Cost of Living Comparison Between London and Derby Cost of Living Comparison Between London and Derby

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,916 per month in London vs $2,184 in Derby, rent included.

A couple spends around $5,631 per month in London vs $3,267 in Derby, rent included.

A family of three spends $7,345 per month in London vs $4,351 in Derby, rent included.

London costs about 79% more than Derby, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both London and Derby sit above the global median – London by 193%, Derby by 63%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$27.47 £20.45

$25.11 £18.69

9.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$111 £82.4

$81.1 £60.4

36.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.67 £7.95

$10.80 £8.04

-1.20%

Cappuccino

$5.30 £3.94

$5.11 £3.80

3.72%

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

$2.74 £2.04

$2.32 £1.73

18.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.79 £1.33

$1.58 £1.17

13.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.00 £6.70

$6.20 £4.61

45.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.12 £6.04

$5.39 £4.01

50.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.72 £1.28

$1.48 £1.10

16.22%

White Bread (500g)

$2.11 £1.57

$1.42 £1.05

48.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.47 £1.84

$2.36 £1.76

4.66%

Eggs

$4.98 £3.71

$3.99 £2.97

24.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.11 £8.27

$9.11 £6.78

21.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.13 £6.80

$8.72 £6.49

4.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.41 £10.73

$12.99 £9.67

10.93%

Apples (1kg)

$3.36 £2.50

$4.63 £3.45

-27.43%

Banana (1kg)

$2.03 £1.51

$2.75 £2.04

-26.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.27 £2.44

$2.93 £2.18

11.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.63 £2.70

$3.19 £2.38

13.79%

Potato (1kg)

$1.68 £1.25

$0.94 £0.70

78.72%

Onion (1kg)

$1.77 £1.32

$1.72 £1.28

2.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.33 £0.99

$1.12 £0.83

18.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.91 £1.42

$1.42 £1.06

34.51%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$22.79 £16.97

$18.66 £13.90

22.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.62 £10.14

$10.70 £7.96

27.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.20 £2.38

$2.71 £2.02

18.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.07 £3.03

$3.15 £2.35

29.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.82 £2.85

$2.75 £2.05

38.91%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$249 £185

$92.3 £68.7

169.60%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.89 £4.39

$4.81 £3.58

22.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.32 £2.47

$1.55 £1.15

114.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$40.47 £30.13

$24.47 £18.22

65.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.90 £1.42

$1.91 £1.42

-0.52%

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

$38.9K £29.0K

$38.3K £28.6K

1.52%

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

$39.4K £29.3K

$41.1K £30.6K

-4.04%

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

$328 £244

$353 £263

-7.03%

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

$19.61 £14.60

$15.58 £11.60

25.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.68 £31.78

$47.63 £35.46

-10.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$63.2 £47.08

$45.35 £33.77

39.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.39 £16.67

$24.85 £18.50

-9.90%

Cinema Ticket

$20.69 £15.40

$15.33 £11.42

34.96%

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

$2,474 £1,842

$1,878 £1,398

31.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$27.9K £20.8K

$20.4K £15.2K

37.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$119 £88.9

$118 £87.8

1.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.1 £37.29

$58.0 £43.15

-13.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$131 £97.4

$81.4 £60.6

60.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$158 £118

$99.1 £73.8

59.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,937 £2,186

$774 £576

279.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,229 £1,660

$760 £566

193.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,569 £4,146

$1,451 £1,080

283.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,707 £2,760

$1,372 £1,021

170.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$20.1K £15.0K

$5,778 £4,301

248.04%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$8,485 £6,317

$3,177 £2,365

167.09%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,247 £3,162

$3,534 £2,631

20.18%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.05

5.56

-9.17%

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

Last update for London: July 12, 2026

Last update for Derby: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,937 in London versus $774 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 20% 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 $111 in London versus $81.0 in Derby. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $339 vs $301 – making Derby 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

London vs Derby: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

London costs about 79% more than Derby, with the gap driven mainly by Getting Around. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,874 per month in London and $3,276 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 $2,474 per month in London and $1,878 in Derby. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 13% more in London, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Derby, where all-in costs run around $2,184, than in London at $3,916. In Derby it covers expenses comfortably, while in London it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Derby costs $2,184 versus $3,916 in London. 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, London makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.