Cost of Living Comparison Between Manchester and Derby Cost of Living Comparison Between Manchester and Derby

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,614 per month in Manchester vs $2,144 in Derby, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,917 per month in Manchester vs $3,302 in Derby, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,220 per month in Manchester vs $4,460 in Derby, rent included.

Manchester costs about 22% more than Derby, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Manchester and Derby sit above the global median – Manchester by 95%, Derby by 60%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.40 £15.17

$24.81 £18.45

-17.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$96.5 £71.7

$81.3 £60.5

18.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.72 £7.97

$10.78 £8.01

-0.56%

Cappuccino

$5.01 £3.73

$5.11 £3.80

-1.96%

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

$2.61 £1.94

$2.33 £1.73

12.02%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.70 £1.27

$1.64 £1.22

3.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.53 £5.60

$6.34 £4.72

18.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.44 £5.53

$5.36 £3.98

38.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 £1.25

$1.47 £1.09

14.29%

White Bread (500g)

$1.70 £1.27

$1.43 £1.06

18.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.13 £1.59

$2.46 £1.83

-13.41%

Eggs

$3.94 £2.93

$3.98 £2.96

-1.01%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.33 £9.17

$9.16 £6.81

34.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.73 £7.23

$8.83 £6.57

10.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.04 £12.67

$13.10 £9.74

30.08%

Apples (1kg)

$3.33 £2.47

$4.61 £3.43

-27.77%

Banana (1kg)

$1.77 £1.31

$2.78 £2.07

-36.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.86 £2.87

$2.93 £2.18

31.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.36 £3.24

$3.16 £2.35

37.97%

Potato (1kg)

$2.03 £1.51

$0.93 £0.69

118.28%

Onion (1kg)

$1.83 £1.36

$1.68 £1.25

8.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.26 £0.94

$1.12 £0.83

12.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.42 £1.06

$1.43 £1.06

-0.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$18.75 £13.94

$18.88 £14.04

-0.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.59 £7.87

$10.13 £7.53

4.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.49 £1.85

$2.64 £1.97

-5.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.43 £2.55

$3.15 £2.34

8.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.68 £1.99

$2.71 £2.01

-1.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$124 £92.4

$95.3 £70.9

30.31%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.51 £4.09

$4.75 £3.53

16.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.92 £2.17

$1.53 £1.14

90.85%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.55 £25.69

$24.60 £18.29

40.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.96 £1.46

$1.98 £1.47

-1.01%

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

$38.3K £28.5K

$39.0K £29.0K

-1.78%

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

$41.6K £31.0K

$41.2K £30.6K

1.01%

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

$299 £222

$346 £257

-13.42%

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

$22.46 £16.70

$15.34 £11.40

46.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.39 £31.51

$47.30 £35.17

-10.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.08 £31.29

$45.66 £33.95

-7.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.04 £11.93

$24.75 £18.40

-35.19%

Cinema Ticket

$13.61 £10.12

$15.74 £11.70

-13.53%

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

$1,940 £1,442

$1,890 £1,405

2.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.9K £15.6K

$20.6K £15.3K

1.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$88.5 £65.8

$116 £86.0

-23.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.66 £30.97

$58.8 £43.74

-29.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.5 £67.3

$78.5 £58.4

15.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 £79.7

$101 £75.1

6.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,599 £1,189

$789 £586

102.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,261 £937

$740 £550

70.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,704 £2,011

$1,499 £1,114

80.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,038 £1,515

$1,367 £1,017

49.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,929 £3,665

$5,877 £4,369

-16.12%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,694 £3,490

$3,091 £2,298

51.83%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,254 £2,419

$3,808 £2,831

-14.56%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.92

5.56

6.47%

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

Last update for Manchester: June 7, 2026

Last update for Derby: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,599 in Manchester versus $789 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 17% 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 $96.0 in Manchester versus $81.0 in Derby. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $332 vs $300 – 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

Manchester vs Derby: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Manchester costs about 22% 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 $3,921 per month in Manchester and $3,217 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 $1,940 per month in Manchester and $1,890 in Derby. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 10% more in Manchester, 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 $2,144, than in Manchester at $2,614. In Derby it covers expenses comfortably, while in Manchester it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Derby costs $2,144 versus $2,614 in Manchester. 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, Manchester makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.