Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Manchester and Derby

For one person, living is cheaper in Derby: $2,255 a month against $2,499 in Manchester, rent and utilities included – about $2,900 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Manchester outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

121

Cost of Living Index in Manchester
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Manchester Living Index
108

Cost of Living Index in Derby
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Derby Living Index

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Manchester

🇬🇧 United Kingdom

$2,499

/mo nomad

Derby

🇬🇧 United Kingdom

$2,255

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Manchester 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 Manchester and in Derby actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,499 per month in Manchester vs $2,255 in Derby, rent included.

Manchester $2,499
Derby $2,255

A couple spends around $3,623 per month in Manchester vs $3,377 in Derby, rent included.

Manchester $3,623
Derby $3,377

A family of three spends $4,747 per month in Manchester vs $4,499 in Derby, rent included.

Manchester $4,747
Derby $4,499

Manchester costs about 11% more than Derby, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in leisure.

Both Manchester and Derby sit above the global median – Manchester by 84%, Derby by 66%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.22 £15.08

$26.57 £19.81

-23.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$86.0 £64.1

$95.0 £70.8

-9.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.74 £8.01

$10.72 £7.99

0.19%

Cappuccino

$4.68 £3.49

$4.97 £3.70

-5.84%

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

$2.44 £1.82

$2.52 £1.88

-3.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.62 £1.21

$1.96 £1.46

-17.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.78 £5.80

$6.82 £5.08

14.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.70 £5.00

$7.10 £5.30

-5.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.51 £1.12

$1.57 £1.17

-3.82%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 £1.40

$1.43 £1.07

31.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.94 £1.45

$2.34 £1.75

-17.09%

Eggs

$4.08 £3.04

$3.96 £2.95

3.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.61 £7.16

$8.42 £6.28

14.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.98 £6.70

$8.58 £6.40

4.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.41 £11.49

$23.38 £17.43

-34.09%

Apples (1kg)

$3.09 £2.30

$5.42 £4.04

-42.99%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 £1.18

$2.80 £2.09

-43.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.95 £2.20

$2.96 £2.20

-0.34%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.35 £2.50

$3.74 £2.79

-10.43%

Potato (1kg)

$1.51 £1.13

$1.55 £1.15

-2.58%

Onion (1kg)

$1.35 £1.00

$1.54 £1.15

-12.34%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.26 £0.94

$1.05 £0.78

20.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.23 £0.92

$1.37 £1.02

-10.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$24.05 £17.93

$23.73 £17.70

1.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.88 £8.12

$10.62 £7.92

2.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.43 £1.81

$3.28 £2.45

-25.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 £2.36

$3.61 £2.69

-12.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.73 £2.04

$4.01 £2.99

-31.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$108 £80.4

$115 £86.0

-6.43%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.52 £3.37

$4.34 £3.24

4.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.22 £1.65

$1.62 £1.20

37.04%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.82 £22.98

$31.95 £23.82

-3.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.14 £1.59

$1.98 £1.47

8.08%

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

$38.5K £28.7K

$38.2K £28.5K

0.56%

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

$40.0K £29.9K

$39.9K £29.7K

0.45%

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

$252 £188

$366 £273

-30.97%

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

$16.23 £12.10

$19.97 £14.89

-18.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.58 £29.51

$39.71 £29.61

-0.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.67 £31.81

$36.95 £27.55

15.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.05 £13.46

$25.60 £19.09

-29.49%

Cinema Ticket

$13.44 £10.02

$15.22 £11.35

-11.70%

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

$1,494 £1,114

$1,912 £1,426

-21.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.7K £14.7K

$20.3K £15.1K

-2.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$83.5 £62.3

$114 £85.3

-26.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.97 £32.04

$58.0 £43.22

-25.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.0 £70.8

$87.2 £65.0

8.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 £79.0

$98.1 £73.1

7.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,785 £1,331

$947 £706

88.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,222 £911

$746 £556

63.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,930 £2,185

$1,532 £1,142

91.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,899 £1,416

$1,206 £899

57.44%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,668 £3,480

$4,201 £3,132

11.12%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,397 £3,278

$3,055 £2,278

43.92%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,395 £2,531

$3,541 £2,640

-4.13%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.82

4.88

-1.23%

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

Last update for Manchester: October 25, 2026

Last update for Derby: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Manchester

$1.2K 48.9%

Derby

$746 33.1% 38.9% $476

Eating Out

Manchester

$319 12.8%

Derby

$371 16.4% 16.3% $52

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Manchester

$308 12.3%

Derby

$425 18.9% 38% $117

Groceries & Markets

Manchester

$299 12%

Derby

$341 15.1% 14.2% $42

Clothing & Footwear

Manchester

$147 5.9%

Derby

$161 7.1% 9.2% $14

Getting Around

Manchester

$134 5.4%

Derby

$144 6.4% 7% $9.4

Sport & Entertainment

Manchester

$70 2.8%

Derby

$67 3% 3.1% $2.1

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,785 in Manchester versus $947 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 4% 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 $86 in Manchester versus $95 in Derby. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $299 vs $341 – making Manchester the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇬🇧 Manchester

🇬🇧 Derby

🕒 Local time

12:41 12:41 PM

Same time as Manchester

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

503,100

233,700

💱 Currency

British Pound GBP £

📈 Exchange rate

1 GBP = 1.34 USD

1 GBP = 1.2 EUR

1 GBP = 1.34 USD

1 GBP = 1.2 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Manchester Derby 80 km

From you

Manchester
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

Manchester vs Derby: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Manchester costs about 11% more than Derby, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from leisure. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,749 per month in Manchester and $3,383 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: a one-bedroom in the center costs $947 there versus $1,785 in Manchester.

Kindergarten costs $1,494 per month in Manchester and $1,912 in Derby. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 12% cheaper in Manchester – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,499 in Manchester and $2,255 in Derby. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

It depends on your priorities. Manchester has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,255 in Derby to $2,499 in Manchester. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.