Are you wondering what life is like up North and looking for the ultimate list of pros and cons of living in Manchester, England?
Here it is!
As an expat myself who has been living in Manchester since 2018, I can tell you everything about the advantages and disadvantages of living in Manchester.
Manchester is one of the most famous cities in the UK. It’s mainly known for football and nightlife but it’s also an amazing city to live in.
That’s why there are so many expats here!
But while I do love my city and can’t recommend it enough, it’s not necessarily for everybody.
There are good things and bad things about living in Manchester and it’s important to know them so if you can then decide if that’s the right place for you.
I put together this list of pros and cons to living in Manchester. Are you ready to get started? Let’s go!
Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, meaning I get a commission if you decide to make a purchase through my links, at no extra cost for you!
Pro: Mancunians are very friendly
Manchester is known to be one of the friendliest cities in England.
In fact, Mancunians (the name used for people from Manchester) are so friendly that it makes it very easy to make friends here.
The city in general feels very welcoming thanks to the people here.
You can expect to be called all sorts of pet names such as ‘hon’, ‘darling’ and more commonly ‘love’ (or should I say ‘luv’?).
Whether it’s in the cafes, at the supermarket or in the bars, you’ll see that people are very nice and chatty.
Although it is a big city, it has this small town feel to it.
Con: The weather is not great
The weather in Manchester is not always great and it often rains.
It’s true that the sun does shine but rain and grey sky are more common unfortunately.
Ultimately, I wouldn’t say the weather is as bad as its reputation.
When you say ‘Manchester’ to anyone, they will always say it rains all the time.
This is not true. It does not rain everyday and to be honest, it’s not even the worst city in England when it comes to weather.
But what is true is that it’s not a hot place.
This can be difficult to handle if you’re used to living somewhere with better weather like Spain or Portugal.
The real problem is more the fact that the seasons are not as marked as they are in most places. It can be very nice weather in winter, as much as it can be cold in summer.
It’s quite unreliable and that’s the thing that is hard to handle.
Pro: Manchester is a very lively city
If you’re looking for a vibrant city, Manchester is definitely the place for you.
There are so many things to do in this city! From theatre and music gigs to bars, restaurants, nightlife and more: there’s something for everyone.
You will never be bored and it’s great to have the opportunity to do so many things while still enjoying the small town feel.
Pro: There is great public transport
Manchester has a great public transport system. The buses, trams and trains are very convenient and will take you pretty much anywhere you need to go.
There are two main train stations in Manchester: Piccadilly and Victoria.
That’s where you will find all the national trains.
But there are also many local train stations such as Oxford Road or Deansgate.
In terms of tram, there are 8 tram lines operated by MetroLink that goes all around Greater Manchester.
The trams are very frequent and go as far as Bury or Manchester airport.
When it comes to buses, they are everywhere. You will find stops everywhere you go and can reach the city centre very easily.
Con: Trams are busy
One of the only downsides to the public transport in Manchester is that the trams are very busy.
They can be crowded and sometimes it’s hard to find a seat, especially during rush hours.
This is quite inconvenient especially since sometimes you don’t even get to get on the tram.
If you go to a gig at Manchester AO Arena, you’ll notice that first hand at Victoria.
Pro: There is an amazing food scene
While Manchester is not necessarily known for its typical food (though we do have some!), it is definitely famous for its amazing food scene.
From street food to fancy restaurants, Manchester has it all!
Since there are so many different communities in Manchester, there is also a lot of different food.
You can find some amazing Italian restaurants, tapas bars and of course Asian food.
If you head to Rusholme, you’ll find the curry mile which is home to the largest concentration of South Asian restaurants outside of Asia.
Manchester is also home to a lot of fabulous market food halls such as the Mackie Mayor, Altrincham Market or Radcliffe Market.
Pro: Manchester Nightlife is amazing
Manchester is known for its amazing nightlife. There are so many different bars and clubs that will suit every taste.
From the student-friendly clubs to the fancy cocktail bars, speakeasies and traditional pubs, you will find a bit of everything.
A lot of people come to Manchester for a night out and for good reason, it’s super lively, there is music and such a nice atmosphere.
Con: It’s not bike friendly
While Manchester has great public transport, there is still a lot of room for improvement when it comes to bicycles.
There are some cycle lanes but they’re often too narrow and more importantly, there aren’t enough. This makes it difficult to travel by bike.
This is quite disappointing as cycling would be a great way to get around the city.
