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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,614 per month in Manchester vs $2,254 in Swansea, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,917 per month in Manchester vs $3,266 in Swansea, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,220 per month in Manchester vs $4,277 in Swansea, rent included.

Manchester costs about 16% more than Swansea, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Manchester and Swansea sit above the global median – Manchester by 95%, Swansea by 68%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.40 £15.17

$24.11 £17.93

-15.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$96.5 £71.7

$68.3 £50.8

41.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.72 £7.97

$10.35 £7.70

3.57%

Cappuccino

$5.01 £3.73

$4.93 £3.67

1.62%

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

$2.61 £1.94

$2.34 £1.74

11.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.70 £1.27

$1.17 £0.87

45.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.53 £5.60

$6.18 £4.60

21.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.44 £5.53

$6.69 £4.97

11.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 £1.25

$1.91 £1.42

-12.04%

White Bread (500g)

$1.70 £1.27

$1.91 £1.42

-10.99%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.13 £1.59

$1.80 £1.34

18.33%

Eggs

$3.94 £2.93

$3.62 £2.69

8.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.33 £9.17

$8.16 £6.07

51.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.73 £7.23

$9.04 £6.72

7.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.04 £12.67

$13.09 £9.73

30.18%

Apples (1kg)

$3.33 £2.47

$3.13 £2.32

6.39%

Banana (1kg)

$1.77 £1.31

$1.26 £0.93

40.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.86 £2.87

$2.28 £1.69

69.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.36 £3.24

$3.45 £2.56

26.38%

Potato (1kg)

$2.03 £1.51

$2.05 £1.52

-0.98%

Onion (1kg)

$1.83 £1.36

$1.69 £1.26

8.28%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.26 £0.94

$1.04 £0.77

21.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.42 £1.06

$1.87 £1.39

-24.06%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$18.75 £13.94

$22.01 £16.36

-14.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.59 £7.87

$10.59 £7.88

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.49 £1.85

$2.77 £2.06

-10.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.43 £2.55

$4.02 £2.99

-14.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.68 £1.99

$3.98 £2.96

-32.66%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$124 £92.4

$98.8 £73.5

25.68%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.51 £4.09

$4.06 £3.02

35.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.92 £2.17

$2.46 £1.83

18.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.55 £25.69

$33.83 £25.15

2.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.96 £1.46

$1.94 £1.44

1.03%

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

$38.3K £28.5K

$38.4K £28.6K

-0.35%

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

$41.6K £31.0K

$47.2K £35.1K

-11.83%

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

$299 £222

$314 £233

-4.57%

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

$22.46 £16.70

$15.40 £11.45

45.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.39 £31.51

$46.33 £34.45

-8.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.08 £31.29

$35.91 £26.70

17.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.04 £11.93

$16.19 £12.04

-0.93%

Cinema Ticket

$13.61 £10.12

$10.12 £7.52

34.49%

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

$1,940 £1,442

$1,512 £1,124

28.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.9K £15.6K

$18.0K £13.4K

16.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$88.5 £65.8

$56.8 £42.22

55.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.66 £30.97

$40.33 £29.99

3.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.5 £67.3

$123 £91.2

-26.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 £79.7

$86.4 £64.2

24.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,599 £1,189

$1,130 £840

41.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,261 £937

$895 £666

40.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,704 £2,011

$1,651 £1,227

63.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,038 £1,515

$1,407 £1,046

44.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,929 £3,665

$3,611 £2,684

36.52%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,694 £3,490

$2,731 £2,030

71.88%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,254 £2,419

$3,023 £2,248

7.61%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Swansea: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,599 in Manchester versus $1,130 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 $96.0 in Manchester versus $68.0 in Swansea. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $332 vs $298 – 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 16%, 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 $3,381 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 $1,940 per month in Manchester and $1,512 in Swansea. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 12% 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 $2,254, than in Manchester at $2,614. 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.