Cost of Living Comparison Between Manchester and Taunton Cost of Living Comparison Between Manchester and Taunton

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,597 per month in Manchester vs $2,865 in Taunton, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,791 per month in Manchester vs $4,348 in Taunton, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,985 per month in Manchester vs $5,830 in Taunton, rent included.

Manchester is about 9% cheaper than Taunton, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Manchester and Taunton sit above the global median – Manchester by 89%, Taunton by 109%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.25 £14.98

$13.64 £10.09

48.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$95.3 £70.5

$94.1 £69.6

1.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.72 £7.93

$10.21 £7.55

5.00%

Cappuccino

$4.86 £3.60

$4.17 £3.09

16.55%

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

$2.69 £1.99

$1.92 £1.42

40.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.76 £1.30

$1.33 £0.98

32.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.08 £5.98

$5.34 £3.95

51.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.97 £5.15

$4.69 £3.47

48.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.50 £1.11

$1.66 £1.22

-9.64%

White Bread (500g)

$1.93 £1.43

$1.81 £1.34

6.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.01 £1.49

$2.39 £1.77

-15.90%

Eggs

$3.84 £2.84

$4.39 £3.25

-12.53%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.26 £6.85

$6.36 £4.70

45.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.80 £6.51

$9.17 £6.79

-4.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.51 £12.21

$12.66 £9.37

30.41%

Apples (1kg)

$3.11 £2.30

$2.32 £1.72

34.05%

Banana (1kg)

$1.54 £1.14

$1.09 £0.81

41.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.02 £2.23

$1.96 £1.45

54.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.51 £2.60

$2.25 £1.67

56.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.50 £1.11

$2.17 £1.60

-30.88%

Onion (1kg)

$1.32 £0.98

$1.36 £1.01

-2.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.30 £0.96

$1.51 £1.12

-13.91%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.23 £0.91

$1.92 £1.42

-35.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$24.43 £18.08

$24.41 £18.06

0.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.96 £8.11

$10.12 £7.49

8.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.47 £1.83

$2.84 £2.10

-13.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.26 £2.42

$2.45 £1.82

33.06%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.66 £1.97

$3.66 £2.71

-27.32%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$106 £78.7

$105 £77.6

1.39%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.51 £3.33

$3.21 £2.38

40.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.23 £1.65

$1.50 £1.11

48.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.69 £22.70

$33.72 £24.95

-8.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.09 £1.55

$2.02 £1.49

3.47%

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

$39.8K £29.4K

$39.0K £28.9K

1.90%

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

$40.8K £30.2K

$42.2K £31.2K

-3.29%

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

$304 £225

$366 £271

-17.06%

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

$16.90 £12.50

$16.80 £12.43

0.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.38 £29.87

$43.40 £32.11

-6.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.1 £40.76

$61.6 £45.58

-10.57%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.59 £13.75

$20.65 £15.27

-9.98%

Cinema Ticket

$13.65 £10.10

$10.75 £7.95

26.98%

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

$1,287 £952

$2,331 £1,724

-44.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.5K £15.1K

$34.8K £25.8K

-41.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$93.8 £69.4

$93.4 £69.1

0.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.08 £31.87

$51.1 £37.80

-15.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.4 £72.8

$113 £83.5

-12.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 £80.2

$146 £108

-25.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,833 £1,356

$1,605 £1,187

14.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,269 £939

$1,461 £1,081

-13.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,134 £2,319

$3,525 £2,608

-11.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,028 £1,501

$2,929 £2,167

-30.75%

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

$3,482 £2,576

-4.71%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.13

4.96

3.43%

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

Last update for Manchester: August 31, 2026

Last update for Taunton: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,833 in Manchester versus $1,605 in Taunton. 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 5% higher in Taunton, 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 $94.0 in Taunton. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $301 vs $280 – making Taunton 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 Taunton: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Taunton is pricier by about 10%, 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 $4,298 in Taunton. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Manchester, 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 $2,331 in Taunton. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 8% cheaper in Taunton – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,597 in Manchester and $2,865 in Taunton. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Manchester – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Manchester. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Taunton makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.