Cost of Living Comparison Between Manchester and Wells Cost of Living Comparison Between Manchester and Wells

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,651 per month in Manchester vs $2,278 in Wells, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,871 per month in Manchester vs $3,372 in Wells, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,091 per month in Manchester vs $4,466 in Wells, rent included.

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

Both Manchester and Wells sit above the global median – Manchester by 98%, Wells by 70%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.74 £15.45

$27.44 £20.43

-24.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$94.5 £70.4

$78.5 £58.5

20.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 £8.00

$11.49 £8.56

-6.44%

Cappuccino

$4.94 £3.68

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

$2.59 £1.93

$2.28 £1.70

13.60%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.70 £1.26

$2.35 £1.75

-27.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.41 £5.52

$7.30 £5.43

1.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.52 £5.60

$6.99 £5.21

7.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 £1.21

$1.53 £1.14

5.88%

White Bread (500g)

$1.80 £1.34

$1.34 £1.00

34.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.16 £1.61

$1.99 £1.48

8.54%

Eggs

$4.08 £3.04

$3.97 £2.96

2.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.05 £8.97

$9.72 £7.24

23.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.75 £7.26

$5.00 £3.73

95.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.39 £12.95

$12.21 £9.09

42.42%

Apples (1kg)

$3.30 £2.46

$2.41 £1.80

36.93%

Banana (1kg)

$1.84 £1.37

$1.20 £0.89

53.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.82 £2.84

$2.20 £1.64

73.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.35 £3.24

$2.96 £2.20

46.96%

Potato (1kg)

$2.10 £1.56

$0.67 £0.50

213.43%

Onion (1kg)

$1.80 £1.34

$1.22 £0.91

47.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.31 £0.97

$0.60 £0.45

118.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.47 £1.10

$1.38 £1.03

6.52%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$18.73 £13.95

$17.62 £13.12

6.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 £7.92

$9.22 £6.87

15.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.57 £1.91

$2.65 £1.97

-3.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.49 £2.60

$2.73 £2.04

27.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.75 £2.05

$3.71 £2.76

-25.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$121 £90.3

$85.2 £63.4

42.29%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.49 £4.09

$4.44 £3.31

23.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.85 £2.12

$1.03 £0.77

176.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.28 £25.53

$32.28 £24.04

6.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.96 £1.46

$1.95 £1.45

0.51%

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

$37.8K £28.1K

$38.2K £28.4K

-1.01%

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

$41.8K £31.1K

$41.1K £30.6K

1.65%

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

$295 £220

$337 £251

-12.41%

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

$22.44 £16.71

$13.83 £10.30

62.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.92 £31.96

$40.86 £30.43

5.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.39 £31.57

$53.6 £39.93

-20.93%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.07 £11.97

Cinema Ticket

$13.72 £10.22

$9.31 £6.93

47.37%

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

$1,944 £1,448

$1,549 £1,154

25.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.8K £15.5K

$18.2K £13.5K

14.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$90.6 £67.5

$37.34 £27.81

142.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.85 £31.17

$52.7 £39.22

-20.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.5 £66.6

$61.7 £45.96

44.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 £79.0

$103 £76.6

3.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,637 £1,219

$1,206 £898

35.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,256 £936

$1,008 £750

24.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,702 £2,013

$2,046 £1,524

32.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,077 £1,547

$1,603 £1,194

29.58%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,107 £3,804

$5,890 £4,387

-13.29%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,671 £3,479

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,247 £2,418

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.92

5.62

5.34%

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

Last update for Manchester: May 31, 2026

Last update for Wells: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,637 in Manchester versus $1,206 in Wells. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $94.0 in Manchester versus $79.0 in Wells. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $335 vs $247 – making Wells 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 Wells: 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 $3,977 per month in Manchester and $3,417 in Wells. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $1,944 per month in Manchester and $1,549 in Wells. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 36% 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 Wells, where all-in costs run around $2,278, than in Manchester at $2,651. In Wells it covers expenses comfortably, while in Manchester it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Wells – 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 Wells. 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.