Cost of Living Comparison Between Retford and Manchester Cost of Living Comparison Between Retford and Manchester

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,159 per month in Retford vs $2,597 in Manchester, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,360 per month in Retford vs $3,791 in Manchester, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,560 per month in Retford vs $4,985 in Manchester, rent included.

Retford is about 55% cheaper than Manchester, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Retford sits 16% below the global median, while Manchester is 89% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.17 £11.22

$20.25 £14.98

-25.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$66.7 £49.37

$95.3 £70.5

-29.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.35 £5.44

$10.72 £7.93

-31.44%

Cappuccino

$4.11 £3.04

$4.86 £3.60

-15.43%

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

$1.82 £1.35

$2.69 £1.99

-32.34%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.84 £1.36

$1.76 £1.30

4.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.38 £3.24

$8.08 £5.98

-45.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.32 £3.20

$6.97 £5.15

-38.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.84 £1.36

$1.50 £1.11

22.67%

White Bread (500g)

$1.92 £1.42

$1.93 £1.43

-0.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 £1.03

$2.01 £1.49

-30.35%

Eggs

$4.86 £3.59

$3.84 £2.84

26.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.40 £8.43

$9.26 £6.85

23.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.19 £3.10

$8.80 £6.51

-52.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.76 £9.44

$16.51 £12.21

-22.71%

Apples (1kg)

$1.38 £1.02

$3.11 £2.30

-55.63%

Banana (1kg)

$1.37 £1.01

$1.54 £1.14

-11.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.35 £1.00

$3.02 £2.23

-55.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.73 £1.28

$3.51 £2.60

-50.71%

Potato (1kg)

$1.46 £1.08

$1.50 £1.11

-2.67%

Onion (1kg)

$1.56 £1.15

$1.32 £0.98

18.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.42 £0.31

$1.30 £0.96

-67.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.60 £1.19

$1.23 £0.91

30.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$23.60 £17.46

$24.43 £18.08

-3.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.96 £5.89

$10.96 £8.11

-27.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 £1.27

$2.47 £1.83

-30.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.09 £1.54

$3.26 £2.42

-35.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.76 £2.04

$2.66 £1.97

3.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$106 £78.7

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$13.64 £10.09

$4.51 £3.33

202.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.99 £2.95

$2.23 £1.65

78.92%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.69 £22.70

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.07 £1.53

$2.09 £1.55

-0.96%

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

$40.4K £29.9K

$39.8K £29.4K

1.69%

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

$44.4K £32.9K

$40.8K £30.2K

9.02%

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

$353 £261

$304 £225

16.23%

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

$28.89 £21.38

$16.90 £12.50

70.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$47.34 £35.02

$40.38 £29.87

17.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.1 £40.76

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.59 £13.75

Cinema Ticket

$16.50 £12.21

$13.65 £10.10

20.88%

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

$1,986 £1,469

$1,287 £952

54.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.6K £18.2K

$20.5K £15.1K

20.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.5 £64.7

$93.8 £69.4

-6.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$61.4 £45.46

$43.08 £31.87

42.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 £83.0

$98.4 £72.8

14.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$160 £118

$108 £80.2

47.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,833 £1,356

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,269 £939

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,146 £847

$3,134 £2,319

-63.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,100 £814

$2,028 £1,501

-45.75%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,197 £1,626

$5,007 £3,704

-56.11%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,039 £1,508

$4,739 £3,506

-56.98%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,746 £1,292

$3,318 £2,455

-47.38%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.3

5.13

3.31%

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

Last update for Retford: August 31, 2026

Last update for Manchester: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 90% 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 $67.0 in Retford versus $95.0 in Manchester. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $242 vs $301 – making Retford 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

Retford vs Manchester: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Manchester is pricier by about 124%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,739 per month in Retford and $3,895 in Manchester. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,159 in Retford and $2,597 in Manchester. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $1,986 per month in Retford and $1,287 in Manchester. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Retford, where all-in costs run around $1,159, than in Manchester at $2,597. In Retford it covers expenses comfortably, while in Manchester it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Retford – 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 Retford. 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.