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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,648 per month in Manchester vs $2,183 in Derby, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,928 per month in Manchester vs $3,285 in Derby, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,208 per month in Manchester vs $4,387 in Derby, rent included.

Manchester costs about 21% more than Derby, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Manchester and Derby sit above the global median – Manchester by 99%, Derby by 64%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.42 £15.14

$25.14 £18.63

-18.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$94.4 £70.0

$81.5 £60.4

15.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.00 £8.16

$10.81 £8.01

1.76%

Cappuccino

$5.14 £3.81

$4.96 £3.68

3.63%

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

$2.63 £1.95

$2.23 £1.65

17.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.68 £1.25

$1.64 £1.21

2.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.57 £5.61

$6.41 £4.75

18.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.44 £5.51

$5.29 £3.92

40.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 £1.27

$1.48 £1.10

15.54%

White Bread (500g)

$1.77 £1.31

$1.42 £1.06

24.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.24 £1.66

$2.49 £1.84

-10.04%

Eggs

$4.09 £3.03

$3.85 £2.85

6.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.15 £9.01

$9.22 £6.84

31.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.42 £6.98

$8.74 £6.48

7.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.15 £12.71

$13.26 £9.83

29.34%

Apples (1kg)

$3.33 £2.47

$4.54 £3.36

-26.65%

Banana (1kg)

$1.79 £1.33

$2.76 £2.05

-35.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.93 £2.91

$2.96 £2.20

32.77%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.21 £3.12

$3.17 £2.35

32.81%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 £1.52

$0.98 £0.73

109.18%

Onion (1kg)

$1.89 £1.40

$1.72 £1.27

9.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.26 £0.93

$1.13 £0.84

11.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.50 £1.11

$1.44 £1.07

4.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$19.00 £14.09

$18.95 £14.05

0.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.29 £7.63

$10.78 £7.99

-4.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.58 £1.91

$2.74 £2.03

-5.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.55 £2.63

$3.31 £2.46

7.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.67 £1.98

$2.70 £2.00

-1.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$123 £91.5

$93.1 £69.0

32.54%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.31 £3.94

$4.62 £3.43

14.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.85 £2.11

$1.55 £1.15

83.87%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.57 £25.63

$24.43 £18.11

41.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.97 £1.46

$1.88 £1.39

4.79%

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

$37.7K £27.9K

$38.4K £28.5K

-1.87%

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

$40.5K £30.0K

$41.1K £30.5K

-1.58%

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

$303 £224

$343 £255

-11.89%

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

$22.65 £16.79

$15.34 £11.37

47.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.94 £31.82

$48.03 £35.60

-10.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.89 £30.31

$46.30 £34.32

-11.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.65 £11.60

$24.99 £18.52

-37.37%

Cinema Ticket

$13.81 £10.24

$15.67 £11.62

-11.87%

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

$1,956 £1,450

$1,888 £1,400

3.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.4K £15.8K

$21.1K £15.7K

1.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$88.5 £65.6

$117 £86.4

-24.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.00 £31.13

$59.1 £43.83

-28.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.4 £64.8

$79.6 £59.0

9.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 £80.6

$101 £74.8

7.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,623 £1,203

$768 £570

111.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,253 £929

$743 £550

68.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,724 £2,019

$1,465 £1,086

85.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,051 £1,521

$1,376 £1,020

49.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,997 £3,704

$5,728 £4,245

-12.76%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,610 £3,417

$3,135 £2,324

47.03%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,183 £2,359

$3,584 £2,657

-11.19%

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: July 26, 2026

Last update for Derby: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,623 in Manchester versus $768 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 13% 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 $94.0 in Manchester versus $81.0 in Derby. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $333 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

Manchester vs Derby: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Manchester costs about 21% 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 $3,972 per month in Manchester and $3,275 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 $1,956 per month in Manchester and $1,888 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 $2,183, than in Manchester at $2,648. 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 $2,183 versus $2,648 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.