Compare any two UK cities, side by side.
See exactly how monthly rent, transport, groceries and utilities differ between UK cities — sourced from ONS, transport authorities and rental data.
Compare two UK cities
London
Greater London
£2,370/mo
The UK's largest job market and biggest sponsor concentration — but the highest cost of living.
Manchester
North West
£1,425/mo
The UK's second tech hub — half the cost of London with a fast-growing sponsor base.
Monthly cost breakdown
| Item | London | Manchester | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| One-bed rent | £1,750 | £950 | −£800 |
| Transport | £160 | £75 | −£85 |
| Groceries | £280 | £240 | −£40 |
| Utilities + internet | £180 | £160 | −£20 |
| Total per month | £2,370 | £1,425 | −£945 |
Difference shown is City B − City A. Negative means City B is cheaper.
Top sectors · London
- TechnologyKing's Cross, Shoreditch and South Bank — Google, Meta, fintech scale-ups, AI labs.
- FinanceThe City and Canary Wharf — banks, insurance, asset management.
- HealthcareNHS trusts (Guy's & St Thomas', UCLH, Royal London) sponsor heavily.
- ConsultingAll Big 4 + tier-1 strategy firms headquartered here.
Top sectors · Manchester
- TechnologyNorthern Quarter + Spinningfields — fintech, AI, ecommerce.
- MediaMediaCity UK (Salford) — BBC, ITV, production companies.
- HealthcareManchester University NHS Foundation Trust — one of the biggest in the UK.
- EducationUniversity of Manchester + Manchester Met sponsor academic and research roles.
Browse all city guides
Full guides with neighbourhoods, top sectors and arrival notes for each city.
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How it works
Where the figures come from
Rent averages combine ONS Private Rental Index with Zoopla / Rightmove published medians. Transport from TfL, GMCA, WMCA and regional operators. Groceries and utilities from ONS Family Spending Survey.
What's included
A "single adult" baseline: one-bed flat rent, monthly transport pass, average grocery spend, gas + electric + broadband + mobile. Council Tax is calculated separately — see our Council Tax band tool.
What's NOT included
Council Tax (highly variable by band and council), TV licence, leisure, eating out, holidays, savings, debt repayment. Add ~£200-£500/month for a realistic full budget.
Adjust for family size
For a couple sharing rent: roughly +30% to total. For a family of 4: roughly +90% to total + £400-£800 childcare per child.
Why London is the outlier
London rents 60-100% higher than most UK cities. Transport is uniquely capped via TfL contactless. Council Tax can actually be LOWER than smaller cities. Net effect: monthly costs are still typically 40-60% higher than regional UK.
When comparing for relocation
Pair this tool with our Mortgage Affordability and Take-Home Pay calculators to map out total budget reality before committing to a move.