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Best Guide on Moving To Manchester
So, you’re moving to Manchester! Now that you’ve set your heart out on making the move, it’s time to figure out the next steps that you should take. Moving is not an easy feat, that is a fact. Soon, you will be facing many changes in your day-to-day life, and you need to be ready to take on those changes. As you move into Manchester City, you will have to get used to living in a new home, find unique places to hang out, meet lots of new people, figure out the best places to eat, and just get used to this whole new life in general. And so, in order to make this move to Manchester much easier, you should know a few things about your new home city. We have also partnered with the best Man and Van and Removals in Manchester to help you plan your move.
Brief Overview of Manchester
Manchester is a metropolitan city in England, United Kingdom. According to the earliest recorded history, the population of Manchester began around AD 79 in the Roman Fort of Mamucium (or Mancunium) near the rivers Medlock and Irwell. Historically a part of Lancashire, Manchester has evolved to become one of the most populated areas of the United Kingdom.
Manchester, itself, is home to a population of over 545, 500, an astounding number that is part of the 3.2 million people in the community of the Greater Manchester area. The name Manchester originates from the Latin name Mamucium. It is believed that mamm- (for breast or breast-like hill) or mamma (for mother) is the root word of Manchester. This theory is supported by the Insular Celtic, Welsh and Latin languages.
Speaking of languages, another great thing about Manchester is that it is home to multiple cultures and is open to diversity. Manchester’s population mainly speaks English, but it is a known fact that over 200 languages are being spoken. The list includes Polish, Urdu, Mandarin, Bengali, Punjabi, Arabic, etc.
You can also get a taste of Asia with Manchester’s infamous Curry Mile. It is known to be the largest concentration of Asian restaurants in the UK, showcasing a variety of cuisines such as Indian, Pakistani, Sri Lankan, and Bangladeshi. If you’re looking to live in Manchester, then there is a lot that you need to research on such as property prices in Greater Manchester.
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Moving to Manchester from London
Usually, when moving to Manchester “where to live” is the first question that comes to mind. If you’re moving from London, then you would notice immediately that the prices are considerably lower, albeit still higher than the rest of the UK. The debate of Manchester vs. London debate has been going for a long time now, especially because many residents of London are considering making the move to Manchester.
Life in Manchester, just as with London, is active and offers a lot of fantastic career opportunities. In fact, Esquire just published a controversial article stating that the city of Manchester is a much better place to live in than London.
Tourist Attractions in Manchester
The City of Manchester attracts millions of tourists each year. Known as a commercial and cultural centre of Lancashire, Manchester is famous for its culture, arts, media, and higher education. There are dozens upon dozens of tourist attractions in Manchester that you can go to spend your free days.
Going around Manchester would take the better part of your days as you would not have a lack of things to do. Manchester is, just like London and most parts of England, home to many a hybrid architecture. Manchester is made up of both modern and classic buildings giving it an admirable aesthetic.
Just like Liverpool, Manchester went through a lot of architectural renaissance of sorts. This means that you can go around Manchester no matter what your interests are. Some notable examples of great, breathtaking sights in Manchester are Liverpool Road, Opera House, Chill Factor, St. Anne’s Square, King Street, and the Royal Exchange.
Manchester is also home to the Northern Quarter, a one of a kind neighbourhood that is filled with trendy street art, bohemian bars, independent record shops, and many unique restaurants. In this neighbourhood, you will also find music venues that have borne witness to many live performances by the best independent and big-name musicians. This neighbourhood is also home to the Manchester Craft and Design Centre, as well as the Centre for Chinese Contemporary Art.
Education in Manchester
Hundreds of thousands of students choose to do exchange programs into universities in the city so they can get a taste of the best education the world can offer. In fact, the United Kingdom is at the peak of scholarly knowledge that the QS World University Rankings lists 76 Universities that are situated from the UK. Aside from this, four universities are on the Global Top Ten.