Nevertheless, there has been an effort to make Manchester more bike friendly. There are now public bikes you can rent and a lot more bike lanes in the city centre.
Pro: Accommodation is cheaper than London
If you are looking to move to Manchester, it’s good news for your wallet!
Manchester is much cheaper than London especially when it comes to rent and other costs of living.
You can get a much better flat or house than you would in South England.
This is true whether you are renting or buying.
While not cheap either (I mean, it’s still a city and it has expanded a lot in the past few years), the city centre of Manchester is still quite affordable compared to London or any other big cities in the world.
Overall, if you’re looking for a more affordable city, Manchester is definitely worth considering!
Pro: There are excellent universities
Manchester is home to two world-class universities: The University of Manchester and Manchester Metropolitan University.
Both are top quality higher education institutions with a lot of opportunities for students such as degrees, research projects and more.
But what makes these universities stand out is the fact that they offer great courses in almost every field imaginable, from engineering to humanities.
So if you’re looking for a university with a great range of courses, Manchester is definitely the place to be!
It’s also worth mentioning that the University of Manchester is ranked amongst the top 10 best university in the UK and has boasted 25 Nobel Prizes.
This includes James Chadwick (who discovered the neutron) and Ernest Rutherford.
Con: The city is not always clean
Manchester is unfortunately not the cleanest city in England.
Though it has been improving in recent years, there are still a lot of litter throughout the city, especially in certain neighbourhoods, which makes it look quite untidy at times.
You can particularly notice it on Sunday morning.
Pro: Manchester is great for shopping
If you love shopping, Manchester is the place for you!
The city has plenty of great shopping spots such as the Arndale Centre and other high street stores.
You can also find some amazing independent shops in neighbourhoods like Northern Quarter or Afflecks Palace.
If you’re looking for something more unique, you should head to the Manchester markets, which are always full of great local products.
Finally, Manchester is home to one of the best shopping centre in the UK, the Trafford Centre.
Here you will find everything you need, from the main shops to a food hall and more.
Pro: There are a lot of job opportunities
As Manchester is the third most populous city in England, it’s no surprise that there are also a lot of job opportunities here.
Whether you are looking for an office job, a hospitality job or something else, you will find what you need in Manchester.
The city is home to a lot of big employers such as the BBC, Booking.com, Missguided and Kelloggs to name a few.
There are also lots of start-ups here making it an attractive place for entrepreneurs.
Plus, since covid, a lot of companies have been relocating to Manchester.
It’s a cool city and much cheaper so that has been attracting a lot of companies, now looking for new recruits.
Con: Salaries are lower than in the south
It’s true that Manchester is cheaper to live in than the south of England.
And with that comes a downside which is that salaries are also lower here.
This means that you will have to be realistic when looking for a job and accept that it might pay less than what you would get for the same job in London or elsewhere.
But remember that since the cost of living is also lower, it doesn’t mean you would have a worse lifestyle. As a matter of fact, people have a better quality of life here.
Pro: Manchester Airport is one of the best in the UK
If you are looking for a city with an international airport, Manchester is definitely one of the best.
It’s the largest airport in the UK outside of London and serves hundreds of international destinations including the USA, Hong Kong and more.
It’s very easy to get to the airport with public transport and taxis are also affordable (compared to one in London).
There are 3 terminals in Manchester airport including T3 where you can find all the low cost airlines such as Ryanair.
And if that is still not enough for you, there are also other airports near Manchester such as Liverpool or Leeds that serve other destinations.
Pro: Ideally located near 4 national parks
Manchester is ideally located near 4 national parks.
The Peak District, the Lake District, Yorkshire Dales and Snowdonia are all within a couple of hours from Manchester.
This means that you can easily escape the city for the weekend and explore some of the most beautiful landscapes England has to offer.
The Peak District is the most popular destination for a day trip since you can get there in less than half an hour.
There are many great walks in the Peak District near Manchester as well as cute villages to visit.
The Lake District and the Yorkshire Dales are also great destinations for a weekend getaway with friends or family.
And if you fancy snow, Snowdonia in Wales is an amazing place to check out!
So overall, Manchester really offers the best of both worlds. You can have all the conveniences of city life but also escape to nature easily!
Con: There is a lot of traffic
Manchester is a big city and thus it has its fair share of traffic.
The M60 ring road around the city can be particularly congested during rush hour.
This makes it difficult to get from one side of the city to the other quickly.
Also, there is a lot of road work all the time and not a lot of alternative routes so it’s very common for people to be stuck in traffic.
