Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between London and Derby

For one person, living is cheaper in Derby: $2,222 a month against $4,049 in London, rent and utilities included – about $21,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

London
🇬🇧 United Kingdom
$4,049
/mo nomad
Derby
🇬🇧 United Kingdom
$2,222
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in London and in Derby

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in London and in Derby actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $4,049 per month in London vs $2,222 in Derby, rent included.

  • London $4,049
  • Derby $2,222

A couple spends around $5,827 per month in London vs $3,420 in Derby, rent included.

  • London $5,827
  • Derby $3,420

A family of three spends $7,605 per month in London vs $4,618 in Derby, rent included.

  • London $7,605
  • Derby $4,618

London costs about 82% more than Derby, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both London and Derby sit above the global median – London by 199%, Derby by 64%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
London
Derby
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$27.09 £20.33
$26.87 £20.16
0.82%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$104 £78.3
$95.0 £71.2
9.89%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.86 £8.15
$10.68 £8.01
1.69%
Cappuccino
$5.60 £4.20
$4.87 £3.65
14.99%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.05 £2.29
$2.51 £1.88
21.51%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.28 £1.71
$2.02 £1.52
12.87%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$9.23 £6.92
$6.72 £5.04
37.35%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$7.95 £5.96
$7.02 £5.26
13.25%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
London
Derby
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.83 £1.37
$1.56 £1.17
17.31%
White Bread (500g)
$2.05 £1.54
$1.44 £1.08
42.36%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.47 £1.86
$2.33 £1.75
6.01%
Eggs
$5.12 £3.84
$3.79 £2.84
35.09%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.89 £9.67
$8.35 £6.26
54.37%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.84 £8.14
$8.63 £6.47
25.61%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$17.03 £12.78
$23.80 £17.85
-28.45%
Apples (1kg)
$3.07 £2.30
$5.22 £3.92
-41.19%
Banana (1kg)
$1.38 £1.03
$2.80 £2.10
-50.71%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.99 £2.24
$2.98 £2.24
0.34%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.39 £2.54
$3.80 £2.85
-10.79%
Potato (1kg)
$1.60 £1.20
$1.54 £1.16
3.90%
Onion (1kg)
$1.80 £1.35
$1.59 £1.19
13.21%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.41 £1.06
$1.06 £0.79
33.02%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.81 £1.36
$1.40 £1.05
29.29%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$23.92 £17.94
$23.20 £17.41
3.10%
Wine (Bottle)
$13.54 £10.16
$10.79 £8.09
25.49%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$3.23 £2.42
$3.27 £2.45
-1.22%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.39 £3.29
$3.57 £2.68
22.97%
🚌 Getting Around
London
Derby
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$3.92 £2.94
$3.05 £2.29
28.52%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$243 £182
$93.4 £70.1
159.80%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$5.58 £4.18
$4.43 £3.33
25.96%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$3.27 £2.46
$1.64 £1.23
99.39%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$58.4 £43.81
$31.46 £23.60
85.63%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.08 £1.56
$2.00 £1.50
4.00%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$38.8K £29.1K
$38.6K £28.9K
0.70%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$40.6K £30.5K
$39.7K £29.8K
2.29%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
London
Derby
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$380 £285
$371 £278
2.39%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$18.62 £13.97
$19.57 £14.68
-4.85%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$40.45 £30.35
$39.53 £29.66
2.33%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
London
Derby
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$61.3 £45.95
$45.20 £33.91
35.51%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$21.41 £16.07
$26.26 £19.70
-18.47%
Cinema Ticket
$18.09 £13.57
$15.53 £11.65
16.48%
🧸 Childcare & Education
London
Derby
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$2,905 £2,180
$1,815 £1,362
60.04%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$35.5K £26.6K
$20.5K £15.4K
72.90%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
London
Derby
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$116 £87.3
$114 £85.3
2.32%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$54.5 £40.89
$57.2 £42.94
-4.77%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$128 £95.8
$86.6 £65.0
47.42%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$167 £125
$101 £75.6
65.56%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
London
Derby
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,852 £2,140
$794 £595
259.45%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,269 £1,702
$723 £543
213.76%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$5,250 £3,939
$1,596 £1,197
228.98%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$3,752 £2,815
$1,351 £1,014
177.66%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$18.5K £13.9K
$5,857 £4,394
216.20%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$8,100 £6,077
$3,136 £2,353
158.25%
💵 Salaries & Financials
London
Derby
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$5,109 £3,833
$3,597 £2,699
42.02%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.74
4.88
-2.87%

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

Last update for London: October 19, 2026

Last update for Derby: October 17, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
London
$2.3K
Derby
$723 68.1% $1.5K
Monthly Utilities & Internet
London
$439
Derby
$430 2% $8.8
Eating Out
London
$400
Derby
$371 7.2% $29
Groceries & Markets
London
$353
Derby
$342 3.3% $12
Getting Around
London
$280
Derby
$118 57.8% $162
Clothing & Footwear
London
$209
Derby
$161 23% $48
Sport & Entertainment
London
$97
Derby
$76 21.7% $21

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,852 in London versus $794 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 42% higher in London, 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 $104 in London versus $95.0 in Derby. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $353 vs $342 – making Derby the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇬🇧 London
🇬🇧 Derby
🕒 Local time
02:23 2:23 AM
02:23 2:23 AM
Same time as London
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
8,908,083 Capital
233,700
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to GBP – British Pound Converter

British Pound exchange rates as of October 22, 2026: 1 USD = 0.75 GBP (1 GBP = 1.33 USD). 1 EUR = 0.843 GBP (1 GBP = 1.19 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • London Derby 180 km
From you
  • London
  • Derby

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
London vs Derby: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, London or Derby?
London costs about 82% more than Derby, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from transport. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in London and in Derby?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $6,073 per month in London and $3,333 in Derby. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, London or Derby?
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.
How do childcare costs compare in London and in Derby?
Kindergarten costs $2,905 per month in London and $1,815 in Derby. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Are groceries more expensive in London or in Derby?
Groceries cost about 3% more in London, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Can you live on $2,000/month in London or in Derby?
A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Derby, where all-in costs run around $2,222, than in London at $4,049. In Derby it covers expenses comfortably, while in London it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city is better for digital nomads, London or Derby?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Derby costs $2,222 versus $4,049 in London. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.
Should I move to London or to Derby?
If budget matters most, go with Derby. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, London makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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