Manchester boasts of two universities in the Top 1000 universities of the QS World University Rankings. A considerable number of people living in Manchester are students who are in search of quality education. The University of Manchester and the Manchester Metropolitan University make up most of Manchester’s student population.
If you are a student planning a move to Manchester, check out this student moving home checklist and guide to student storage.
Jobs in Manchester
Manchester also boasts of a healthy economy. Historically, Manchester was the first industrialised city. Until now, Manchester holds one of the United Kingdom’s best economies. As one of the most populated areas in England, Manchester is full of young professionals following their life’s passion and dreams.
Its main commercial area is in Manchester City Centre, focused on Spinningfields, Mosley Street, Deansgate, etc. If you are moving to Manchester hoping for a job, then you would be relieved to know that Manchester houses a lot of different industries which make it ideal for many professionals. Some of the industries thriving in it are digital and creative media, financial, legal and business services, biotechnology, tourism, media, and real estate. Manchester is also home to many foreign companies and headquarters including over half of Northwest’s Top 500 Businesses.
Cost of Living in Manchester
Of course, the first thing that you have to consider before deciding to move to Manchester is the cost of living. Living costs, ironically, has become one of the biggest thorns in the backside of humanity. With capitalism at its peak and everything with a price tag, we all now have to think of the accompanying expenses before we focus on a decision. If you have kids, you can breathe easy knowing that there are still some free things to do in Manchester with kids.
For previous Londoners, it would be a relief for them to know that the expenses they will incur in Manchester are lower compared to the cost of living in London. According to Numbeo, a family comprised of four people will incur an estimated monthly cost of £ 2, 201.43, excluding rent.
For a single adult, they would need around £ 634.68 to survive in a month. These numbers are just estimates. The actual amount that you might actually need can vary — it can go higher or lower. Prices in Manchester may be low compared to London prices. However, the cost of living in Manchester City is still considerably higher than in other counties and cities in the United Kingdom.
Here is a table to compare the expenses in the city of Manchester compared to London:
- Consumer Prices in Manchester are 17.19% lower than in London
- Consumer Prices Including Rent in Manchester are 34.97% lower than in London
- Rent Prices in Manchester are 57.28% lower than in London
- Restaurant Prices in Manchester are 11.61% lower than in London
- Groceries Prices in Manchester are 11.83% lower than in London
- Local Purchasing Power in Manchester is 40.55% higher than in London
Rent Situation in Manchester
Rent is one of the most significant deciding factors you should consider when moving. Housing in Manchester tends to be higher than in other cities in the UK. It is, however, lower than London. The difference between London and Manchester prices is the reason why a considerable part of the population in the city of Manchester has made the move from the city that is known as The Big Smoke.
Rent prices in Manchester vary. It depends on where one wants to live — inside or outside the city centre. According to MoverDB, the figures below are the estimate prices on Rent in the City of Manchester.
Monthly Rental Prices In Manchester
- One-bedroom flat (apartment) in City Centre: £500+
- One-bedroom flat outside the City Centre: £400+
- Three-bedroom flat in the City Centre: £850+
- Three-bedroom flat outside the City Centre: £600+
Manchester Home Purchase Prices
- Price per square metre (10.7 square feet) to buy in City: £2,175+
- Price per square metre (10.7 square feet) to buy outside City: £317+
Self-Storage Facilities in Manchester
Because of the increasing price of rent in Manchester, many are choosing to downsize. Downsizing is the process of moving to a new place that is much cheaper than their previous home. Unfortunately, downsizing also takes away a lot of space as smaller flats mean a lower price. This means that residents have to get rid of a lot of their items so that they can fit into the new place they are moving into. Check out this moving cost article to get you prepared for your move if ever you decide to downsize.
One of the best compromises is renting self-storage facilities. Storage facilities allow their users to store almost anything inside. This means that residents in Manchester, or those thinking of moving into the city, can store all the items that they do not need in their everyday life to save up on space. Moving to Manchester can be quite intimidating and scary at first, but you will soon learn to love this city and its people. For more tips in moving, read our moving house checklist!