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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,892 per month in London vs $2,193 in Derby, rent included.

A couple spends around $5,638 per month in London vs $3,278 in Derby, rent included.

A family of three spends $7,385 per month in London vs $4,364 in Derby, rent included.

London costs about 77% more than Derby, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both London and Derby sit above the global median – London by 190%, Derby by 64%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$26.92 £20.05

$24.87 £18.52

8.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$110 £81.7

$82.4 £61.4

33.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.83 £8.06

$10.88 £8.11

-0.46%

Cappuccino

$5.10 £3.80

$5.08 £3.78

0.39%

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

$2.77 £2.06

$2.34 £1.74

18.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.78 £1.33

$1.63 £1.21

9.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.93 £6.65

$6.20 £4.62

44.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.03 £5.98

$5.55 £4.13

44.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.77 £1.32

$1.47 £1.09

20.41%

White Bread (500g)

$2.08 £1.55

$1.41 £1.05

47.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.57 £1.92

$2.48 £1.85

3.63%

Eggs

$4.75 £3.54

$3.86 £2.88

23.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.16 £8.31

$9.52 £7.09

17.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.00 £6.70

$8.98 £6.69

0.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.83 £11.05

$13.25 £9.87

11.92%

Apples (1kg)

$3.33 £2.48

$4.73 £3.52

-29.60%

Banana (1kg)

$1.96 £1.46

$2.80 £2.09

-30.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.25 £2.42

$2.97 £2.21

9.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.60 £2.68

$3.11 £2.31

15.76%

Potato (1kg)

$1.68 £1.25

$0.99 £0.74

69.70%

Onion (1kg)

$1.87 £1.40

$1.68 £1.25

11.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.32 £0.99

$1.08 £0.80

22.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.95 £1.45

$1.44 £1.08

35.42%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$22.81 £16.99

$18.37 £13.68

24.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.71 £10.21

$10.12 £7.54

35.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.31 £2.47

$2.60 £1.94

27.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.93 £2.93

$3.14 £2.34

25.16%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.95 £2.95

$2.67 £1.99

47.94%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$240 £179

$94.0 £70.0

155.84%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.04 £4.50

$4.64 £3.46

30.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.31 £2.46

$1.52 £1.13

117.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$40.84 £30.42

$24.58 £18.31

66.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.88 £1.40

$1.93 £1.44

-2.59%

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

$38.9K £29.0K

$39.0K £29.0K

-0.21%

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

$40.0K £29.8K

$40.7K £30.3K

-1.58%

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

$326 £243

$352 £262

-7.35%

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

$20.23 £15.07

$15.45 £11.51

30.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.59 £31.72

$47.83 £35.63

-10.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$64.4 £47.95

$45.95 £34.22

40.13%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.34 £16.64

$25.13 £18.72

-11.10%

Cinema Ticket

$20.19 £15.03

$15.38 £11.46

31.27%

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

$2,525 £1,880

$1,852 £1,379

36.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$28.0K £20.9K

$20.7K £15.4K

35.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$119 £88.7

$119 £88.5

0.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.83 £37.11

$59.5 £44.30

-16.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$127 £94.6

$81.4 £60.6

56.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$159 £119

$99.4 £74.1

60.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,019 £2,249

$796 £593

279.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,274 £1,694

$735 £547

209.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,543 £4,129

$1,455 £1,084

280.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,737 £2,783

$1,355 £1,009

175.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$19.4K £14.4K

$5,743 £4,277

237.69%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$9,516 £7,087

$3,132 £2,333

203.82%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,820 £3,590

$3,742 £2,787

28.80%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Derby: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $3,019 in London 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 29% 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 $110 in London versus $82.0 in Derby. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $340 vs $303 – 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 77% 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 $5,838 per month in London 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 $2,525 per month in London and $1,852 in Derby. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 12% 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 $2,193, than in London at $3,892. 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 $2,193 versus $3,892 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.