Cost of Living Comparison Between Cambridge and Derry Cost of Living Comparison Between Cambridge and Derry

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,932 in Cambridge versus $2,709 in Derry.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,869 in Cambridge versus $3,335 in Derry.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,807 in Cambridge versus $3,961 in Derry.

Living in Cambridge costs roughly 29% less than in Derry, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Cambridge 41% above, Derry 97% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.74 NZ$25.01

$21.49 €18.53

-31.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.82 NZ$60.8

$53.7 €46.33

-33.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.01 NZ$15.28

$9.57 €8.26

-5.85%

Cappuccino

$3.00 NZ$5.09

$4.65 €4.01

-35.48%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.15 NZ$3.65

$1.78 €1.54

20.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.81 NZ$3.08

$1.74 €1.50

4.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.79 NZ$8.12

$5.37 €4.63

-10.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.29 NZ$12.37

$6.62 €5.71

10.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 NZ$2.79

$1.53 €1.32

7.19%

White Bread (500g)

$2.40 NZ$4.07

$1.61 €1.39

49.07%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.95 NZ$3.31

$2.10 €1.81

-7.14%

Eggs

$6.21 NZ$10.54

$3.54 €3.06

75.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.66 NZ$14.70

$14.06 €12.12

-38.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.11 NZ$17.15

$10.35 €8.93

-2.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.35 NZ$22.65

$14.16 €12.21

-5.72%

Apples (1kg)

$2.68 NZ$4.54

$3.06 €2.64

-12.42%

Banana (1kg)

$2.21 NZ$3.75

$1.69 €1.45

30.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.40 NZ$4.08

$3.14 €2.71

-23.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.90 NZ$4.93

$4.33 €3.74

-33.03%

Potato (1kg)

$2.33 NZ$3.96

$1.06 €0.91

119.81%

Onion (1kg)

$1.74 NZ$2.95

$1.47 €1.26

18.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.13 NZ$3.61

$1.10 €0.95

93.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 NZ$1.94

$1.94 €1.67

-40.72%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$28.59 NZ$48.50

$21.18 €18.27

34.99%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.57 NZ$17.92

$10.82 €9.33

-2.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.97 NZ$5.04

$2.35 €2.02

26.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.69 NZ$6.26

$2.78 €2.40

32.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.80 NZ$3.05

$2.51 €2.16

-28.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$100 NZ$170

$108 €93.0

-7.25%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.42 NZ$4.10

$5.37 €4.63

-54.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.03 NZ$3.44

$1.50 €1.29

35.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$33.94 NZ$57.6

$57.3 €49.45

-40.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.69 NZ$2.87

$2.08 €1.79

-18.75%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$27.1K NZ$46.0K

$40.0K €34.5K

-32.20%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$23.9K NZ$40.6K

$37.8K €32.6K

-36.71%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$107 NZ$182

$249 €215

-56.89%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$28.06 NZ$47.59

$23.77 €20.50

18.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.72 NZ$64.0

$52.9 €45.65

-28.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.20 NZ$61.4

$37.18 €32.07

-2.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.74 €23.06

Cinema Ticket

$13.98 NZ$23.71

$13.73 €11.84

1.82%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$1,201 NZ$2,038

$1,267 €1,093

-5.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.0K NZ$35.7K

$5,949 €5,131

253.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$82.6 NZ$140

$104 €89.3

-20.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.87 NZ$76.1

$49.57 €42.75

-9.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.5 NZ$152

$102 €87.6

-11.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 NZ$204

$73.7 €63.6

63.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$966 NZ$1,638

$1,615 €1,393

-40.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$862 NZ$1,463

$1,398 €1,206

-38.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,659 NZ$2,814

$1,401 €1,208

18.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,516 NZ$2,572

$1,146 €988

32.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,087 NZ$8,628

$2,405 €2,075

111.46%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,412 NZ$5,787

$1,772 €1,528

92.52%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,704 NZ$4,586

$2,769 €2,389

-2.36%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.39

3.68

46.47%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Cambridge: August 30, 2026

Last update for Derry: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $966 in Cambridge and $1,615 in Derry. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Derry pays 2% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $36.00 in Cambridge vs $54.0 in Derry for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $317 vs $323 per month, with Cambridge cheaper across the board.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Cambridge vs Derry: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cambridge is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 40% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 2% lower in Derry. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $966 in Cambridge versus $1,615 in Derry. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,932 per month in Cambridge versus $2,709 in Derry – a 40% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Cambridge runs roughly 8% less than in Derry. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,932 in Cambridge versus $2,709 in Derry, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Cambridge but tight or insufficient in Derry. The gap between the two cities makes Cambridge the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Cambridge is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Derry, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Cambridge and Derry are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Cambridge gentler on the wallet – expenses run 40% less than in Derry. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.