Cost of Living Comparison Between Plymouth and Manchester Cost of Living Comparison Between Plymouth and Manchester

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,631 per month in Plymouth vs $2,597 in Manchester, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,601 per month in Plymouth vs $3,791 in Manchester, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,570 per month in Plymouth vs $4,985 in Manchester, rent included.

Plymouth costs about 1% more than Manchester, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Plymouth and Manchester sit above the global median – Plymouth by 91%, Manchester by 89%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$23.45 £17.35

$20.25 £14.98

15.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.0 £65.9

$95.3 £70.5

-6.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.00 £8.14

$10.72 £7.93

2.61%

Cappuccino

$4.76 £3.52

$4.86 £3.60

-2.06%

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

$2.22 £1.64

$2.69 £1.99

-17.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.76 £1.30

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.27 £4.64

$8.08 £5.98

-22.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.94 £5.13

$6.97 £5.15

-0.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.46 £1.08

$1.50 £1.11

-2.67%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 £0.96

$1.93 £1.43

-33.16%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.02 £2.24

$2.01 £1.49

50.25%

Eggs

$4.13 £3.05

$3.84 £2.84

7.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.24 £7.57

$9.26 £6.85

10.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.25 £6.10

$8.80 £6.51

-6.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.62 £10.08

$16.51 £12.21

-17.50%

Apples (1kg)

$2.02 £1.49

$3.11 £2.30

-35.05%

Banana (1kg)

$1.30 £0.96

$1.54 £1.14

-15.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.14 £3.06

$3.02 £2.23

37.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.99 £2.95

$3.51 £2.60

13.68%

Potato (1kg)

$1.88 £1.39

$1.50 £1.11

25.33%

Onion (1kg)

$1.25 £0.93

$1.32 £0.98

-5.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.82 £1.35

$1.30 £0.96

40.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.51 £1.12

$1.23 £0.91

22.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$23.97 £17.73

$24.43 £18.08

-1.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.32 £5.42

$10.96 £8.11

-33.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.16 £2.33

$2.47 £1.83

27.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.78 £3.54

$3.26 £2.42

46.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.04 £2.99

$2.66 £1.97

51.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$132 £97.7

$106 £78.7

24.07%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.74 £4.99

$4.51 £3.33

49.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.51 £1.86

$2.23 £1.65

12.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.69 £22.70

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.92 £1.42

$2.09 £1.55

-8.13%

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

$38.5K £28.5K

$39.8K £29.4K

-3.21%

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

$41.8K £30.9K

$40.8K £30.2K

2.61%

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

$465 £344

$304 £225

53.32%

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

$32.81 £24.27

$16.90 £12.50

94.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$67.8 £50.2

$40.38 £29.87

67.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.32 £32.79

$55.1 £40.76

-19.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.95 £13.28

$18.59 £13.75

-3.44%

Cinema Ticket

$11.30 £8.36

$13.65 £10.10

-17.22%

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

$2,732 £2,021

$1,287 £952

112.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$28.6K £21.2K

$20.5K £15.1K

40.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$84.9 £62.8

$93.8 £69.4

-9.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.6 £44.09

$43.08 £31.87

38.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.4 £71.4

$98.4 £72.8

-2.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.1 £61.4

$108 £80.2

-23.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,071 £793

$1,833 £1,356

-41.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,065 £788

$1,269 £939

-16.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,351 £1,739

$3,134 £2,319

-24.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,430 £1,058

$2,028 £1,501

-29.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,897 £3,623

$5,007 £3,704

-2.19%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,426 £2,534

$4,739 £3,506

-27.71%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,166 £2,342

$3,318 £2,455

-4.57%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.64

5.13

9.94%

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

Last update for Plymouth: August 29, 2026

Last update for Manchester: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,071 in Plymouth versus $1,833 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 5% higher in Manchester, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89.0 in Plymouth versus $95.0 in Manchester. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $297 vs $301 – making Plymouth 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

Plymouth vs Manchester: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Plymouth is pricier by about 1%, and the gap shows up most in Monthly Utilities & Internet. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,947 per month in Plymouth and $3,895 in Manchester. 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 $2,732 per month in Plymouth and $1,287 in Manchester. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 2% cheaper in Plymouth – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Manchester, where all-in costs run around $2,597, than in Plymouth at $2,631. In Manchester it covers expenses comfortably, while in Plymouth it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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.

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