Cost of Living Comparison Between Derby and Lincoln Cost of Living Comparison Between Derby and Lincoln

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,269 per month in Derby vs $2,211 in Lincoln, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,490 per month in Derby vs $3,285 in Lincoln, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,712 per month in Derby vs $4,359 in Lincoln, rent included.

Derby costs about 3% more than Lincoln, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Derby and Lincoln sit above the global median – Derby by 66%, Lincoln by 62%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$26.47 £19.78

$25.91 £19.36

2.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$96.3 £72.0

$89.3 £66.8

7.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.82 £8.09

$8.01 £5.99

35.08%

Cappuccino

$5.07 £3.79

$5.10 £3.81

-0.59%

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

$2.67 £1.99

$2.69 £2.01

-0.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.04 £1.53

$2.06 £1.54

-0.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.79 £5.07

$6.95 £5.19

-2.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.48 £5.59

$6.91 £5.16

8.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.59 £1.19

$1.49 £1.11

6.71%

White Bread (500g)

$1.49 £1.12

$1.43 £1.07

4.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.34 £1.75

$1.35 £1.01

73.33%

Eggs

$3.93 £2.94

$3.42 £2.56

14.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.65 £6.46

$8.37 £6.25

3.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.39 £6.27

$8.41 £6.28

-0.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.34 £17.44

$11.87 £8.87

96.63%

Apples (1kg)

$5.54 £4.14

$3.69 £2.76

50.14%

Banana (1kg)

$2.82 £2.11

$1.25 £0.93

125.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.13 £2.34

$3.16 £2.36

-0.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.84 £2.87

$3.58 £2.68

7.26%

Potato (1kg)

$1.55 £1.16

$1.56 £1.16

-0.64%

Onion (1kg)

$1.66 £1.24

$1.23 £0.92

34.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 £0.80

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 £1.04

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$24.25 £18.12

$23.24 £17.36

4.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.73 £8.02

$10.60 £7.92

1.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.21 £2.40

$3.26 £2.44

-1.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.77 £2.82

$3.68 £2.75

2.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.09 £2.31

$4.35 £3.25

-28.97%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$94.3 £70.5

$109 £81.2

-13.18%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.43 £3.31

$4.01 £3.00

10.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.69 £1.26

$0.78 £0.58

116.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$32.16 £24.03

$20.45 £15.28

57.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.02 £1.51

$2.00 £1.50

1.00%

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

$39.3K £29.3K

$39.5K £29.5K

-0.61%

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

$41.5K £31.0K

$41.7K £31.2K

-0.54%

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

$365 £273

$319 £238

14.54%

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

$20.35 £15.21

$17.35 £12.97

17.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$41.00 £30.64

$41.25 £30.82

-0.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.06 £34.42

$26.63 £19.90

72.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.21 £19.58

$21.65 £16.18

21.06%

Cinema Ticket

$15.63 £11.68

$15.42 £11.52

1.36%

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

$1,862 £1,391

$1,816 £1,357

2.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.3K £15.1K

$20.9K £15.6K

-3.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$119 £88.9

$115 £85.9

3.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.6 £43.78

$58.1 £43.41

0.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.7 £64.8

$86.2 £64.4

0.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$100 £74.9

$99.0 £74.0

1.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$798 £597

$1,119 £836

-28.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$728 £544

$894 £668

-18.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,638 £1,224

$1,976 £1,477

-17.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,324 £990

$1,457 £1,089

-9.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,757 £4,302

$2,572 £1,922

123.83%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,148 £2,353

$1,225 £915

157.07%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,612 £2,699

$3,305 £2,470

9.30%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.88

5.3

-7.92%

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

Last update for Derby: September 12, 2026

Last update for Lincoln: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $798 in Derby versus $1,119 in Lincoln. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 9% higher in Derby, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $96.0 in Derby versus $89.0 in Lincoln. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $344 vs $281 – making Lincoln the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Derby vs Lincoln: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Derby costs about 3% more than Lincoln, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,403 per month in Derby and $3,316 in Lincoln. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Lincoln, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $1,862 per month in Derby and $1,816 in Lincoln. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 23% more in Derby, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Lincoln, where all-in costs run around $2,211, than in Derby at $2,269. In Lincoln it covers expenses comfortably, while in Derby it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Lincoln – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Lincoln. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Derby makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.