Cost of Living Comparison Between Cork and Derry Cost of Living Comparison Between Cork and Derry

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,204 in Cork versus $2,652 in Derry.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,607 in Cork versus $3,233 in Derry.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,011 in Cork versus $3,813 in Derry.

Living in Cork is roughly 21% more expensive than in Derry, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Cork 134% above, Derry 94% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$21.56 €18.80

$21.91 €19.10

-1.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$91.1 €79.4

$53.4 €46.58

70.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.31 €11.61

$9.53 €8.30

39.66%

Cappuccino

$4.55 €3.96

$4.64 €4.04

-1.94%

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

$2.97 €2.59

$1.78 €1.55

66.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 €1.97

$1.73 €1.51

30.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.72 €6.73

$5.30 €4.62

45.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.50 €6.53

$6.57 €5.73

14.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 €1.49

$1.53 €1.33

11.76%

White Bread (500g)

$2.42 €2.11

$1.53 €1.34

58.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.97 €1.71

$2.17 €1.89

-9.22%

Eggs

$4.74 €4.13

$3.70 €3.23

28.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.48 €12.62

$13.81 €12.04

4.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.25 €11.55

$10.37 €9.04

27.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.99 €14.81

$13.65 €11.90

24.47%

Apples (1kg)

$3.42 €2.98

$3.06 €2.66

11.76%

Banana (1kg)

$2.96 €2.58

$1.67 €1.46

77.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.52 €3.07

$3.08 €2.68

14.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.87 €4.25

$4.36 €3.80

11.70%

Potato (1kg)

$2.35 €2.05

$1.11 €0.96

111.71%

Onion (1kg)

$1.85 €1.61

$1.41 €1.23

31.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.51 €1.31

$1.09 €0.95

38.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.11 €1.84

$1.88 €1.64

12.23%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$20.98 €18.28

$21.20 €18.48

-1.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.60 €11.86

$10.87 €9.48

25.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.37 €3.81

$2.43 €2.12

79.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.69 €3.22

$2.68 €2.33

37.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.63 €1.42

$2.52 €2.20

-35.32%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$79.7 €69.5

$95.6 €83.3

-16.58%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.24 €4.57

$5.42 €4.72

-3.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.60 €1.39

$1.53 €1.33

4.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$33.45 €29.16

$56.7 €49.46

-41.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.19 €1.91

$2.11 €1.84

3.79%

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

$40.4K €35.2K

$39.4K €34.4K

2.35%

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

$39.3K €34.2K

$38.4K €33.5K

2.26%

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

$246 €215

-0.02%

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

$22.32 €19.46

$23.06 €20.10

-3.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$56.6 €49.31

$53.6 €46.70

5.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.9 €47.84

$36.10 €31.47

52.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.83 €13.80

$27.04 €23.57

-41.46%

Cinema Ticket

$14.12 €12.31

$13.59 €11.84

3.90%

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

$1,108 €966

$1,215 €1,059

-8.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,458 €4,758

$6,083 €5,302

-10.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$97.7 €85.1

$105 €91.2

-6.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.89 €38.26

$50.3 €43.86

-12.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$110 €95.5

$100 €87.4

9.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 €106

$74.7 €65.1

62.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,205 €1,922

$1,637 €1,427

34.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,819 €1,586

$1,413 €1,232

28.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,344 €2,915

$1,374 €1,198

143.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,837 €2,473

$1,132 €987

150.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,071 €4,420

$2,382 €2,077

112.87%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,175 €2,767

$1,751 €1,527

81.27%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,151 €3,619

$2,711 €2,363

53.14%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.14

3.68

12.50%

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

Last update for Cork: September 12, 2026

Last update for Derry: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,205 in Cork and $1,637 in Derry. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cork pays 53% 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: $91.0 in Cork vs $53.0 in Derry for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $401 vs $320 per month, with Derry 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

Cork vs Derry: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cork and Derry differ by about 21% in total monthly costs ($3,204 vs $2,652 including rent). Derry is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 53% higher in Cork, 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: $2,205 in Cork versus $1,637 in Derry. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 25% higher in Cork. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Derry – a meal for two runs $53.0 versus $91.0 in Cork. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,500. Derry is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Cork 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 21% less than in Cork. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.