Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Slough and Manchester

For one person, living is cheaper in Manchester: $2,499 a month against $2,900 in Slough, rent and utilities included – about $4,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

Slough, United Kingdom
Manchester, United Kingdom
Slough
🇬🇧 United Kingdom
$2,900
/mo nomad
Manchester
🇬🇧 United Kingdom
$2,499
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Slough 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 Slough and in Manchester actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,900 per month in Slough vs $2,499 in Manchester, rent included.

  • Slough $2,900
  • Manchester $2,499

A couple spends around $4,194 per month in Slough vs $3,623 in Manchester, rent included.

  • Slough $4,194
  • Manchester $3,623

A family of three spends $5,488 per month in Slough vs $4,747 in Manchester, rent included.

  • Slough $5,488
  • Manchester $4,747

Slough costs about 16% more than Manchester, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Slough and Manchester sit above the global median – Slough by 113%, Manchester by 84%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Slough
Manchester
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$24.10 £17.99
$20.22 £15.10
19.19%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$81.2 £60.6
$86.0 £64.2
-5.58%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.25 £7.65
$10.74 £8.02
-4.56%
Cappuccino
$4.98 £3.72
$4.68 £3.49
6.41%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.88 £2.15
$2.44 £1.82
18.03%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.11 £1.58
$1.62 £1.21
30.25%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$6.48 £4.83
$7.78 £5.81
-16.71%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$6.47 £4.83
$6.70 £5.00
-3.43%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Slough
Manchester
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.84 £1.38
$1.51 £1.12
21.85%
White Bread (500g)
$1.48 £1.11
$1.88 £1.41
-21.28%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.95 £2.20
$1.94 £1.45
52.06%
Eggs
$3.61 £2.70
$4.08 £3.04
-11.52%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$11.10 £8.29
$9.61 £7.17
15.50%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.61 £6.43
$8.98 £6.71
-4.12%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.52 £9.35
$15.41 £11.51
-18.75%
Apples (1kg)
$3.05 £2.28
$3.09 £2.31
-1.29%
Banana (1kg)
$1.54 £1.15
$1.58 £1.18
-2.53%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.97 £2.22
$2.95 £2.20
0.68%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.22 £2.41
$3.35 £2.50
-3.88%
Potato (1kg)
$2.63 £1.97
$1.51 £1.13
74.17%
Onion (1kg)
$1.30 £0.97
$1.35 £1.01
-3.70%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.08 £0.81
$1.26 £0.94
-14.29%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.46 £1.09
$1.23 £0.92
18.70%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$23.74 £17.73
$24.05 £17.95
-1.29%
Wine (Bottle)
$13.39 £10.00
$10.88 £8.13
23.07%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.27 £1.69
$2.43 £1.81
-6.58%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.73 £2.04
$3.17 £2.36
-13.88%
🚌 Getting Around
Slough
Manchester
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$3.90 £2.91
$2.73 £2.04
42.86%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$239 £178
$108 £80.6
121.27%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$6.77 £5.06
$4.52 £3.37
49.78%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$4.57 £3.41
$2.22 £1.66
105.86%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$39.51 £29.50
$30.82 £23.01
28.20%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.03 £1.52
$2.14 £1.60
-5.14%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$39.0K £29.1K
$38.5K £28.7K
1.48%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$40.0K £29.9K
$40.0K £29.9K
-0.00%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Slough
Manchester
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$311 £232
$252 £189
23.30%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$20.97 £15.66
$16.23 £12.12
29.21%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$45.07 £33.65
$39.58 £29.56
13.87%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Slough
Manchester
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$41.57 £31.04
$42.67 £31.86
-2.58%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$8.45 £6.31
$18.05 £13.48
-53.19%
Cinema Ticket
$13.09 £9.77
$13.44 £10.04
-2.60%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Slough
Manchester
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,750 £1,307
$1,494 £1,116
17.12%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$24.1K £18.0K
$19.7K £14.7K
22.49%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Slough
Manchester
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$69.4 £51.8
$83.5 £62.4
-16.94%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$68.0 £50.8
$42.97 £32.09
58.34%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$114 £84.9
$95.0 £70.9
19.61%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$109 £81.3
$106 £79.1
2.84%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Slough
Manchester
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,695 £1,266
$1,785 £1,333
-5.06%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,358 £1,014
$1,222 £913
11.12%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,903 £2,168
$2,930 £2,188
-0.93%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,204 £1,646
$1,899 £1,418
16.07%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$17.8K £13.3K
$4,668 £3,486
280.35%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$13.0K £9,742
$4,397 £3,283
196.71%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Slough
Manchester
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,377 £2,521
$3,395 £2,535
-0.53%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5
4.82
3.73%

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

Last update for Slough: October 25, 2026

Last update for Manchester: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Slough
$1.4K
Manchester
$1.2K 10% $136
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Slough
$377
Manchester
$308 18.3% $69
Eating Out
Slough
$349
Manchester
$319 8.6% $30
Groceries & Markets
Slough
$302
Manchester
$299 1% $3.1
Getting Around
Slough
$284
Manchester
$134 52.7% $150
Clothing & Footwear
Slough
$162
Manchester
$147 9% $15
Sport & Entertainment
Slough
$68
Manchester
$70 2.7% $1.8

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,695 in Slough versus $1,785 in Manchester. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $81 in Slough versus $86 in Manchester. Groceries tell a different story – $302 in Slough vs $299 in Manchester – so Manchester wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know
🇬🇧 Slough
🇬🇧 Manchester
🕒 Local time
07:15 7:15 AM
07:15 7:15 AM
Same time as Slough
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
164,455
503,100
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to GBP – British Pound Converter

British Pound exchange rates as of November 1, 2026: 1 USD = 0.747 GBP (1 GBP = 1.34 USD). 1 EUR = 0.834 GBP (1 GBP = 1.2 EUR).

On the map
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  • Slough Manchester 250 km
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  • Slough
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Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Is Manchester cheaper than Slough?
Yes – Slough is pricier by about 16%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in transport.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,349 per month in Slough and $3,749 in Manchester. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
What is the rent difference between Slough and Manchester?
A central 1-bedroom goes for about $1,695 in Slough and $1,785 in Manchester. The gap holds across neighborhoods – outer areas show a similar spread, just at lower price points.
What are total monthly expenses in Slough and in Manchester?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,900 in Slough and $2,499 in Manchester. That makes Manchester about 14% cheaper.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $1,750 per month in Slough and $1,494 in Manchester. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Is it better to live in Slough or in Manchester?
It depends on your priorities. Manchester has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,499 in Manchester to $2,900 in Slough. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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