Cost of Living Comparison Between Manchester and Derry Cost of Living Comparison Between Manchester and Derry

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,631 per month in Manchester vs $1,747 in Derry, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,842 per month in Manchester vs $2,642 in Derry, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,053 per month in Manchester vs $3,537 in Derry, rent included.

Manchester costs about 51% more than Derry, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Manchester and Derry sit above the global median – Manchester by 97%, Derry by 30%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.34 £15.07

$17.96 £13.31

13.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$95.0 £70.4

$82.7 £61.3

14.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.92 £8.09

$9.76 £7.23

11.89%

Cappuccino

$4.98 £3.69

$4.64 £3.44

7.33%

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

$2.62 £1.94

$2.22 £1.64

18.02%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.75 £1.30

$1.50 £1.11

16.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.38 £5.47

$5.94 £4.40

24.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.40 £5.49

$5.96 £4.41

24.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 £1.21

$1.72 £1.27

-4.65%

White Bread (500g)

$1.70 £1.26

$1.35 £1.00

25.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.18 £1.61

$2.05 £1.52

6.34%

Eggs

$3.94 £2.92

$3.27 £2.42

20.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.35 £9.15

$9.90 £7.34

24.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.85 £7.30

$9.08 £6.73

8.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.45 £12.93

$14.13 £10.47

23.50%

Apples (1kg)

$3.20 £2.37

$2.76 £2.05

15.94%

Banana (1kg)

$1.79 £1.32

$1.30 £0.97

37.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.95 £2.93

$2.83 £2.10

39.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.28 £3.17

$3.71 £2.75

15.36%

Potato (1kg)

$2.03 £1.50

$1.33 £0.99

52.63%

Onion (1kg)

$1.87 £1.39

$1.33 £0.98

40.60%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.26 £0.93

$0.93 £0.69

35.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.49 £1.10

$1.62 £1.20

-8.02%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$18.70 £13.86

$21.00 £15.56

-10.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.54 £7.81

$10.64 £7.89

-0.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.44 £1.81

$2.59 £1.92

-5.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.46 £2.56

$3.37 £2.49

2.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.70 £2.00

$3.70 £2.74

-27.03%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$121 £89.3

$55.0 £40.77

119.07%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.40 £4.00

$5.41 £4.01

-0.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.97 £2.20

$2.27 £1.68

30.84%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$33.45 £24.79

$26.63 £19.73

25.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.90 £1.40

$1.95 £1.44

-2.56%

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

$38.2K £28.3K

$38.7K £28.7K

-1.29%

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

$40.5K £30.0K

$39.3K £29.1K

3.04%

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

$296 £219

$138 £102

114.42%

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

$22.50 £16.68

$16.23 £12.02

38.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$43.57 £32.28

$41.23 £30.55

5.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.22 £30.54

$35.59 £26.37

15.82%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.49 £11.48

$13.53 £10.02

14.49%

Cinema Ticket

$13.83 £10.25

$10.77 £7.98

28.41%

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

$1,971 £1,461

$1,137 £842

73.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.4K £15.9K

$18.3K £13.5K

17.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$90.1 £66.7

$96.9 £71.8

-7.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.94 £31.08

$40.32 £29.88

4.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.7 £65.7

$107 £78.9

-16.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 £79.6

$64.9 £48.07

65.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,625 £1,204

$855 £633

90.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,255 £930

$669 £496

87.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,665 £1,975

$1,339 £992

99.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,052 £1,520

$983 £729

108.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,750 £3,520

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,542 £3,366

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,392 £2,513

$2,729 £2,022

24.28%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.92

5.32

11.28%

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

Last update for Manchester: April 27, 2026

Last update for Derry: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,625 in Manchester versus $855 in Derry. 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 24% higher in Manchester, 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 $95.0 in Manchester versus $83.0 in Derry. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $333 vs $292 – making Derry 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 Derry: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,631 in Manchester, $1,747 in Derry – roughly 51% apart. Manchester costs more across the board, with Getting Around showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,947 per month in Manchester and $2,620 in Derry. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Derry, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $1,971 per month in Manchester and $1,137 in Derry. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 14% 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 $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Derry, where all-in costs run around $1,747, than in Manchester at $2,631. In Derry it covers expenses comfortably, while in Manchester it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Manchester has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,747 in Derry to $2,631 in Manchester. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Derry. 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.