Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Norwich and Manchester

For one person, living costs are similar in Norwich and in Manchester: $2,494 and $2,510 a month, rent and utilities included.

120

Cost of Living Index in Norwich
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Norwich Living Index
121

Cost of Living Index in Manchester
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Manchester Living Index

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Norwich

🇬🇧 United Kingdom

$2,494

/mo nomad

Manchester

🇬🇧 United Kingdom

$2,510

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Norwich and in Manchester

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Norwich and in Manchester actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,494 per month in Norwich vs $2,510 in Manchester, rent included.

Norwich $2,494
Manchester $2,510

A couple spends around $3,670 per month in Norwich vs $3,643 in Manchester, rent included.

Norwich $3,670
Manchester $3,643

A family of three spends $4,846 per month in Norwich vs $4,776 in Manchester, rent included.

Norwich $4,846
Manchester $4,776

Norwich and Manchester have comparable living costs – the differences are in the details.

Both Norwich and Manchester sit above the global median – Norwich by 84%, Manchester by 86%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$23.13 £17.19

$20.16 £14.98

14.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$103 £76.9

$87.5 £65.0

18.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.56 £8.59

$10.78 £8.01

7.24%

Cappuccino

$4.70 £3.49

$4.78 £3.55

-1.67%

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

$2.87 £2.13

$2.62 £1.95

9.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.65 £1.23

$1.74 £1.29

-5.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.34 £5.46

$7.92 £5.89

-7.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.36 £5.47

$6.52 £4.85

12.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 £1.39

$1.35 £1.00

38.52%

White Bread (500g)

$2.38 £1.77

$1.88 £1.39

26.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.02 £2.25

$1.92 £1.42

57.29%

Eggs

$4.87 £3.62

$4.04 £3.01

20.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.64 £7.16

$9.58 £7.12

0.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.42 £8.49

$9.26 £6.88

23.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.38 £13.66

$15.66 £11.64

17.37%

Apples (1kg)

$3.80 £2.82

$3.07 £2.28

23.78%

Banana (1kg)

$2.22 £1.65

$1.53 £1.14

45.10%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.88 £2.14

$2.91 £2.16

-1.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.43 £3.29

$3.53 £2.62

25.50%

Potato (1kg)

$2.14 £1.59

$1.54 £1.15

38.96%

Onion (1kg)

$2.40 £1.79

$1.38 £1.03

73.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 £0.92

$1.21 £0.90

1.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 £1.26

$1.38 £1.03

22.46%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$24.09 £17.90

$24.21 £17.99

-0.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.89 £8.09

$11.05 £8.21

-1.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.23 £2.40

$2.49 £1.85

29.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.11 £2.31

$2.90 £2.15

7.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.10 £3.05

$2.61 £1.94

57.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$99.3 £73.8

$109 £81.1

-8.98%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.06 £4.50

$4.47 £3.32

35.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.72 £1.28

$2.21 £1.64

-22.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.76 £19.89

$30.93 £22.99

-13.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.20 £1.63

$2.18 £1.62

0.92%

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

$39.0K £29.0K

$39.2K £29.2K

-0.64%

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

$40.6K £30.2K

$39.9K £29.7K

1.78%

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

$361 £269

$248 £185

45.56%

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

$22.01 £16.36

$16.31 £12.12

34.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$44.72 £33.24

$39.73 £29.53

12.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.09 £32.77

$42.93 £31.91

2.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.49 £6.31

$17.99 £13.37

-52.81%

Cinema Ticket

$13.59 £10.10

$13.46 £10.01

0.97%

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

$2,057 £1,529

$1,448 £1,077

42.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$22.8K £17.0K

$21.0K £15.6K

8.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$116 £86.2

$83.3 £61.9

39.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.85 £37.05

$43.32 £32.20

15.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$125 £93.0

$95.4 £70.9

31.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 £77.9

$99.9 £74.2

4.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,335 £992

$1,818 £1,351

-26.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$978 £727

$1,234 £917

-20.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,941 £1,442

$2,925 £2,174

-33.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,522 £1,131

$1,921 £1,428

-20.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,351 £3,977

$4,751 £3,531

12.64%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,937 £2,926

$4,313 £3,206

-8.73%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,459 £2,571

$3,798 £2,823

-8.93%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.04

4.79

5.22%

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

Last update for Norwich: November 2, 2026

Last update for Manchester: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Norwich

$978 39.2%

Manchester

$1.2K 49.2% 26.1% $255

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Norwich

$428 17.2%

Manchester

$304 12.1% 28.9% $124

Groceries & Markets

Norwich

$362 14.5%

Manchester

$301 12% 16.8% $61

Eating Out

Norwich

$346 13.9%

Manchester

$321 12.8% 7.1% $24

Clothing & Footwear

Norwich

$178 7.1%

Manchester

$145 5.8% 18.6% $33

Getting Around

Norwich

$130 5.2%

Manchester

$135 5.4% 3.6% $4.7

Sport & Entertainment

Norwich

$71 2.9%

Manchester

$70 2.8% 2% $1.4

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,335 in Norwich versus $1,818 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 10% higher in Manchester. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $103 in Norwich versus $87 in Manchester. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $362 vs $301 – making Manchester the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇬🇧 Norwich

🇬🇧 Manchester

🕒 Local time

04:05 4:05 AM

Same time as Norwich

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

132,512

503,100

💱 Currency

British Pound GBP £

📈 Exchange rate

1 GBP = 1.35 USD

1 GBP = 1.2 EUR

1 GBP = 1.35 USD

1 GBP = 1.2 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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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

Norwich vs Manchester: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,740 per month in Norwich and $3,765 in Manchester. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Norwich, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,335 there versus $1,818 in Manchester.

Interestingly, groceries are about 17% cheaper in Manchester – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value.

Kindergarten costs $2,057 per month in Norwich and $1,448 in Manchester. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

It depends on your priorities. Manchester has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,494 in Norwich to $2,510 in Manchester. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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