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: $2,238 in Cambridge versus $1,834 in Derry.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,021 in Cambridge versus $2,671 in Derry.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,804 in Cambridge versus $3,507 in Derry.

Living in Cambridge is roughly 22% more expensive than Derry, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Cambridge 67% above, Derry 37% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.82 NZ$23.34

$13.76 €11.83

0.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.76 NZ$60.4

$61.6 €53.0

-41.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.78 NZ$14.83

$8.43 €7.25

4.15%

Cappuccino

$2.94 NZ$4.97

$4.18 €3.59

-29.67%

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

$2.30 NZ$3.89

$2.07 €1.78

11.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.15 NZ$3.62

$1.62 €1.40

32.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.83 NZ$8.16

$5.28 €4.54

-8.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.47 NZ$10.93

$5.45 €4.69

18.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.63 NZ$2.75

$1.49 €1.29

9.40%

White Bread (500g)

$1.70 NZ$2.87

$1.61 €1.38

5.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.88 NZ$3.17

$2.17 €1.87

-13.36%

Eggs

$6.18 NZ$10.44

$3.57 €3.07

73.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.39 NZ$14.16

$12.80 €11.01

-34.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.11 NZ$15.39

$10.45 €8.99

-12.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.48 NZ$21.07

$11.90 €10.23

4.87%

Apples (1kg)

$2.42 NZ$4.09

$2.99 €2.57

-19.06%

Banana (1kg)

$1.89 NZ$3.19

$1.60 €1.38

18.12%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.44 NZ$4.11

$2.83 €2.44

-13.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.94 NZ$4.96

$3.53 €3.04

-16.71%

Potato (1kg)

$2.12 NZ$3.58

$1.10 €0.95

92.73%

Onion (1kg)

$1.76 NZ$2.98

$1.45 €1.25

21.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.12 NZ$3.58

$1.10 €0.95

92.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.29 NZ$2.19

$1.60 €1.38

-19.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$20.37 NZ$34.39

$16.05 €13.80

26.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.12 NZ$17.09

$10.98 €9.45

-7.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.52 NZ$4.25

$2.33 €2.01

8.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.65 NZ$4.47

$2.74 €2.35

-3.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.99 NZ$5.04

$2.49 €2.14

20.08%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$64.5 NZ$109

$97.3 €83.7

-33.68%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.67 NZ$4.50

$5.07 €4.36

-47.34%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.97 NZ$3.33

$1.34 €1.15

47.01%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.74 NZ$60.3

$43.22 €37.18

-17.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.66 NZ$2.80

$2.00 €1.72

-17.00%

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

$27.5K NZ$46.4K

$42.2K €36.3K

-34.87%

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

$23.5K NZ$39.7K

$39.3K €33.8K

-40.12%

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

$109 NZ$184

$220 €189

-50.42%

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

$36.71 NZ$62.0

$21.63 €18.61

69.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.79 NZ$67.2

$54.8 €47.17

-27.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.23 NZ$62.9

$34.24 €29.46

8.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.85 NZ$20.01

$26.98 €23.21

-56.08%

Cinema Ticket

$9.29 NZ$15.69

$10.89 €9.36

-14.69%

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

$742 NZ$1,253

$1,040 €894

-28.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.0K NZ$20.3K

$8,246 €7,093

45.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$98.7 NZ$167

$89.9 €77.3

9.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.8 NZ$95.8

$39.45 €33.94

43.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 NZ$177

$102 €87.6

2.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$129 NZ$218

$75.7 €65.1

70.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$975 NZ$1,646

$730 €628

33.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,217 NZ$2,055

$719 €618

69.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,146 NZ$3,623

$1,288 €1,108

66.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,590 NZ$2,684

$1,037 €892

53.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,563 NZ$7,703

$2,424 €2,085

88.27%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,389 NZ$5,722

$1,783 €1,533

90.14%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,683 NZ$4,530

$2,514 €2,163

6.71%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.18

43.54%

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

Last update for Cambridge: June 1, 2026

Last update for Derry: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $975 in Cambridge and $730 in Derry. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cambridge pays 7% 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 $62.0 in Derry for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $294 vs $303 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

Derry is cheaper overall, especially in Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 22% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Cambridge pays 7% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $975 in Cambridge versus $730 in Derry. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,238 per month in Cambridge versus $1,834 in Derry – a 22% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Derry runs roughly 51% less than in Cambridge. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,834 in Derry versus $2,238 in Cambridge, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Derry but tight or insufficient in Cambridge. The gap between the two cities makes Derry the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Derry is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Cambridge, 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 Derry gentler on the wallet – expenses run 22% less than in Cambridge. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.