Cost of Living Comparison Between Stockton-on-Tees and Manchester Cost of Living Comparison Between Stockton-on-Tees and Manchester

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,851 per month in Stockton-on-Tees vs $2,696 in Manchester, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,678 per month in Stockton-on-Tees vs $3,934 in Manchester, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,504 per month in Stockton-on-Tees vs $5,171 in Manchester, rent included.

Stockton-on-Tees is about 31% cheaper than Manchester, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Stockton-on-Tees and Manchester sit above the global median – Stockton-on-Tees by 37%, Manchester by 100%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.09 £14.89

$20.33 £15.06

-1.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$80.6 £59.7

$96.4 £71.5

-16.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.69 £7.18

$10.79 £8.00

-10.19%

Cappuccino

$4.82 £3.57

$5.04 £3.74

-4.37%

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

$2.00 £1.48

$2.59 £1.92

-22.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 £1.16

$1.69 £1.25

-7.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.97 £5.16

$7.41 £5.49

-5.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.33 £3.95

$7.52 £5.57

-29.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.56 £1.15

$1.69 £1.25

-7.69%

White Bread (500g)

$1.69 £1.25

$1.74 £1.29

-2.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.80 £2.82

$2.24 £1.66

69.64%

Eggs

$4.10 £3.04

$4.11 £3.04

-0.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.45 £7.74

$12.17 £9.01

-14.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 £6.14

$9.33 £6.92

-11.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.62 £13.06

$17.36 £12.86

1.50%

Apples (1kg)

$3.46 £2.56

$3.22 £2.39

7.45%

Banana (1kg)

$1.93 £1.43

$1.77 £1.31

9.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.18 £2.36

$3.94 £2.92

-19.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.71 £2.75

$4.36 £3.23

-14.91%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 £1.32

$2.09 £1.55

-14.35%

Onion (1kg)

$2.07 £1.54

$1.87 £1.39

10.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.37 £1.01

$1.32 £0.97

3.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.75 £1.30

$1.42 £1.05

23.24%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$18.00 £13.33

$18.92 £14.02

-4.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.30 £6.89

$10.72 £7.94

-13.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.84 £2.11

$2.53 £1.87

12.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.93 £1.43

$3.47 £2.57

-44.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.41 £2.53

$2.76 £2.05

23.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$89.0 £66.0

$122 £90.1

-26.83%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.53 £4.84

$5.52 £4.09

18.30%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.00 £0.74

$2.94 £2.18

-65.99%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.40 £12.15

$33.51 £24.83

-51.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.96 £1.46

$1.98 £1.47

-1.01%

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

$31.8K £23.6K

$38.9K £28.8K

-18.28%

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

$34.2K £25.3K

$41.2K £30.5K

-17.11%

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

$288 £213

$296 £219

-2.62%

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

$17.07 £12.65

$22.89 £16.96

-25.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.15 £29.75

$43.45 £32.20

-7.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.4 £44.76

$42.06 £31.16

43.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.93 £11.80

Cinema Ticket

$13.10 £9.71

$13.43 £9.95

-2.46%

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

$1,607 £1,191

$1,956 £1,450

-17.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,907 £5,118

$20.9K £15.5K

-67.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$79.7 £59.0

$90.6 £67.2

-12.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.69 £32.38

$41.37 £30.66

5.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.5 £64.8

$89.2 £66.1

-1.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.5 £53.7

$108 £80.3

-33.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$598 £443

$1,640 £1,216

-63.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$512 £380

$1,256 £931

-59.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$811 £601

$2,700 £2,001

-69.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$717 £531

$2,083 £1,543

-65.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,717 £3,495

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,596 £3,405

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,681 £1,987

$3,399 £2,519

-21.13%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.6

5.92

-5.41%

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

Last update for Stockton-on-Tees: April 13, 2026

Last update for Manchester: April 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $598 in Stockton-on-Tees versus $1,640 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 27% higher in Manchester, 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 $81 in Stockton-on-Tees versus $96 in Manchester. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $323 vs $333 – making Stockton-on-Tees 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

Stockton-on-Tees vs Manchester: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Manchester is pricier by about 46%, 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 $2,777 per month in Stockton-on-Tees and $4,045 in Manchester. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $1,607 per month in Stockton-on-Tees and $1,956 in Manchester. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 3% more in Manchester, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Stockton-on-Tees, where all-in costs run around $1,851, than in Manchester at $2,696. In Stockton-on-Tees it covers expenses comfortably, while in Manchester it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Stockton-on-Tees – 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 Stockton-on-Tees. 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.