Cologne vs Manchester Cost of Living
Cologne (Germany) · Overall index 55.9 — Manchester (United Kingdom) · Overall index 57.5
Summary
- Overall, Manchester is 3% more expensive than Cologne.
- Rent in Manchester is 5% more expensive than in Cologne.
- Groceries in Manchester is 5% more expensive than in Cologne.
| Item | Cologne | Manchester | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rent | +5% | ||
| 1-bedroom apartment, city centre (monthly) | $1,510 | $1,708 | +13% |
| 1-bedroom apartment, outside centre (monthly) | $1,059 | $1,022 | -3% |
| 3-bedroom apartment, city centre (monthly) | $2,908 | $2,649 | -9% |
| 3-bedroom apartment, outside centre (monthly) | $1,793 | $2,136 | +19% |
| Groceries | +5% | ||
| Milk (1L) | $0.92 | $0.92 | 0% |
| White bread (500g) | $2.89 | $2.87 | -1% |
| Rice (1kg) | $3.59 | $3.33 | -7% |
| Eggs (12) | $3.82 | $3.32 | -13% |
| Local cheese (1kg) | $9.26 | $11.2 | +21% |
| Chicken fillets (1kg) | $9.63 | $10.4 | +8% |
| Beef round (1kg) | $14.5 | $15.1 | +4% |
| Apples (1kg) | $3.8 | $3.94 | +4% |
| Bananas (1kg) | $1.46 | $1.37 | -6% |
| Oranges (1kg) | $2.95 | $3.67 | +24% |
| Tomatoes (1kg) | $3.75 | $4.39 | +17% |
| Potatoes (1kg) | $2.16 | $2.22 | +3% |
| Onions (1kg) | $1.86 | $2 | +8% |
| Lettuce (1 head) | $1.88 | $2.08 | +11% |
| Water (1.5L bottle) | $1.63 | $1.88 | +15% |
| Bottle of wine (mid-range) | $10.8 | $10.5 | -3% |
| Transport | +1% | ||
| Public transport, one-way ticket | $1.62 | $1.69 | +4% |
| Public transport, monthly pass | $80.4 | $73 | -9% |
| Taxi, base fare | $2.3 | $2.89 | +26% |
| Taxi, per km | $1.24 | $1.22 | -2% |
| Gasoline (1L) | $0.63 | $0.59 | -6% |
| New compact car (e.g., VW Golf) | $18,256 | $17,866 | -2% |
| Dining out | +2% | ||
| Meal, inexpensive restaurant | $13.6 | $14.8 | +9% |
| Meal for 2, mid-range restaurant (3 courses) | $79.5 | $87 | +9% |
| Fast food combo meal | $8.72 | $8.79 | +1% |
| Cappuccino | $3.9 | $4.09 | +5% |
| Coke/Pepsi (0.33L, restaurant) | $1.96 | $2 | +2% |
| Domestic beer (0.5L, restaurant) | $4.65 | $4.51 | -3% |
| Imported beer (0.33L, restaurant) | $5.27 | $5.43 | +3% |
| Water (0.33L, restaurant) | $1.42 | $1.27 | -11% |
| Telecom | -3% | ||
| Mobile plan, calls + 10GB+ data (monthly) | $48 | $49 | +2% |
| Broadband internet 60Mbps+ (monthly) | $44.5 | $46.5 | +4% |
| Prepaid mobile tariff (1 min) | $0.28 | $0.28 | 0% |
| Video streaming subscription (monthly) | $12.6 | $10.4 | -17% |
| Utilities & household | +4% | ||
| Basic utilities, 85m² apartment (monthly) | $120 | $122 | +2% |
| Electricity (1 kWh) | $0.15 | $0.17 | +13% |
| Tap water (1m³) | $3.26 | $3.22 | -1% |
| Natural gas (1m³) | $1.06 | $1.09 | +3% |
| Waste collection (monthly) | $17.7 | $18 | +2% |
| Fitness club (monthly) | $61.3 | $66.4 | +8% |
| Cinema ticket (1 seat) | $10.5 | $10.2 | -3% |
| Men's haircut | $24.3 | $24.6 | +1% |
| Domestic cleaning (1 hour) | $16.7 | $20 | +20% |
| Private kindergarten (monthly) | $1,506 | $1,443 | -4% |
3,162 total data points · Price data as of 2026-07-01 · Exchange rates as of 2026-07-15
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Estimates for reference only — not official statistics.
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