Cost of Living Comparison Between Derry and Cambridge Cost of Living Comparison Between Derry and Cambridge

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,868 in Derry versus $2,217 in Cambridge.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,671 in Derry versus $2,973 in Cambridge.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,474 in Derry versus $3,729 in Cambridge.

Living in Derry costs roughly 16% less than in Cambridge, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Derry 40% above, Cambridge 66% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.81 €12.06

$13.40 NZ$22.93

3.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$61.3 €53.5

$35.88 NZ$61.4

70.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.01 €7.00

$9.22 NZ$15.77

-13.12%

Cappuccino

$4.31 €3.77

$3.05 NZ$5.23

41.31%

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

$2.12 €1.85

$2.38 NZ$4.08

-10.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.60 €1.40

$2.23 NZ$3.81

-28.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.29 €4.62

$4.95 NZ$8.46

6.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.51 €4.82

$6.21 NZ$10.62

-11.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.51 €1.32

$1.67 NZ$2.86

-9.58%

White Bread (500g)

$1.53 €1.34

$1.70 NZ$2.90

-10.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.15 €1.88

$1.91 NZ$3.26

12.57%

Eggs

$3.69 €3.22

$6.27 NZ$10.73

-41.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.60 €11.01

$8.37 NZ$14.31

50.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.18 €8.90

$9.02 NZ$15.43

12.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.09 €10.57

$12.17 NZ$20.83

-0.66%

Apples (1kg)

$2.90 €2.53

$2.43 NZ$4.16

19.34%

Banana (1kg)

$1.65 €1.44

$1.82 NZ$3.12

-9.34%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.75 €2.40

$2.34 NZ$4.00

17.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.53 €3.08

$3.06 NZ$5.23

15.36%

Potato (1kg)

$1.06 €0.93

$2.15 NZ$3.69

-50.70%

Onion (1kg)

$1.47 €1.28

$1.77 NZ$3.03

-16.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.05 €0.91

$2.03 NZ$3.47

-48.28%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.64 €1.44

$1.24 NZ$2.11

32.26%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$16.04 €14.01

$20.04 NZ$34.29

-19.96%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.49 €9.17

$10.18 NZ$17.41

3.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.34 €2.04

$2.52 NZ$4.31

-7.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.72 €2.38

$2.62 NZ$4.49

3.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.47 €2.15

$3.09 NZ$5.28

-20.06%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$96.8 €84.5

$64.7 NZ$111

49.61%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.90 €4.28

$2.65 NZ$4.54

84.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.38 €1.20

$1.93 NZ$3.30

-28.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$44.07 €38.50

$34.76 NZ$59.5

26.78%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.08 €1.82

$1.73 NZ$2.96

20.23%

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

$42.3K €37.0K

$27.6K NZ$47.3K

53.19%

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

$38.3K €33.5K

$22.9K NZ$39.2K

66.99%

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

$215 €188

$110 NZ$189

94.95%

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

$21.28 €18.59

$37.70 NZ$64.5

-43.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$56.1 €49.04

$39.46 NZ$67.5

42.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.45 €29.22

$37.48 NZ$64.1

-10.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.03 €23.62

$12.19 NZ$20.86

121.74%

Cinema Ticket

$10.97 €9.58

$9.08 NZ$15.53

20.81%

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

$1,047 €915

$757 NZ$1,296

38.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,094 €7,072

$12.1K NZ$20.8K

-33.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$91.6 €80.0

$97.8 NZ$167

-6.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.00 €34.95

$57.2 NZ$97.9

-30.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 €90.0

$103 NZ$177

-0.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.6 €66.1

$126 NZ$216

-39.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$721 €630

$954 NZ$1,633

-24.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$711 €621

$1,204 NZ$2,060

-40.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,246 €1,089

$2,081 NZ$3,560

-40.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 €929

$1,594 NZ$2,727

-33.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,019 €3,511

$4,784 NZ$8,185

-16.00%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,747 €1,527

$3,307 NZ$5,657

-47.16%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,498 €2,183

$2,610 NZ$4,465

-4.27%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.18

-30.33%

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

Last update for Derry: July 14, 2026

Last update for Cambridge: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $721 in Derry and $954 in Cambridge. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cambridge pays 4% 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: $61.0 in Derry vs $36.00 in Cambridge for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $300 vs $292 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

Derry vs Cambridge: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Derry is cheaper overall, especially in Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment. The 19% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 4% lower in Cambridge. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $721 in Derry versus $954 in Cambridge. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,868 per month in Derry versus $2,217 in Cambridge – a 19% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Derry runs roughly 50% less than in Cambridge. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,868 in Derry versus $2,217 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, Derry and Cambridge 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 19% less than in Cambridge. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.