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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,573 per month in Manchester vs $1,762 in Derry, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,790 per month in Manchester vs $2,610 in Derry, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,008 per month in Manchester vs $3,458 in Derry, rent included.

Manchester costs about 46% more than Derry, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Manchester and Derry sit above the global median – Manchester by 88%, Derry by 29%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.21 £15.09

$19.13 £14.29

5.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$94.7 £70.7

$68.7 £51.3

37.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 £8.02

$10.87 £8.12

-1.10%

Cappuccino

$4.74 £3.54

$4.02 £3.00

17.91%

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

$2.55 £1.91

$2.25 £1.68

13.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 £1.25

$1.65 £1.23

1.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.90 £5.90

$5.54 £4.14

42.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 £5.07

$6.05 £4.52

12.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.52 £1.13

$1.70 £1.27

-10.59%

White Bread (500g)

$1.92 £1.43

$1.29 £0.96

48.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.99 £1.49

$2.09 £1.56

-4.78%

Eggs

$3.80 £2.84

$3.22 £2.40

18.01%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.14 £6.83

$7.92 £5.92

15.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.16 £6.84

$9.53 £7.11

-3.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.93 £11.89

$18.52 £13.83

-13.98%

Apples (1kg)

$3.27 £2.44

$2.73 £2.04

19.78%

Banana (1kg)

$1.53 £1.14

$1.27 £0.94

20.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.91 £2.18

$2.90 £2.16

0.34%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.52 £2.63

$3.25 £2.43

8.31%

Potato (1kg)

$1.51 £1.13

$1.33 £1.00

13.53%

Onion (1kg)

$1.37 £1.02

$1.33 £1.00

3.01%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.28 £0.95

$0.95 £0.71

34.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.30 £0.97

$1.62 £1.21

-19.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$23.77 £17.75

$21.79 £16.27

9.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.21 £8.37

$10.64 £7.95

5.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.60 £1.94

$2.50 £1.86

4.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 £2.42

$3.21 £2.39

0.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.65 £1.98

$3.71 £2.77

-28.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$109 £81.3

$94.7 £70.7

14.96%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.47 £3.34

$5.38 £4.02

-16.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.23 £1.67

$1.22 £0.91

82.79%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.87 £23.05

$34.88 £26.04

-11.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.11 £1.57

$1.96 £1.47

7.65%

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

$39.6K £29.6K

$39.1K £29.2K

1.35%

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

$40.6K £30.3K

$40.8K £30.5K

-0.58%

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

$294 £219

$137 £103

113.63%

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

$16.69 £12.46

$15.67 £11.70

6.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.09 £29.94

$42.14 £31.47

-4.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.6 £40.73

$36.07 £26.94

51.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.12 £13.53

$13.42 £10.02

35.02%

Cinema Ticket

$13.38 £9.99

$11.01 £8.22

21.53%

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

$1,275 £952

$925 £691

37.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.3K £15.2K

$22.1K £16.5K

-8.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$84.9 £63.4

$96.7 £72.2

-12.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.46 £31.70

$40.10 £29.94

5.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.4 £71.3

$105 £78.6

-9.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 £79.7

$64.4 £48.12

65.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,809 £1,351

$858 £641

110.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,265 £945

$682 £509

85.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,122 £2,332

$1,295 £967

141.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,987 £1,484

$1,006 £751

97.61%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,695 £3,506

$5,194 £3,878

-9.61%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,509 £3,367

$3,966 £2,961

13.70%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,436 £2,565

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.87

4.75

2.53%

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

Last update for Manchester: September 12, 2026

Last update for Derry: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,809 in Manchester versus $858 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 $95.0 in Manchester versus $69.0 in Derry. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $303 vs $297 – 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: $2,573 in Manchester, $1,762 in Derry – roughly 46% apart. Manchester costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,860 per month in Manchester and $2,643 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 $1,275 per month in Manchester and $925 in Derry. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 2% 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 $1,762, than in Manchester at $2,573. 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 $1,762 in Derry to $2,573 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.