Cost of Living Comparison Between Southampton and Manchester Cost of Living Comparison Between Southampton and Manchester

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,753 per month in Southampton vs $2,597 in Manchester, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,927 per month in Southampton vs $3,791 in Manchester, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,102 per month in Southampton vs $4,985 in Manchester, rent included.

Southampton costs about 6% more than Manchester, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Southampton and Manchester sit above the global median – Southampton by 100%, Manchester by 89%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$26.79 £19.82

$20.25 £14.98

32.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$96.0 £71.0

$95.3 £70.5

0.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.16 £8.99

$10.72 £7.93

13.43%

Cappuccino

$5.40 £3.99

$4.86 £3.60

11.11%

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

$3.20 £2.37

$2.69 £1.99

18.96%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.27 £1.68

$1.76 £1.30

28.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.57 £5.60

$8.08 £5.98

-6.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.70 £4.96

$6.97 £5.15

-3.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.02 £1.50

$1.50 £1.11

34.67%

White Bread (500g)

$1.71 £1.26

$1.93 £1.43

-11.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.09 £2.29

$2.01 £1.49

53.73%

Eggs

$4.61 £3.41

$3.84 £2.84

20.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.66 £7.15

$9.26 £6.85

4.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.02 £7.41

$8.80 £6.51

13.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.33 £10.60

$16.51 £12.21

-13.20%

Apples (1kg)

$3.06 £2.26

$3.11 £2.30

-1.61%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 £1.28

$1.54 £1.14

12.99%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.97 £2.20

$3.02 £2.23

-1.66%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.53 £2.61

$3.51 £2.60

0.57%

Potato (1kg)

$1.89 £1.40

$1.50 £1.11

26.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.61 £1.19

$1.32 £0.98

21.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.28 £0.95

$1.30 £0.96

-1.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 £1.33

$1.23 £0.91

46.34%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$21.53 £15.92

$24.43 £18.08

-11.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 £8.24

$10.96 £8.11

1.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.99 £2.22

$2.47 £1.83

21.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.55 £2.63

$3.26 £2.42

8.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.14 £2.33

$2.66 £1.97

18.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$85.9 £63.6

$106 £78.7

-19.27%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.32 £3.19

$4.51 £3.33

-4.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.05 £1.52

$2.23 £1.65

-8.07%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$32.37 £23.95

$30.69 £22.70

5.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.13 £1.58

$2.09 £1.55

1.91%

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

$39.5K £29.3K

$39.8K £29.4K

-0.59%

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

$41.5K £30.7K

$40.8K £30.2K

1.78%

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

$335 £248

$304 £225

10.35%

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

$30.42 £22.51

$16.90 £12.50

80.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$55.4 £40.95

$40.38 £29.87

37.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.76 £31.64

$55.1 £40.76

-22.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.86 £12.48

$18.59 £13.75

-9.31%

Cinema Ticket

$16.38 £12.12

$13.65 £10.10

20.00%

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

$1,642 £1,215

$1,287 £952

27.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.3K £13.5K

$20.5K £15.1K

-10.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$106 £78.5

$93.8 £69.4

13.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.5 £38.84

$43.08 £31.87

21.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 £77.7

$98.4 £72.8

6.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$135 £99.8

$108 £80.2

24.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,561 £1,155

$1,833 £1,356

-14.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,225 £906

$1,269 £939

-3.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,495 £1,846

$3,134 £2,319

-20.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,925 £1,424

$2,028 £1,501

-5.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,967 £4,414

$5,007 £3,704

19.18%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,524 £4,087

$4,739 £3,506

16.55%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,431 £2,538

$3,318 £2,455

3.40%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.96

5.13

-3.31%

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

Last update for Southampton: August 30, 2026

Last update for Manchester: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,561 in Southampton 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 3% higher in Southampton, 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 $96.0 in Southampton versus $95.0 in Manchester. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $325 vs $301 – making Manchester 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

Southampton vs Manchester: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Southampton is pricier by about 6%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,129 per month in Southampton 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 $1,642 per month in Southampton and $1,287 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 Southampton, 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 $2,753 in Southampton and $2,597 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, Southampton makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.