PRICE GUIDE · MARKETING, DESIGN & TECH · 2026–2027
Project Manager cost in the UK
£400–£706 per day. Typically £538.
Contract project managers in the UK are advertised at about £400–£706 a day, with £538 the median day rate. Sector, project size, methodology, qualifications such as PRINCE2 or APM, and London or security-cleared work set the day rate.
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HOW MUCH IT COSTS
How much does a project manager cost in the UK?
| Low end | £400 | a small project outside London |
|---|---|---|
| Typical | £538 | what most people pay |
| High end | £706 | a large or cleared programme in London |
Locufy guide prices for 2026–2027. Updated 2026. A national range, not a quote — enter your town above for real prices from the agencies and freelancers near you.
What moves the price
- Project size — leading a large programme costs more than managing a small office move
- Sector — IT, finance and public sector projects pay higher project manager day rates
- Qualifications — PRINCE2, APM or agile certifications raise the rate
- Methodology — agile delivery leads and scrum masters are priced differently from traditional PMs
- Security clearance — cleared government projects pay a premium
- London — project managers in London charge above the UK median
WHAT YOU GET
What a project manager booking includes
Takes: Contracts often run from a few weeks to six months or more, billed by the day. Not included: Project tools and licences, specialist technical work, travel and accommodation and extra days beyond the agreed contract are usually charged separately.
WHAT PEOPLE BOOK
Common project manager jobs
KNOW THE PRICE? NOW SEE THE REAL ONES
Project Manager near you, with prices shown
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How to pay less
- Hire a project manager for the busy phases only, such as planning and launch
- Define scope clearly so the project manager does not spend days on changes
- Use templates and tools your team already has rather than new licences
Before you book
- Check the project manager's qualifications and ask for references from similar projects
- Agree the project manager's day rate, notice period and expenses in writing
- Decide whether IR35 applies if the project manager works through their own company
- Check the project manager has the authority to make the decisions you expect of them
Project Manager cost: questions people ask
UK contract adverts put project managers at about £400–£706 a day, with a median of £538. Smaller projects outside London sit lower and large cleared programmes higher.
Often a few weeks to six months, sometimes extended. Many are billed by the day.
IR35, the off-payroll working rules, decides whether a contractor should be taxed like an employee. Medium and large clients must assess the contract; small clients leave it to the contractor.
PRINCE2 and APM qualifications show training in structured methods. Many public sector and corporate clients ask for them.
Tools, licences, specialist work, travel and extra days are commonly separate. Ask for each to be listed on any project manager quote you compare.
They are Locufy guide prices for the UK, based on published UK contract rate data for project managers. They show the national range per day, not a quote.
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