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: $2,417 in Brainerd, MN versus $2,235 in Scunthorpe.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,406 in Brainerd, MN versus $2,971 in Scunthorpe.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,395 in Brainerd, MN versus $3,707 in Scunthorpe.

Living in Brainerd, MN is roughly 8% more expensive than in Scunthorpe, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Brainerd, MN 76% above, Scunthorpe 63% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.71 $14.71

$13.53 £10.00

8.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.85 $37.85

$81.7 £60.4

-53.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.17 $11.17

$9.40 £6.95

18.83%

Cappuccino

$1.85 $1.85

$4.06 £3.00

-54.43%

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

$2.20 $2.20

$1.92 £1.42

14.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.19 £0.88

66.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.16 $6.16

$5.29 £3.91

16.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.83 $5.83

$7.49 £5.54

-22.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.91 $0.91

$1.43 £1.06

-36.36%

White Bread (500g)

$3.31 $3.31

$1.77 £1.31

87.01%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.50 $6.50

$1.61 £1.19

303.73%

Eggs

$2.43 $2.43

$4.08 £3.01

-40.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.21 $10.21

$5.53 £4.09

84.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.45 $8.45

$5.35 £3.95

57.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.24 $12.24

$7.43 £5.49

64.74%

Apples (1kg)

$6.05 $6.05

$2.41 £1.78

151.04%

Banana (1kg)

$1.85 $1.85

$2.06 £1.52

-10.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.70 $6.70

$2.81 £2.08

138.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.09 $5.09

$3.57 £2.64

42.58%

Potato (1kg)

$4.32 $4.32

$0.79 £0.58

446.84%

Onion (1kg)

$3.74 $3.74

$0.97 £0.72

285.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.34 $2.34

$1.00 £0.74

134.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.69 $2.69

$1.60 £1.18

68.12%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.91 $11.91

$18.27 £13.51

-34.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.97 $11.97

$7.96 £5.89

50.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.79 $2.79

$2.89 £2.14

-3.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.39 $4.39

$3.14 £2.32

39.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.02 $2.02

$3.65 £2.70

-44.66%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.52 $39.52

$94.0 £69.5

-57.94%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.92 $2.92

$3.18 £2.35

-8.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.58 $1.58

$2.05 £1.52

-22.93%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.58 $23.58

$8.34 £6.16

182.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.92 $0.92

$2.05 £1.51

-55.12%

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

$35.5K $35.5K

$38.8K £28.7K

-8.38%

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

$25.9K $25.9K

$41.3K £30.5K

-37.21%

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

$156 $156

$289 £214

-46.00%

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

$44.48 $44.48

$21.51 £15.90

106.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$60.6 $60.6

$41.52 £30.69

45.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.73 $41.73

$97.2 £71.8

-57.05%

Cinema Ticket

$9.14 $9.14

$8.62 £6.37

6.03%

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

$1,197 $1,197

$1,844 £1,363

-35.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$36.2K $36.2K

$22.9K £16.9K

57.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$40.21 $40.21

$40.10 £29.65

0.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.77 $44.77

$20.46 £15.13

118.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$61.1 $61.1

$91.9 £68.0

-33.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$64.8 $64.8

$80.7 £59.7

-19.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,599 $1,599

$1,249 £923

28.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,283 $1,283

$1,056 £781

21.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,513 $2,513

$1,289 £953

94.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,162 $2,162

$1,115 £824

93.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,426 $2,426

$5,197 £3,842

-53.32%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,345 $2,345

$4,095 £3,027

-42.74%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,007 £1,483

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.25

4.99

25.25%

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

Last update for Brainerd, MN: August 29, 2026

Last update for Scunthorpe: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,599 in Brainerd, MN and $1,249 in Scunthorpe. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $38.00 in Brainerd, MN vs $82.0 in Scunthorpe. Groceries flip the comparison at $390 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 8% 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 $3,626 in Brainerd, MN and $3,352 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: $1,599 in Brainerd, MN versus $1,249 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 $82.0 versus $38.00 in Brainerd, MN. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,417 per month in Brainerd, MN versus $2,235 in Scunthorpe – a 8% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,235 in Scunthorpe versus $2,417 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 8% less than in Brainerd, MN. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.