Cost of Living Comparison Between Merthyr Tydfil and Manchester Cost of Living Comparison Between Merthyr Tydfil and Manchester

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,208 per month in Merthyr Tydfil vs $2,651 in Manchester, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,061 per month in Merthyr Tydfil vs $3,871 in Manchester, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,915 per month in Merthyr Tydfil vs $5,091 in Manchester, rent included.

Merthyr Tydfil is about 17% cheaper than Manchester, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Merthyr Tydfil and Manchester sit above the global median – Merthyr Tydfil by 65%, Manchester by 98%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.20 £15.01

$20.74 £15.42

-2.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$62.0 £46.07

$94.5 £70.2

-34.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.12 £6.04

$10.75 £7.99

-24.47%

Cappuccino

$3.72 £2.77

$4.94 £3.67

-24.70%

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

$2.29 £1.70

$2.59 £1.92

-11.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 £1.30

$1.70 £1.26

2.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.16 £3.83

$7.41 £5.51

-30.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.54 £3.37

$7.52 £5.59

-39.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.85 £1.38

$1.62 £1.21

14.20%

White Bread (500g)

$1.68 £1.25

$1.80 £1.34

-6.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.82 £2.09

$2.16 £1.60

30.56%

Eggs

$5.49 £4.08

$4.08 £3.03

34.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.52 £10.80

$12.05 £8.95

20.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.93 £6.64

$9.75 £7.25

-8.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.14 £10.51

$17.39 £12.93

-18.69%

Apples (1kg)

$4.08 £3.03

$3.30 £2.46

23.64%

Banana (1kg)

$1.54 £1.15

$1.84 £1.37

-16.30%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.17 £2.35

$3.82 £2.84

-17.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.71 £4.24

$4.35 £3.23

31.26%

Potato (1kg)

$1.64 £1.22

$2.10 £1.56

-21.90%

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 £1.48

$1.80 £1.34

10.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.05 £0.78

$1.31 £0.97

-19.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.06 £1.53

$1.47 £1.10

40.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$19.75 £14.68

$18.73 £13.92

5.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.99 £8.91

$10.64 £7.91

12.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.47 £2.58

$2.57 £1.91

35.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.59 £3.41

$3.49 £2.60

31.52%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.39 £2.52

$2.75 £2.04

23.27%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$102 £75.5

$121 £90.1

-16.18%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$8.32 £6.18

$5.49 £4.08

51.55%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.45 £1.08

$2.85 £2.12

-49.12%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$33.77 £25.10

$34.28 £25.48

-1.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.91 £1.42

$1.96 £1.46

-2.55%

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

$37.7K £28.0K

$37.8K £28.1K

-0.23%

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

$44.8K £33.3K

$41.8K £31.1K

7.14%

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

$380 £282

$295 £219

28.80%

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

$18.76 £13.95

$22.44 £16.68

-16.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$47.49 £35.30

$42.92 £31.90

10.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.79 £34.04

$42.39 £31.51

8.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.07 £11.94

Cinema Ticket

$14.68 £10.91

$13.72 £10.19

7.00%

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

$1,754 £1,304

$1,944 £1,445

-9.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.3K £13.6K

$20.8K £15.5K

-12.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$94.1 £70.0

$90.6 £67.4

3.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.9 £39.29

$41.85 £31.11

26.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.9 £69.1

$89.5 £66.5

3.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 £88.9

$106 £78.9

12.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$812 £604

$1,637 £1,217

-50.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$781 £580

$1,256 £934

-37.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,181 £878

$2,702 £2,009

-56.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,033 £768

$2,077 £1,544

-50.26%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,107 £3,796

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,671 £3,472

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,606 £1,194

$3,247 £2,414

-50.55%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.74

5.92

-3.04%

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

Last update for Merthyr Tydfil: June 1, 2026

Last update for Manchester: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $812 in Merthyr Tydfil versus $1,637 in Manchester. 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 102% 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 $62.0 in Merthyr Tydfil versus $94.0 in Manchester. Groceries tell a different story – $358 in Merthyr Tydfil vs $335 in Manchester – 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

Merthyr Tydfil vs Manchester: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Manchester is pricier by about 20%, 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 $3,311 per month in Merthyr Tydfil and $3,977 in Manchester. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $1,754 per month in Merthyr Tydfil and $1,944 in Manchester. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 7% 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 Merthyr Tydfil, where all-in costs run around $2,208, than in Manchester at $2,651. In Merthyr Tydfil it covers expenses comfortably, while in Manchester it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Merthyr Tydfil – 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 Merthyr Tydfil. 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.