Cost of Living Comparison Between St. Andrews and Manchester Cost of Living Comparison Between St. Andrews and Manchester

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,353 per month in St. Andrews vs $2,597 in Manchester, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,993 per month in St. Andrews vs $3,791 in Manchester, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,633 per month in St. Andrews vs $4,985 in Manchester, rent included.

St. Andrews is about 9% cheaper than Manchester, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both St. Andrews and Manchester sit above the global median – St. Andrews by 71%, Manchester by 89%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$21.49 £15.90

$20.25 £14.98

6.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$87.9 £65.0

$95.3 £70.5

-7.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.63 £7.87

$10.72 £7.93

-0.84%

Cappuccino

$4.68 £3.46

$4.86 £3.60

-3.70%

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

$2.60 £1.92

$2.69 £1.99

-3.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 £1.50

$1.76 £1.30

15.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.66 £4.93

$8.08 £5.98

-17.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.59 £4.87

$6.97 £5.15

-5.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.60 £1.19

$1.50 £1.11

6.67%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 £1.35

$1.93 £1.43

-5.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.93 £1.43

$2.01 £1.49

-3.98%

Eggs

$4.61 £3.41

$3.84 £2.84

20.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.57 £5.60

$9.26 £6.85

-18.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.78 £7.23

$8.80 £6.51

11.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.77 £11.67

$16.51 £12.21

-4.48%

Apples (1kg)

$2.53 £1.87

$3.11 £2.30

-18.65%

Banana (1kg)

$1.37 £1.02

$1.54 £1.14

-11.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.81 £2.08

$3.02 £2.23

-6.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.82 £2.08

$3.51 £2.60

-19.66%

Potato (1kg)

$1.83 £1.35

$1.50 £1.11

22.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.55 £1.15

$1.32 £0.98

17.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 £0.92

$1.30 £0.96

-4.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.51 £1.85

$1.23 £0.91

104.07%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$22.68 £16.78

$24.43 £18.08

-7.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.43 £8.46

$10.96 £8.11

4.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.72 £2.01

$2.47 £1.83

10.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.19 £2.36

$3.26 £2.42

-2.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.82 £3.57

$2.66 £1.97

81.20%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$106 £78.7

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.17 £3.09

$4.51 £3.33

-7.54%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.37 £1.75

$2.23 £1.65

6.28%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.58 £18.19

$30.69 £22.70

-19.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.06 £1.52

$2.09 £1.55

-1.44%

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

$38.9K £28.8K

$39.8K £29.4K

-2.24%

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

$40.8K £30.2K

0.11%

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

$249 £184

$304 £225

-18.11%

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

$13.41 £9.92

$16.90 £12.50

-20.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.84 £31.70

$40.38 £29.87

6.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$96.0 £71.0

$55.1 £40.76

74.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.59 £13.75

Cinema Ticket

$13.66 £10.10

$13.65 £10.10

0.07%

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

$1,809 £1,338

$1,287 £952

40.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.6K £17.5K

$20.5K £15.1K

15.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$100 £74.0

$93.8 £69.4

6.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.36 £36.52

$43.08 £31.87

14.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$107 £79.4

$98.4 £72.8

8.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.3 £67.5

$108 £80.2

-15.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,384 £1,024

$1,833 £1,356

-24.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,065 £788

$1,269 £939

-16.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,126 £2,312

$3,134 £2,319

-0.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,718 £2,011

$2,028 £1,501

34.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,205 £4,590

$5,007 £3,704

23.94%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,743 £2,029

$4,739 £3,506

-42.13%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,424 £2,533

$3,318 £2,455

3.19%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.41

5.13

5.46%

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

Last update for St. Andrews: September 1, 2026

Last update for Manchester: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,384 in St. Andrews 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 St. Andrews, 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 $88.0 in St. Andrews versus $95.0 in Manchester. Groceries tell a different story – $312 in St. Andrews vs $301 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

St. Andrews vs Manchester: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Manchester is pricier by about 10%, 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 $3,529 per month in St. Andrews 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 St. Andrews, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,353 in St. Andrews and $2,597 in Manchester. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $1,809 per month in St. Andrews and $1,287 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 St. Andrews, where all-in costs run around $2,353, than in Manchester at $2,597. In St. Andrews it covers expenses comfortably, while in Manchester it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward St. Andrews – 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 St. Andrews. 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.