Pro: It’s pretty safe
Manchester doesn’t really have that much of a good reputation and sure, some areas have quite high crime rates but that needs to be put into perspective.
As a general thing, Manchester is safe city in the world.
Street harassment is close to none, pickpocketing is not really a thing either.
While I would always recommend to be careful if you are out at night on your own and to avoid it, it’s still a safe city to explore.
Pro and con: Manchester is student-friendly
Manchester is a great city for students with many universities and college campuses all over the city.
This means that there are lots of student-friendly places to go out such as bars, pubs and clubs which makes it a vibrant and fun place to be.
It’s definitely a great thing if you are a student (hence why it’s a pro) but can be a bit of con if you are a bit older and don’t really want the student energy all around.
Please note that most of the students live in Fallowfield and Rusholme though so if you don’t live in these areas, you wouldn’t be facing the student community as much.
Con: It’s growing too quickly
Manchester is a quickly growing city.
While this has some obvious advantages such as more employment opportunities, it also comes with downsides.
The city needs to improve its public transport if it wants to keep up with the influx of people and traffic can actually be quite bad at times due to lack of infrastructure and planning.
It also leads to gentrification which can be great at times but has also been pushing out long term residents because the prices of properties are increasing.
Pro: Manchester is a cultural hub
If you are looking for things to do in Manchester, you won’t be disappointed.
There are loads of museums, art galleries and theatres.
The Palace Theatre, Opera House and Lowry Theatre always have amazing shows on such as The Lion King, Hamilton and more.
If you are into music, there are lots of famous venues such as the AO Arena, Apollo and Castlefield Bowl. Plus a few smaller ones if you prefer more intimate gigs.
Manchester is home to some great museums too such as the National Football Museum, the museum of Science and Industry, The Lowry and the Imperial War Museum North.
Pro: The city centre is small and easy to navigate
While Greater Manchester is big, the city centre is actually quite small which makes it easy to navigate.
It’s also pretty compact which means you can easily walk and very often don’t even have to take public transport from one end of the city centre to the other.
This is very practical and gives to Manchester this small town vibe that we all love.
You can’t really get lost in Manchester, everything is pretty close together and that’s such a pleasant thing.
Con: The city centre can be very crowded
On the flip side of the above, Manchester city centre can be very crowded.
The bars and pubs are always packed on a Saturday night and during big events such as football matches or concerts you will especially feel it.
Market Street is also very busy and can be hard to navigate.
It’s definitely not ideal if you like to avoid crowds but that’s something some people might have to put up with when living in the centre of a big city!
Pro: The music scene is incredible
Manchester is known for its incredible music scene.
From The Stone Roses to Oasis, Manchester has been home to some of the most iconic bands in history.
There are lots of amazing venues where you can go and see gigs such as Band on the Wall, Gorilla, Albert Hall and Apollo.
Most pubs and bars in the city centre (especially in the Northern Quarter and Deansgate) also have live music on most days.
Plus, there are some amazing music festivals such as Parklife, Festwich, and Sound City that take place in the city every year.
Manchester has a rich and vibrant music scene and you will be sure to find something to your taste. If you are into music, that will be one of the best benefits of living in Manchester.
Pro: Manchester is a paradise for football lovers
No matter if you are a Manchester United or a City fan, there is no denying that Manchester is a great city for football fans.
There are two Premier League teams and plenty of smaller clubs to choose from.
You can find stadiums and pubs everywhere so it’s easy to find somewhere to watch a game even when the teams aren’t playing at home.
Plus, there is a great atmosphere when either of the teams play with fans from all over the world flocking to Manchester for the games.
If you are a football fan, then this city is definitely one for you!
Con: Sports Rivalries can divide the city
Manchester is highly divided along football lines.
Rivalries between Manchester United and City fans run deep with some Manchester residents refusing to even mention the other team’s name.
This can be a bit uncomfortable for those who don’t really care about either team as it’s almost like being in two cities instead of just one.
It can be a bit overwhelming to people who are not used to it and it’s important to remember that there is more to Manchester than just its football teams!
This is particularly problematic on the day of the Derby but the rest of the time, be reassured, it shouldn’t be a problem for you unless you’re particularly invested in supporting one of the teams.
Final thoughts on the pros and cons of living in Manchester
All in all, Manchester has a lot to offer and has plenty of pros and cons.
It’s a great city for students as well as professionals and families, with lots to do and see.
You may also be interested in;
