Cost of Living Comparison Between Swindon and Manchester Cost of Living Comparison Between Swindon and Manchester

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,488 per month in Swindon vs $2,573 in Manchester, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,537 per month in Swindon vs $3,790 in Manchester, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,586 per month in Swindon vs $5,008 in Manchester, rent included.

Swindon is about 3% cheaper than Manchester, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Swindon and Manchester sit above the global median – Swindon by 82%, Manchester by 88%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.71 £15.47

$20.21 £15.11

2.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.3 £47.27

$94.7 £70.8

-33.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.97 £8.20

$10.75 £8.03

2.05%

Cappuccino

$4.96 £3.70

$4.74 £3.55

4.64%

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

$2.72 £2.03

$2.55 £1.91

6.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.63 £1.22

$1.67 £1.25

-2.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.50 £4.11

$7.90 £5.91

-30.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.66 £3.48

$6.79 £5.08

-31.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.57 £1.17

$1.52 £1.14

3.29%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 £1.30

$1.92 £1.44

-8.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.85 £1.38

$1.99 £1.49

-7.04%

Eggs

$4.41 £3.30

$3.80 £2.84

16.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.45 £6.32

$9.14 £6.83

-7.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.96 £6.69

$9.16 £6.84

-2.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.12 £9.81

$15.93 £11.90

-17.64%

Apples (1kg)

$3.03 £2.26

$3.27 £2.44

-7.34%

Banana (1kg)

$1.84 £1.37

$1.53 £1.14

20.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.63 £1.97

$2.91 £2.18

-9.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.22 £3.15

$3.52 £2.63

19.89%

Potato (1kg)

$2.08 £1.56

$1.51 £1.13

37.75%

Onion (1kg)

$1.49 £1.11

$1.37 £1.02

8.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.30 £0.97

$1.28 £0.96

1.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.81 £1.35

$1.30 £0.97

39.23%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$23.31 £17.42

$23.77 £17.76

-1.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.60 £7.92

$11.21 £8.38

-5.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.81 £2.10

$2.60 £1.94

8.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 £2.67

$3.23 £2.42

10.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.26 £2.44

$2.65 £1.98

23.02%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$91.7 £68.6

$109 £81.4

-15.74%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.45 £2.58

$4.47 £3.34

-22.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.64 £1.22

$2.23 £1.67

-26.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$22.00 £16.44

$30.87 £23.07

-28.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.06 £1.54

$2.11 £1.57

-2.37%

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

$38.8K £29.0K

$39.6K £29.6K

-1.92%

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

$40.6K £30.3K

0.03%

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

$324 £242

$294 £219

10.30%

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

$16.38 £12.24

$16.69 £12.47

-1.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.69 £29.66

$40.09 £29.96

-1.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.74 £28.20

$54.6 £40.76

-30.82%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.28 £17.40

$18.12 £13.54

28.48%

Cinema Ticket

$14.09 £10.53

$13.38 £10.00

5.31%

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

$1,236 £924

$1,275 £953

-3.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,579 £4,169

$20.3K £15.2K

-72.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.8 £67.1

$84.9 £63.4

5.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.05 £33.66

$42.46 £31.73

6.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.9 £63.5

$95.4 £71.3

-11.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.8 £66.3

$107 £79.7

-16.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,238 £925

$1,809 £1,352

-31.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,129 £844

$1,265 £946

-10.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,926 £1,439

$3,122 £2,333

-38.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,781 £1,331

$1,987 £1,485

-10.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,656 £1,984

$4,695 £3,508

-43.44%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,146 £2,351

$4,509 £3,370

-30.24%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,988 £2,233

$3,436 £2,567

-13.03%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.87

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

Last update for Swindon: September 12, 2026

Last update for Manchester: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,238 in Swindon versus $1,809 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 15% 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 $63.0 in Swindon versus $95.0 in Manchester. Groceries tell a different story – $304 in Swindon vs $303 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

Swindon vs Manchester: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Manchester is pricier by about 3%, 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 $3,733 per month in Swindon and $3,860 in Manchester. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $1,236 per month in Swindon and $1,275 in Manchester. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 0% cheaper in Manchester – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Swindon, where all-in costs run around $2,488, than in Manchester at $2,573. In Swindon it covers expenses comfortably, while in Manchester it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Swindon – 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 Swindon. 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.