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30th March 2020
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30th March 2020 Trending
Manchester rent is now ‘41% more expensive than five years ago, according to a recent study
Danny Jones
Yes, that’s right, as per some of the latest data on leased housing in central Manchester, it’s now approximately 41% more expensive to rent here than it was half a decade ago.
If you’ve lived in and around the city centre for long enough, chances are that you’ve already been feeling that difference, especially of late.
The ongoing cost-of-living crisis roughly began in 2021, following the economy and the world essentially opening back up after multiple lockdowns, so it’s little surprise that new research has shown affordability when it comes to renting has been on a slump ever since, too.
As well as the price of seemingly most things in everyday life going up post-pandemic, the average rental rate for even just a one-bedroom flat/apartment has jumped up significantly between 2020 and 2025.
That’s according to the numbers crunched by credit card experts, Zable, anyway.
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Not only did their recent report cite the rent prices going up even before the cost of living crisis – essentially following the outset of the Covid-19 outbreak – but if their figures, the rate of inflation and the unwaveringly high demand for housing are anything to go by, this trajectory is likely to continue in 2026.
As of February this year, around one in three UK households is now a single-person occupancy, which already comes with its challenges (the Manchester City Council tax discount being a thin lifeline for countless), not to mention energy bills and the cost of groceries continuing on an upwards trend.
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Put in the simplest and most reductive terms, it’s now almost £300 dearer for most people to live on their own than it was back in 2020, and besides Liverpool clocking in as second on the list of increasingly expensive cities to live (a 42.12% increase), Manchester came in third.
You can see the full table down below:
| Rank | City | % increase – 2020-2025 | Difference from 2020 to 2025 in £ | Average rental cost for a 1 bed 2025 |
| 1 | Newport | 47.39% | £2,611 | £8,121 |
| 2 | Liverpool | 42.12% | £2,290 | £7,727 |
| 3 | Manchester | 41.00% | £3,364 | £11,569 |
| 4 | Edinburgh | 40.28% | £4,620 | £16,090 |
| 5 | Leicester | 39.93% | £2,391 | £8,379 |
| 6 | Wolverhampton | 39.22% | £2,049 | £7,273 |
| 7 | Nottingham | 39.07% | £2,400 | £8,543 |
| 8 | Glasgow | 38.02% | £2,679 | £9,725 |
| 9 | Colchester | 37.63% | £2,617 | £9,572 |
| 10 | Cardiff | 37.06% | £2,828 | Average rental cost for a 1-bed 2025 |
Another fear is that with lots of people finding it hard to manage living in other major cities like London, even those moving to Manchester are also having an impact on how available affordable housing is here.
That’s why schemes such as the new ‘social rent’ development over in Wythenshawe are so important to the current generations of renters, with the possibility of owning your own property in the future becoming increasingly difficult for so many.
It’s also worth noting that Manchester ranked fourth among the British locations where the cost of living is said to have increased the most over the past five years, with the average difference in annual spend growing by an estimated 22.84%.
You can read their breakdown in full right HERE.
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For all the latest news, events and goings on in Greater Manchester, subscribe to The Manc newsletter HERE.
Featured Images — The Manc Group
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Premier League launch completely FREE archive featuring highlights from every game since 1992
Danny Jones
Finally, in a bit of private sports broadcasting news we can actually get behind, the Premier League have launched a new archive featuring highlights from every single game in the first division’s modern era.
Best of all, as the title might have given away, it’s completely free to enjoy.
Chronicling every top-flight game since 1992, the new digital Premier League archive available online was launched earlier this week.
Providing video on-demand (VOD) access to literally thousands of games from way back when, you can relive all of your favourite moments from the best league in the world.
It might sound like quite a simple and easy thing to supply the masses with, but in an era when it’s increasingly hard and expensive to watch broadcast of any and all games, be that live on telly, via streaming, or VOD, this is such an easy win for the Prem.
With so many people struggling to afford all the various packages needed to view premium football, and therefore turning to illegal sites, this is at least a step in the right direction and a good bit of PR.
Sports presenter Nubaid Haroon wrote: “When I had my show with the Premier League, the archive was available via a login for us to watch some of the old tapes.
“It was genuinely one of the best things I’ve ever experienced. Regularly tapping in to see random dons like Elmander and Nzogbia.”
For us, it’s going to be watching vintage clips of Michu, Adel Taarabt and Alan Smith – yes, for both Leeds AND Man United.
Safe to say the whole thing has gone down very well with pretty much all footy fans across the board.
Don't want to overstate this but 20-minute highlights of every Premier League game in history, free and on demand, means that this should be a national holiday.
— Daniel Storey (@danielstorey85) March 31, 2026
https://t.co/nmvkmFEy7J pic.twitter.com/inxn4d7m0G
Case in point: another user on social media went on to add, “The full Premier League archive? Finally. Time to disappear into 33 seasons of greatness.”
Happy days indeed.
We expect the positive reaction to this will only grow even greater as more and more people find out about this new free service.
You can find the near countless hours of Premier League football right HERE – which classic game that comes to mind are you going to watch first?
Read more:
- Bayern Munich reportedly set to target Phil Foden amid contract and transfer talks
- A FREE snooker fan zone has popped up in Manchester for the 2026 Tour Championship
- Tommy Fury announces huge fight against former World’s Strongest Man Eddie Hall
For all the latest news, events and goings on in Greater Manchester, subscribe to The Manc newsletter HERE.
Featured Images — Premier League (publicity pictures)/Oldelpaso (via Wikimedia Commons)
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