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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,245 per month in Derby vs $2,236 in Lincoln, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,429 per month in Derby vs $3,293 in Lincoln, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,612 per month in Derby vs $4,350 in Lincoln, rent included.

Derby and Lincoln have comparable living costs – the differences are in the details.

Both Derby and Lincoln sit above the global median – Derby by 63%, Lincoln by 63%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$27.44 £20.30

$24.80 £18.35

10.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$98.1 £72.6

$82.4 £61.0

19.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.65 £7.88

$9.23 £6.83

15.38%

Cappuccino

$5.01 £3.70

$5.27 £3.90

-4.93%

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

$2.56 £1.89

$2.70 £1.99

-5.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.08 £1.54

$2.00 £1.48

4.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.90 £5.10

$6.86 £5.08

0.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.28 £5.39

$6.89 £5.10

5.66%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.60 £1.18

$1.43 £1.06

11.89%

White Bread (500g)

$1.45 £1.08

$1.45 £1.07

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.40 £1.77

$1.37 £1.02

75.18%

Eggs

$3.99 £2.95

$3.27 £2.42

22.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.46 £6.26

$8.69 £6.43

-2.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.65 £6.40

$8.76 £6.48

-1.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.47 £17.36

$11.96 £8.85

96.24%

Apples (1kg)

$5.42 £4.01

$3.57 £2.64

51.82%

Banana (1kg)

$2.74 £2.02

$1.23 £0.91

122.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.03 £2.24

$3.05 £2.26

-0.66%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.81 £2.82

$3.59 £2.66

6.13%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 £1.13

$1.50 £1.11

2.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.56 £1.16

$1.22 £0.90

27.87%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 £0.81

$1.04 £0.77

5.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 £1.02

$1.45 £1.07

-4.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$23.68 £17.52

$23.89 £17.67

-0.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.73 £7.94

$10.88 £8.05

-1.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.30 £2.44

$3.23 £2.39

2.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 £2.70

$3.72 £2.75

-1.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.04 £2.25

$4.24 £3.13

-28.30%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$93.4 £69.1

$109 £80.3

-13.98%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.64 £3.43

$4.16 £3.08

11.54%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.72 £1.27

$0.77 £0.57

123.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$32.68 £24.18

$20.58 £15.22

58.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.04 £1.51

$1.94 £1.43

5.15%

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

$39.5K £29.2K

$38.9K £28.8K

1.56%

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

$41.4K £30.6K

$40.8K £30.2K

1.52%

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

$374 £276

$312 £231

19.79%

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

$20.64 £15.27

$17.34 £12.83

19.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$41.25 £30.51

$40.91 £30.27

0.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.59 £34.47

$27.23 £20.14

71.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.19 £19.38

$21.58 £15.97

21.36%

Cinema Ticket

$15.87 £11.74

$15.75 £11.65

0.76%

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

$1,861 £1,377

$1,849 £1,368

0.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.9K £15.4K

$20.8K £15.4K

0.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$120 £88.5

$116 £86.1

2.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.9 £43.53

$59.8 £44.23

-1.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.4 £63.9

$87.1 £64.5

-0.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$101 £74.7

$101 £74.4

0.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$816 £604

$1,086 £803

-24.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$735 £544

$873 £646

-15.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,592 £1,177

$1,950 £1,443

-18.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,340 £991

$1,492 £1,104

-10.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,858 £4,334

$2,590 £1,916

126.20%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,185 £2,357

$1,246 £922

155.72%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,633 £2,688

$3,303 £2,443

10.01%

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 1, 2026

Last update for Lincoln: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $816 in Derby versus $1,086 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 10% higher in Derby. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $98.0 in Derby versus $82.0 in Lincoln. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $344 vs $282 – 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

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,368 per month in Derby and $3,354 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.

Groceries cost about 22% more in Derby, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

Kindergarten costs $1,861 per month in Derby and $1,849 in Lincoln. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Lincoln, where all-in costs run around $2,236, than in Derby at $2,245. 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.