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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,288 per month in Lincoln vs $2,193 in Derby, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,366 per month in Lincoln vs $3,278 in Derby, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,444 per month in Lincoln vs $4,364 in Derby, rent included.

Lincoln costs about 4% more than Derby, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Lincoln and Derby sit above the global median – Lincoln by 71%, Derby by 64%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$27.59 £20.51

$24.87 £18.49

10.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$76.0 £56.5

$82.4 £61.3

-7.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.34 £7.68

$10.88 £8.09

-4.96%

Cappuccino

$5.41 £4.02

$5.08 £3.77

6.50%

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

$2.26 £1.68

$2.34 £1.74

-3.42%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 £1.17

$1.63 £1.21

-3.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.91 £5.13

$6.20 £4.61

11.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.59 £4.90

$5.55 £4.12

18.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.48 £1.10

$1.47 £1.09

0.68%

White Bread (500g)

$1.47 £1.09

$1.41 £1.05

4.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 £0.98

$2.48 £1.85

-46.77%

Eggs

$3.40 £2.52

$3.86 £2.87

-11.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.15 £6.80

$9.52 £7.08

-3.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.08 £6.75

$8.98 £6.67

1.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.87 £8.82

$13.25 £9.85

-10.42%

Apples (1kg)

$3.86 £2.87

$4.73 £3.52

-18.39%

Banana (1kg)

$1.24 £0.92

$2.80 £2.08

-55.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.85 £2.12

$2.97 £2.21

-4.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.07 £2.28

$3.11 £2.31

-1.29%

Potato (1kg)

$0.98 £0.73

$0.99 £0.74

-1.01%

Onion (1kg)

$1.64 £1.22

$1.68 £1.25

-2.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 £0.92

$1.08 £0.80

14.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.44 £1.07

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$18.84 £14.00

$18.37 £13.65

2.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.21 £7.59

$10.12 £7.52

0.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.87 £2.87

$2.60 £1.93

48.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.16 £2.35

$3.14 £2.34

0.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.42 £3.28

$2.67 £1.98

65.54%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$87.8 £65.3

$94.0 £69.9

-6.56%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.13 £3.07

$4.64 £3.45

-10.99%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.53 £1.14

$1.52 £1.13

0.66%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$47.13 £35.03

$24.58 £18.27

91.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.98 £1.47

$1.93 £1.44

2.59%

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

$34.1K £25.4K

$39.0K £29.0K

-12.41%

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

$40.8K £30.3K

$40.7K £30.2K

0.36%

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

$313 £233

$352 £262

-11.07%

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

$15.51 £11.53

$15.45 £11.49

0.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$46.54 £34.60

$47.83 £35.56

-2.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.31 £32.19

$45.95 £34.15

-5.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.75 £13.93

$25.13 £18.68

-25.39%

Cinema Ticket

$16.05 £11.93

$15.38 £11.43

4.36%

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

$1,848 £1,374

$1,852 £1,377

-0.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.8K £15.4K

$20.7K £15.4K

0.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$108 £80.3

$119 £88.3

-9.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.51 £32.34

$59.5 £44.21

-26.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.6 £58.4

$81.4 £60.5

-3.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 £75.5

$99.4 £73.9

2.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,105 £822

$796 £592

38.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$868 £645

$735 £546

18.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,948 £1,448

$1,455 £1,082

33.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,466 £1,090

$1,355 £1,007

8.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,594 £1,928

$5,743 £4,269

-54.84%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,132 £2,328

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,247 £2,414

$3,742 £2,782

-13.22%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.56

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

Last update for Lincoln: June 1, 2026

Last update for Derby: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,105 in Lincoln versus $796 in Derby. 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 15% 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 $76.0 in Lincoln versus $82.0 in Derby. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $285 vs $303 – 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

Lincoln vs Derby: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lincoln costs about 4% 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 $3,432 per month in Lincoln and $3,289 in Derby. 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 $1,848 per month in Lincoln and $1,852 in Derby. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 6% cheaper in Lincoln – 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 $2,193, than in Lincoln at $2,288. In Derby it covers expenses comfortably, while in Lincoln it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Derby – 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 Derby. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Lincoln makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.