Cost of Living Comparison Between Brainerd, MN and Scunthorpe Cost of Living Comparison Between Brainerd, MN and Scunthorpe

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,315 in Brainerd, MN versus $1,704 in Scunthorpe.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,089 in Brainerd, MN versus $2,672 in Scunthorpe.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,863 in Brainerd, MN versus $3,640 in Scunthorpe.

Living in Brainerd, MN is roughly 36% more expensive than Scunthorpe, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Brainerd, MN 73% above, Scunthorpe 27% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.25 $14.25

$14.28 £10.64

-0.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$67.1 $67.1

$80.8 £60.2

-16.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.18 $10.18

$10.07 £7.50

1.09%

Cappuccino

$1.86 $1.86

$4.02 £2.99

-53.73%

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

$2.26 $2.26

$1.91 £1.42

18.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.91 $1.91

$1.24 £0.93

54.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.86 $5.86

$4.66 £3.47

25.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.94 $5.94

$5.48 £4.08

8.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.00 $1.00

$1.42 £1.06

-29.58%

White Bread (500g)

$3.23 $3.23

$1.66 £1.24

94.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.88 $3.88

$1.62 £1.21

139.51%

Eggs

$2.52 $2.52

$3.94 £2.93

-36.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.60 $9.60

$5.52 £4.11

73.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.18 $8.18

$5.32 £3.96

53.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.26 $12.26

$7.43 £5.53

65.01%

Apples (1kg)

$5.14 $5.14

$2.34 £1.74

119.66%

Banana (1kg)

$1.15 $1.15

$1.93 £1.44

-40.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.71 $5.71

$3.22 £2.40

77.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.02 $5.02

$3.69 £2.74

36.04%

Potato (1kg)

$3.90 $3.90

$0.78 £0.58

400.00%

Onion (1kg)

$3.68 $3.68

$0.93 £0.69

295.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.01 $2.01

$1.05 £0.78

91.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.96 $1.96

$1.94 £1.45

1.03%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.59 $10.59

$17.92 £13.35

-40.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.14 $11.14

$7.86 £5.85

41.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 $1.69

$2.81 £2.09

-39.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.39 $4.39

$1.95 £1.45

125.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.96 $1.96

$5.21 £3.88

-62.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.38 $40.38

$68.2 £50.8

-40.77%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.93 $2.93

$6.26 £4.67

-53.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.43 $1.43

$1.39 £1.04

2.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.87 $28.87

$8.28 £6.17

248.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.85 $0.85

$1.90 £1.41

-55.26%

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

$35.8K $35.8K

$38.1K £28.4K

-5.99%

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

$26.1K $26.1K

$42.6K £31.7K

-38.78%

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

$218 $218

$291 £217

-24.92%

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

$44.56 $44.56

$17.12 £12.75

160.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$60.6 $60.6

$43.72 £32.57

38.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.96 $42.96

$94.7 £70.5

-54.62%

Cinema Ticket

$8.90 $8.90

$8.79 £6.55

1.25%

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

$1,183 $1,183

$1,562 £1,164

-24.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$29.7K $29.7K

$6,679 £4,974

344.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$39.03 $39.03

$41.10 £30.61

-5.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.43 $42.43

$20.36 £15.17

108.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$60.6 $60.6

$84.8 £63.1

-28.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$64.9 $64.9

$73.3 £54.6

-11.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,582 $1,582

$828 £617

90.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 $1,221

$559 £416

118.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,651 $2,651

$1,310 £976

102.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,517 $1,517

$1,113 £829

36.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,405 $2,405

$5,185 £3,862

-53.61%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,396 $2,396

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,945 £1,448

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.43

5.6

14.82%

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

Last update for Brainerd, MN: June 1, 2026

Last update for Scunthorpe: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,582 in Brainerd, MN and $828 in Scunthorpe. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $67.0 in Brainerd, MN vs $81.0 in Scunthorpe. Groceries flip the comparison at $345 vs $238, with Scunthorpe cheaper for home cooking.

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

Brainerd, MN vs Scunthorpe: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Scunthorpe wins on cost – living expenses run 36% lower than in Brainerd, MN. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Scunthorpe the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $3,472 in Brainerd, MN and $2,556 in Scunthorpe to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,582 in Brainerd, MN versus $828 in Scunthorpe. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Scunthorpe – a meal for two runs $81.0 versus $67.0 in Brainerd, MN. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,315 per month in Brainerd, MN versus $1,704 in Scunthorpe – a 36% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,704 in Scunthorpe versus $2,315 in Brainerd, MN, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Scunthorpe but tight or insufficient in Brainerd, MN. The gap between the two cities makes Scunthorpe the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Scunthorpe gentler on the wallet – expenses run 36% less than in Brainerd, MN. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.