Manchester vs Cologne Cost of Living
Manchester (United Kingdom) · Overall index 57.5 — Cologne (Germany) · Overall index 55.9
Summary
- Overall, Cologne is 3% cheaper than Manchester.
- Rent in Cologne is 5% cheaper than in Manchester.
- Groceries in Cologne is 5% cheaper than in Manchester.
| Item | Manchester | Cologne | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rent | -5% | ||
| 1-bedroom apartment, city centre (monthly) | $1,708 | $1,510 | -12% |
| 1-bedroom apartment, outside centre (monthly) | $1,022 | $1,059 | +4% |
| 3-bedroom apartment, city centre (monthly) | $2,649 | $2,908 | +10% |
| 3-bedroom apartment, outside centre (monthly) | $2,136 | $1,793 | -16% |
| Groceries | -5% | ||
| Milk (1L) | $0.92 | $0.92 | 0% |
| White bread (500g) | $2.87 | $2.89 | +1% |
| Rice (1kg) | $3.33 | $3.59 | +8% |
| Eggs (12) | $3.32 | $3.82 | +15% |
| Local cheese (1kg) | $11.2 | $9.26 | -17% |
| Chicken fillets (1kg) | $10.4 | $9.63 | -7% |
| Beef round (1kg) | $15.1 | $14.5 | -4% |
| Apples (1kg) | $3.94 | $3.8 | -4% |
| Bananas (1kg) | $1.37 | $1.46 | +7% |
| Oranges (1kg) | $3.67 | $2.95 | -20% |
| Tomatoes (1kg) | $4.39 | $3.75 | -15% |
| Potatoes (1kg) | $2.22 | $2.16 | -3% |
| Onions (1kg) | $2 | $1.86 | -7% |
| Lettuce (1 head) | $2.08 | $1.88 | -10% |
| Water (1.5L bottle) | $1.88 | $1.63 | -13% |
| Bottle of wine (mid-range) | $10.5 | $10.8 | +3% |
| Transport | -1% | ||
| Public transport, one-way ticket | $1.69 | $1.62 | -4% |
| Public transport, monthly pass | $73 | $80.4 | +10% |
| Taxi, base fare | $2.89 | $2.3 | -20% |
| Taxi, per km | $1.22 | $1.24 | +2% |
| Gasoline (1L) | $0.59 | $0.63 | +7% |
| New compact car (e.g., VW Golf) | $17,866 | $18,256 | +2% |
| Dining out | -2% | ||
| Meal, inexpensive restaurant | $14.8 | $13.6 | -8% |
| Meal for 2, mid-range restaurant (3 courses) | $87 | $79.5 | -9% |
| Fast food combo meal | $8.79 | $8.72 | -1% |
| Cappuccino | $4.09 | $3.9 | -5% |
| Coke/Pepsi (0.33L, restaurant) | $2 | $1.96 | -2% |
| Domestic beer (0.5L, restaurant) | $4.51 | $4.65 | +3% |
| Imported beer (0.33L, restaurant) | $5.43 | $5.27 | -3% |
| Water (0.33L, restaurant) | $1.27 | $1.42 | +12% |
| Telecom | +4% | ||
| Mobile plan, calls + 10GB+ data (monthly) | $49 | $48 | -2% |
| Broadband internet 60Mbps+ (monthly) | $46.5 | $44.5 | -4% |
| Prepaid mobile tariff (1 min) | $0.28 | $0.28 | 0% |
| Video streaming subscription (monthly) | $10.4 | $12.6 | +21% |
| Utilities & household | -4% | ||
| Basic utilities, 85m² apartment (monthly) | $122 | $120 | -2% |
| Electricity (1 kWh) | $0.17 | $0.15 | -12% |
| Tap water (1m³) | $3.22 | $3.26 | +1% |
| Natural gas (1m³) | $1.09 | $1.06 | -3% |
| Waste collection (monthly) | $18 | $17.7 | -2% |
| Fitness club (monthly) | $66.4 | $61.3 | -8% |
| Cinema ticket (1 seat) | $10.2 | $10.5 | +3% |
| Men's haircut | $24.6 | $24.3 | -1% |
| Domestic cleaning (1 hour) | $20 | $16.7 | -17% |
| Private kindergarten (monthly) | $1,443 | $1,506 | +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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