Cost of Living Comparison Between Slough and Manchester Cost of Living Comparison Between Slough and Manchester

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,153 per month in Slough vs $2,573 in Manchester, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,703 per month in Slough vs $3,790 in Manchester, rent included.

A family of three spends $6,254 per month in Slough vs $5,008 in Manchester, rent included.

Slough costs about 23% more than Manchester, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Slough and Manchester sit above the global median – Slough by 130%, Manchester by 88%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.54 £18.34

$20.21 £15.11

21.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$94.4 £70.6

$94.7 £70.8

-0.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.63 £7.95

$10.75 £8.03

-1.12%

Cappuccino

$5.12 £3.83

$4.74 £3.55

8.02%

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

$2.87 £2.14

$2.55 £1.91

12.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.34 £1.75

$1.67 £1.25

40.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.65 £6.46

$7.90 £5.91

9.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.90 £5.16

$6.79 £5.08

1.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 £1.29

$1.52 £1.14

13.82%

White Bread (500g)

$1.64 £1.23

$1.92 £1.44

-14.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.90 £2.17

$1.99 £1.49

45.73%

Eggs

$3.77 £2.82

$3.80 £2.84

-0.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.56 £10.88

$9.14 £6.83

59.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.60 £6.43

$9.16 £6.84

-6.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.84 £11.09

$15.93 £11.90

-6.84%

Apples (1kg)

$3.34 £2.50

$3.27 £2.44

2.14%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 £1.24

$1.53 £1.14

8.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.02 £2.26

$2.91 £2.18

3.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.73 £2.79

$3.52 £2.63

5.97%

Potato (1kg)

$1.75 £1.31

$1.51 £1.13

15.89%

Onion (1kg)

$1.37 £1.03

$1.37 £1.02

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 £0.79

$1.28 £0.96

-17.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 £1.18

$1.30 £0.97

21.54%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$24.32 £18.17

$23.77 £17.76

2.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.32 £8.46

$11.21 £8.38

0.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.54 £2.65

$2.60 £1.94

36.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 £2.73

$3.23 £2.42

13.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$5.48 £4.09

$2.65 £1.98

106.79%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$251 £188

$109 £81.4

130.95%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.92 £4.43

$4.47 £3.34

32.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.19 £2.38

$2.23 £1.67

43.05%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$40.19 £30.03

$30.87 £23.07

30.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.97 £1.47

$2.11 £1.57

-6.64%

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

$39.8K £29.7K

$39.6K £29.6K

0.45%

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

$40.8K £30.5K

$40.6K £30.3K

0.60%

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

$370 £277

$294 £219

26.06%

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

$20.78 £15.53

$16.69 £12.47

24.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$44.65 £33.37

$40.09 £29.96

11.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.22 £30.06

$54.6 £40.76

-26.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.51 £6.36

$18.12 £13.54

-53.04%

Cinema Ticket

$15.01 £11.22

$13.38 £10.00

12.18%

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

$1,777 £1,328

$1,275 £953

39.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K £11.8K

$20.3K £15.2K

-22.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$76.2 £57.0

$84.9 £63.4

-10.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$70.3 £52.5

$42.46 £31.73

65.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$114 £85.2

$95.4 £71.3

19.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 £75.9

$107 £79.7

-4.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,573 £1,176

$1,809 £1,352

-13.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,457 £1,089

$1,265 £946

15.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,202 £2,393

$3,122 £2,333

2.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,610 £1,951

$1,987 £1,485

31.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$27.7K £20.7K

$4,695 £3,508

490.44%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$20.5K £15.3K

$4,509 £3,370

354.02%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,426 £2,560

$3,436 £2,567

-0.29%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.91

4.87

0.82%

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

Last update for Slough: September 13, 2026

Last update for Manchester: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,573 in Slough versus $1,809 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 0% 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 $94.0 in Slough versus $95.0 in Manchester. Groceries tell a different story – $328 in Slough vs $303 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

Slough vs Manchester: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Slough is pricier by about 23%, 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 $4,729 per month in Slough and $3,860 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 $1,777 per month in Slough and $1,275 in Manchester. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 8% more in Slough, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,153 in Slough and $2,573 in Manchester. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

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, Slough makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.