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Dublin vs Manchester cost of living 2026
Which is cheaper, what exactly is cheaper, and how it feels on your money ยท Updated October 2026
๐ฎ๐ช Dublin
๐ฌ๐ง Manchester
At a glance
- Where Manchester is clearly cheaper: Laundry (42%โ), Studio rent (month) (36%โ), Street food (30%โ)
- Where Dublin is clearly cheaper: Half-day tour (39%โ)
By category
Salary equivalence
Travel difficulty
Manchester is easier to travel (1.4 vs 1.6). Biggest gap: getting around โ Dublin 2 vs Manchester 1. Closer to 1 is easier. Difficulty ranking โบ
Item by item
| Item | Dublin | Manchester | Cheaper |
|---|---|---|---|
| Local mealper person | โฌ 18$20.9 | ยฃ 13$17.6 | Manchester โ16% |
| Street food1 item | โฌ 10$11.6 | ยฃ 6$8.11 | Manchester โ30% |
| Restaurant dinnerper person | โฌ 40$46.5 | ยฃ 32$43.2 | Manchester โ7% |
| Coffeeone cup | โฌ 4.5$5.23 | ยฃ 3$4.05 | Manchester โ23% |
| Beerone bottle | โฌ 7.5$8.72 | ยฃ 5$6.76 | Manchester โ23% |
| Cocktail & wineone cup | โฌ 13$15.1 | ยฃ 11$14.9 | similar |
| Bottled water | โฌ 1.8$2.09 | ยฃ 1.1$1.49 | Manchester โ29% |
| Convenience store1 snack or drink | โฌ 2.4$2.79 | ยฃ 1.8$2.43 | Manchester โ13% |
| Taxi5 km in town | โฌ 13$15.1 | ยฃ 11$14.9 | similar |
| Tuk-tuk / moto taxishort hop | โฌ 9$10.5 | ยฃ 6.5$8.78 | Manchester โ16% |
| Transitone ride | โฌ 2$2.33 | ยฃ 2$2.7 | Dublin โ14% |
| Scooter rentalper day | โฌ 20$23.3 | ยฃ 20$27 | Dublin โ14% |
| Hotel night3-star | โฌ 175$203 | ยฃ 140$189 | Manchester โ7% |
| Studio rent (month) | โฌ 2,000$2,326 | ยฃ 1,100$1,486 | Manchester โ36% |
| Laundry | โฌ 4$4.65 | ยฃ 2$2.7 | Manchester โ42% |
| SIM card1 week data | โฌ 15$17.4 | ยฃ 9$12.2 | Manchester โ30% |
| Haircutcut | โฌ 22$25.6 | ยฃ 17$23 | Manchester โ10% |
| Massage1 hour | โฌ 75$87.2 | ยฃ 50$67.6 | Manchester โ23% |
| Half-day tourper person | โฌ 30$34.9 | ยฃ 42$56.8 | Dublin โ39% |
| Entry ticketTourist town | โฌ 22$25.6 | ยฃ 14$18.9 | Manchester โ26% |
Reference prices start as estimates from published price levels; items with 3+ traveler reports use the median of real reports. Hostels and local eateries cut both by 30%+.
FAQ
Which is cheaper, Dublin or Manchester?
Manchester is 18% cheaper than Dublin. Daily budget $369 vs $339; a month $7,755 vs $5,521.
Which is easier to travel, Dublin or Manchester?
Manchester is easier: Manchester 1.4/5 vs Dublin 1.6/5 (average of rip-offs, language, transport, payments and safety).
How do monthly costs compare between Dublin and Manchester?
With a short-term studio and living costs, Dublin is about $7,755 and Manchester about $5,521 per month.
Where do the numbers come from?
They start as estimates informed by published price levels; any item with 3+ traveler reports switches to the median of real reports. Live reports are in the app.