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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,676 per month in Southampton vs $2,684 in Manchester, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,835 per month in Southampton vs $3,957 in Manchester, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,994 per month in Southampton vs $5,230 in Manchester, rent included.

Southampton and Manchester have comparable living costs – the differences are in the details.

Both Southampton and Manchester sit above the global median – Southampton by 100%, Manchester by 101%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$27.09 £20.14

$20.17 £14.99

34.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$77.1 £57.4

$96.9 £72.0

-20.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.52 £8.56

$10.78 £8.01

6.86%

Cappuccino

$5.07 £3.77

$5.10 £3.79

-0.59%

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

$2.72 £2.02

$2.53 £1.88

7.51%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.35 £1.75

$1.68 £1.25

39.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.33 £5.45

$7.31 £5.43

0.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.93 £5.15

$7.67 £5.70

-9.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.46 £1.09

$1.69 £1.26

-13.61%

White Bread (500g)

$1.36 £1.01

$1.71 £1.27

-20.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.71 £2.75

$2.25 £1.68

64.89%

Eggs

$5.22 £3.88

$4.07 £3.03

28.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.28 £6.90

$12.25 £9.10

-24.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.26 £6.88

$9.42 £7.01

-1.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.82 £11.02

$17.22 £12.80

-13.94%

Apples (1kg)

$2.30 £1.71

$3.35 £2.49

-31.34%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 £1.21

$1.80 £1.34

-9.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.46 £1.83

$4.01 £2.98

-38.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.98 £2.21

$4.14 £3.08

-28.02%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 £1.32

$2.05 £1.52

-13.17%

Onion (1kg)

$1.22 £0.91

$1.80 £1.34

-32.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 £0.74

$1.25 £0.93

-20.80%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.30 £1.71

$1.49 £1.11

54.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$17.69 £13.15

$19.21 £14.28

-7.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.30 £8.40

$10.00 £7.44

13.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.07 £3.02

$2.46 £1.83

65.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.47 £2.58

$3.61 £2.69

-3.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.91 £2.16

$2.65 £1.97

9.81%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$88.2 £65.6

$122 £90.4

-27.46%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.47 £3.32

$5.33 £3.96

-16.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 £1.41

$2.86 £2.12

-33.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$32.45 £24.12

$33.58 £24.97

-3.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.91 £1.42

$1.89 £1.40

1.06%

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

$39.0K £29.0K

$38.7K £28.8K

0.85%

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

$41.3K £30.7K

$41.5K £30.9K

-0.50%

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

$339 £252

$302 £225

12.25%

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

$18.42 £13.69

$22.97 £17.08

-19.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$52.3 £38.87

$43.39 £32.25

20.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.54 £31.63

$40.99 £30.47

3.78%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.49 £13.74

$15.62 £11.61

18.37%

Cinema Ticket

$12.42 £9.23

$13.50 £10.03

-8.00%

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

$1,509 £1,121

$1,984 £1,475

-23.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.1K £13.4K

$21.0K £15.6K

-13.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$116 £86.3

$91.3 £67.8

27.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.0 £39.41

$42.23 £31.39

25.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$118 £87.4

$88.1 £65.5

33.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$149 £111

$108 £80.4

37.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,413 £1,050

$1,638 £1,218

-13.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,197 £890

$1,256 £934

-4.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,433 £1,809

$2,747 £2,042

-11.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,784 £1,326

$2,049 £1,523

-12.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,009 £4,467

$4,946 £3,677

21.50%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,472 £4,068

$4,671 £3,473

17.14%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,307 £2,459

$3,154 £2,345

4.87%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.62

5.92

-5.07%

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

Last update for Southampton: July 13, 2026

Last update for Manchester: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,413 in Southampton versus $1,638 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 Southampton. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $77.0 in Southampton versus $97.0 in Manchester. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $318 vs $331 – making Southampton 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

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,015 per month in Southampton and $4,026 in Manchester. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Southampton, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 4% more in Manchester, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

Kindergarten costs $1,509 per month in Southampton and $1,984 in Manchester. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Southampton, where all-in costs run around $2,676, than in Manchester at $2,684. In Southampton it covers expenses comfortably, while in Manchester it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Southampton – 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 Southampton. 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.