Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Manchester and Derry, United Kingdom

For one person, living is cheaper in Derry: $1,776 a month against $2,510 in Manchester, rent and utilities included – about $8,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Manchester, United Kingdom
Derry, United Kingdom
Manchester
🇬🇧 United Kingdom
$2,510
/mo nomad
Derry
🇬🇧 United Kingdom
$1,776
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Manchester and in Derry

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 Derry actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,510 per month in Manchester vs $1,776 in Derry, rent included.

  • Manchester $2,510
  • Derry $1,776

A couple spends around $3,643 per month in Manchester vs $2,635 in Derry, rent included.

  • Manchester $3,643
  • Derry $2,635

A family of three spends $4,776 per month in Manchester vs $3,494 in Derry, rent included.

  • Manchester $4,776
  • Derry $3,494

Manchester costs about 41% more than Derry, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Manchester and Derry sit above the global median – Manchester by 86%, Derry by 31%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Manchester
Derry
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$20.16 £14.95
$18.48 £13.70
9.09%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$87.5 £64.9
$67.4 £49.98
29.83%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.78 £8.00
$10.62 £7.88
1.51%
Cappuccino
$4.78 £3.55
$4.09 £3.03
16.87%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.62 £1.94
$2.35 £1.74
11.49%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.74 £1.29
$1.67 £1.24
4.19%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$7.92 £5.88
$5.26 £3.90
50.57%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$6.52 £4.83
$6.14 £4.55
6.19%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Manchester
Derry
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.35 £1.00
$1.67 £1.24
-19.16%
White Bread (500g)
$1.88 £1.39
$1.35 £1.00
39.26%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.92 £1.42
$2.02 £1.50
-4.95%
Eggs
$4.04 £3.00
$3.27 £2.42
23.55%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.58 £7.11
$7.54 £5.59
27.06%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.26 £6.87
$9.04 £6.71
2.43%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$15.66 £11.62
$17.16 £12.73
-8.74%
Apples (1kg)
$3.07 £2.28
$2.74 £2.03
12.04%
Banana (1kg)
$1.53 £1.14
$1.29 £0.95
18.60%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.91 £2.16
$2.87 £2.12
1.39%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.53 £2.62
$3.21 £2.38
9.97%
Potato (1kg)
$1.54 £1.15
$1.36 £1.01
13.24%
Onion (1kg)
$1.38 £1.02
$1.37 £1.01
0.73%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.21 £0.90
$0.94 £0.70
28.72%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.38 £1.03
$1.60 £1.18
-13.75%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$24.21 £17.95
$21.36 £15.84
13.34%
Wine (Bottle)
$11.05 £8.19
$10.68 £7.92
3.46%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.49 £1.84
$2.46 £1.83
1.22%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.90 £2.15
$3.43 £2.54
-15.45%
🚌 Getting Around
Manchester
Derry
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.61 £1.93
$3.65 £2.71
-28.49%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$109 £80.9
$102 £75.7
6.90%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.47 £3.31
$5.41 £4.01
-17.38%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.21 £1.64
$1.83 £1.35
20.77%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$30.93 £22.94
$34.85 £25.84
-11.25%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.18 £1.61
$1.92 £1.42
13.54%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$39.2K £29.1K
$38.6K £28.6K
1.78%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$39.9K £29.6K
$40.0K £29.7K
-0.34%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Manchester
Derry
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$248 £184
$136 £101
82.23%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$16.31 £12.10
$16.03 £11.89
1.75%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$39.73 £29.47
$44.16 £32.75
-10.03%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Manchester
Derry
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$42.93 £31.84
$36.13 £26.80
18.82%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.99 £13.34
$13.47 £9.99
33.56%
Cinema Ticket
$13.46 £9.98
$10.87 £8.06
23.83%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Manchester
Derry
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,448 £1,074
$1,111 £824
30.34%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$21.0K £15.6K
$22.7K £16.9K
-7.51%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Manchester
Derry
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$83.3 £61.8
$96.1 £71.3
-13.35%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$43.32 £32.13
$40.19 £29.81
7.79%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$95.4 £70.8
$103 £76.7
-7.72%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$99.9 £74.1
$64.6 £47.92
54.60%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Manchester
Derry
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,818 £1,348
$850 £630
113.80%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,234 £915
$680 £504
81.46%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,925 £2,169
$1,320 £979
121.65%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,921 £1,424
$999 £741
92.30%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,751 £3,523
$5,259 £3,900
-9.66%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$4,313 £3,199
$4,390 £3,256
-1.75%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Manchester
Derry
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,798 £2,817
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.79
4.77
0.42%

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

Last update for Manchester: November 2, 2026

Last update for Derry: November 1, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Manchester
$1.2K
Derry
$680 44.9% $554
Eating Out
Manchester
$321
Derry
$283 11.7% $38
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Manchester
$304
Derry
$196 35.5% $108
Groceries & Markets
Manchester
$301
Derry
$290 3.7% $11
Clothing & Footwear
Manchester
$145
Derry
$137 5.5% $7.9
Getting Around
Manchester
$135
Derry
$131 2.9% $3.9
Sport & Entertainment
Manchester
$70
Derry
$58 17.2% $12

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,818 in Manchester versus $850 in Derry. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $87 in Manchester versus $67 in Derry. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $301 vs $290 – making Derry the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇬🇧 Manchester
🇬🇧 Derry
🕒 Local time
15:48 3:48 PM
15:48 3:48 PM
Same time as Manchester
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
503,100
85,016
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to GBP – British Pound Converter

British Pound exchange rates as of November 4, 2026: 1 USD = 0.742 GBP (1 GBP = 1.35 USD). 1 EUR = 0.831 GBP (1 GBP = 1.2 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Manchester Derry 370 km
From you
  • Manchester
  • Derry

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 Derry: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Manchester and in Derry compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $2,510 in Manchester, $1,776 in Derry – Derry comes out roughly 29% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.
What salary covers living expenses in Manchester compared to Derry?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,765 per month in Manchester and $2,663 in Derry. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Manchester and Derry?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Derry, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $850 there versus $1,818 in Manchester.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Manchester and Derry?
Kindergarten costs $1,448 per month in Manchester and $1,111 in Derry. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Groceries cost about 4% more in Manchester, though the gap depends on what you buy.
How far does $3,000 go in Manchester compared to Derry?
$3,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $2,510 in Manchester and $1,776 in Derry, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.
Where should families live: Manchester or Derry?
Families tend to lean toward Derry – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Where should expats move: Manchester or Derry?
For expats, Derry is the easier option financially – housing and daily costs are lower, and overall it costs about 29% less, which matters a lot on a fixed budget or early-career salary.

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