Cost of Living Comparison Between Derby and Manchester Cost of Living Comparison Between Derby and Manchester

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,269 per month in Derby vs $2,573 in Manchester, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,490 per month in Derby vs $3,790 in Manchester, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,712 per month in Derby vs $5,008 in Manchester, rent included.

Derby is about 12% cheaper than Manchester, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Derby and Manchester sit above the global median – Derby by 66%, Manchester by 88%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$26.47 £19.78

$20.21 £15.11

30.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$96.3 £72.0

$94.7 £70.8

1.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.82 £8.09

$10.75 £8.03

0.65%

Cappuccino

$5.07 £3.79

$4.74 £3.55

6.96%

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

$2.67 £1.99

$2.55 £1.91

4.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.04 £1.53

$1.67 £1.25

22.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.79 £5.07

$7.90 £5.91

-14.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.48 £5.59

$6.79 £5.08

10.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.59 £1.19

$1.52 £1.14

4.61%

White Bread (500g)

$1.49 £1.12

$1.92 £1.44

-22.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.34 £1.75

$1.99 £1.49

17.59%

Eggs

$3.93 £2.94

$3.80 £2.84

3.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.65 £6.46

$9.14 £6.83

-5.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.39 £6.27

$9.16 £6.84

-8.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.34 £17.44

$15.93 £11.90

46.52%

Apples (1kg)

$5.54 £4.14

$3.27 £2.44

69.42%

Banana (1kg)

$2.82 £2.11

$1.53 £1.14

84.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.13 £2.34

$2.91 £2.18

7.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.84 £2.87

$3.52 £2.63

9.09%

Potato (1kg)

$1.55 £1.16

$1.51 £1.13

2.65%

Onion (1kg)

$1.66 £1.24

$1.37 £1.02

21.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 £0.80

$1.28 £0.96

-16.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 £1.04

$1.30 £0.97

6.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$24.25 £18.12

$23.77 £17.76

2.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.73 £8.02

$11.21 £8.38

-4.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.21 £2.40

$2.60 £1.94

23.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.77 £2.82

$3.23 £2.42

16.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.09 £2.31

$2.65 £1.98

16.60%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$94.3 £70.5

$109 £81.4

-13.40%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.43 £3.31

$4.47 £3.34

-0.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.69 £1.26

$2.23 £1.67

-24.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$32.16 £24.03

$30.87 £23.07

4.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.02 £1.51

$2.11 £1.57

-4.27%

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

$39.3K £29.3K

$39.6K £29.6K

-0.82%

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

$41.5K £31.0K

$40.6K £30.3K

2.23%

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

$365 £273

$294 £219

24.34%

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

$20.35 £15.21

$16.69 £12.47

21.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$41.00 £30.64

$40.09 £29.96

2.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.06 £34.42

$54.6 £40.76

-15.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.21 £19.58

$18.12 £13.54

44.65%

Cinema Ticket

$15.63 £11.68

$13.38 £10.00

16.82%

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

$1,862 £1,391

$1,275 £953

46.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.3K £15.1K

$20.3K £15.2K

-0.10%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$119 £88.9

$84.9 £63.4

40.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.6 £43.78

$42.46 £31.73

37.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.7 £64.8

$95.4 £71.3

-9.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$100 £74.9

$107 £79.7

-6.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$798 £597

$1,809 £1,352

-55.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$728 £544

$1,265 £946

-42.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,638 £1,224

$3,122 £2,333

-47.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,324 £990

$1,987 £1,485

-33.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,757 £4,302

$4,695 £3,508

22.63%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,148 £2,353

$4,509 £3,370

-30.18%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,612 £2,699

$3,436 £2,567

5.14%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.88

4.87

0.21%

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

Last update for Derby: September 12, 2026

Last update for Manchester: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $798 in Derby versus $1,809 in Manchester. 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 5% higher in Derby, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $96.0 in Derby versus $95.0 in Manchester. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $344 vs $303 – making Manchester 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 Manchester: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Manchester costs about 13% more than Derby, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. 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 $3,860 in Manchester. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Derby, 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 $1,275 in Manchester. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 13% cheaper in Manchester – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Derby, where all-in costs run around $2,269, than in Manchester at $2,573. In Derby it covers expenses comfortably, while in Manchester it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Derby costs $2,269 versus $2,573 in Manchester. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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