I'm really curious about how people feel about prices locally, and not trying to make a statement or score points, just genuinely interested in local observations.
I've been coming to Manchester from Ireland to City games for more than 30 years.
When the boom hit Ireland from the mid nineties onwards it started to get very expensive, particularly Dublin. And it was always noticeably cheaper coming over to Manchester, particularly for alcohol and food, even clothes. We would always comment on the difference.
It feels like it's gone they other way very recently. I know that the exchange rate matters, €1.20 at the moment, so that skews things. Also where you eat and drink matters. You can always try to avoid expensive places or find cheaper deals. But I mean the general vibe, when you look at menus everywhere.
I find regularly myself thinking "Jesus that's expensive" when looking at menus here, not withstanding the exchange rate, and we're used to Dublin prices
We paid £7.50 for pints of Guinness in central Manchester, that's more than €9. We wouldn't pay that outside of the Temple Bar tourist trap....yet. It seems to be about £7 a pint of lager in a restaurant. Also a glass of wine used to feel much cheaper than home, not any more.
I always think of those on low wages, what's it like surviving here?
Dublin's minimum wage and average income seems to be relatively comparable to Greater Manchester, at €1.20 exchange rate anyway, and that surprised me.
Anyway, my net question, has the cost of living in Manchester absolutely exploded over the last 5 years? Is it quickly out of proportion to mainstream income levels, and do people feel it?
Or is £70 for adults and £45 for kids to go to a football match the new normal? And £20 for a burger and chips in a converted Warehouse simply the price the market will happily bear?
Is there a tipping point coming fast?
