £1,240

59.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,052 £1,520

$1,404 £1,040

46.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,750 £3,520

$3,691 £2,735

28.70%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,542 £3,366

$2,782 £2,062

63.24%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,392 £2,513

$3,144 £2,330

7.87%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.92

6.1

-2.95%

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

Last update for Manchester: April 27, 2026

Last update for Swansea: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,625 in Manchester versus $1,122 in Swansea. 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 8% 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 $69.0 in Swansea. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $333 vs $296 – making Swansea 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 Swansea: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Manchester is pricier by about 18%, 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 $3,947 per month in Manchester and $3,343 in Swansea. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Swansea, 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 $1,520 in Swansea. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 13% 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 $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Swansea, where all-in costs run around $2,229, than in Manchester at $2,631. In Swansea it covers expenses comfortably, while in Manchester it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Swansea – 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 Swansea. 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.