Cost of Living Comparison Between Kearney, NE and Stevens Point, WI Cost of Living Comparison Between Kearney, NE and Stevens Point, WI

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,986 in Kearney, NE versus $1,935 in Stevens Point, WI.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,835 in Kearney, NE versus $3,041 in Stevens Point, WI.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,684 in Kearney, NE versus $4,147 in Stevens Point, WI.

Living in Kearney, NE is roughly 3% more expensive than Stevens Point, WI, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Kearney, NE 48% above, Stevens Point, WI 44% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.96 $14.96

$15.74 $15.74

-4.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.0 $60.0

$68.1 $68.1

-11.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.69 $11.69

$10.04 $10.04

16.43%

Cappuccino

$5.13 $5.13

$5.37 $5.37

-4.47%

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

$2.11 $2.11

$2.63 $2.63

-19.77%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.90 $1.90

$1.93 $1.93

-1.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.90 $3.90

$3.99 $3.99

-2.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.85 $4.85

$6.04 $6.04

-19.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.86 $0.86

$0.90 $0.90

-4.44%

White Bread (500g)

$1.69 $1.69

$1.95 $1.95

-13.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.77 $3.77

$5.48 $5.48

-31.20%

Eggs

$3.40 $3.40

$4.21 $4.21

-19.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.02 $9.02

$10.08 $10.08

-10.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.49 $6.49

$10.85 $10.85

-40.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.68 $15.68

$12.34 $12.34

27.07%

Apples (1kg)

$6.69 $6.69

$5.23 $5.23

27.92%

Banana (1kg)

$2.23 $2.23

$1.76 $1.76

26.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.80 $5.80

$4.45 $4.45

30.34%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.03 $5.03

$5.69 $5.69

-11.60%

Potato (1kg)

$1.82 $1.82

$1.97 $1.97

-7.61%

Onion (1kg)

$2.80 $2.80

$3.76 $3.76

-25.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.07 $2.07

$2.47 $2.47

-16.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.48 $2.48

$1.72 $1.72

44.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.64 $9.64

$11.16 $11.16

-13.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.84 $14.84

$10.02 $10.02

48.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 $1.73

$2.18 $2.18

-20.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.73 $1.73

14.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.34 $1.34

47.76%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.00 $3.00

$4.59 $4.59

-34.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.36 $1.36

$1.75 $1.75

-22.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.05 $25.05

$24.21 $24.21

3.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.85 $0.85

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

$24.3K $24.3K

$25.6K $25.6K

-5.23%

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

$26.0K $26.0K

$26.3K $26.3K

-0.91%

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

$330 $330

$165 $165

99.96%

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

$53.6 $53.6

$25.36 $25.36

111.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$66.3 $66.3

$69.4 $69.4

-4.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.5 $54.5

$68.1 $68.1

-19.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.10 $6.10

$43.55 $43.55

-85.99%

Cinema Ticket

$12.41 $12.41

$12.06 $12.06

2.90%

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

$917 $917

$810 $810

13.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$25.0K $25.0K

$26.9K $26.9K

-6.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$30.59 $30.59

$46.38 $46.38

-34.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.31 $37.31

$40.02 $40.02

-6.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.3 $95.3

$78.4 $78.4

21.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 $114

$99.6 $99.6

14.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$925 $925

$946 $946

-2.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 $724

$814 $814

-11.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,610 $2,610

$1,963 $1,963

32.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,061 $1,061

$1,731 $1,731

-38.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,518 $1,518

$2,029 $2,029

-25.18%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,552 $1,552

$2,004 $2,004

-22.58%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$7,598 $7,598

$2,950 $2,950

157.57%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.5

6.46

0.62%

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

Last update for Kearney, NE: May 31, 2026

Last update for Stevens Point, WI: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $925 in Kearney, NE and $946 in Stevens Point, WI. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Kearney, NE pays 158% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $60.0 in Kearney, NE vs $68.0 in Stevens Point, WI for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $347 vs $350 per month, with Kearney, NE cheaper across the board.

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

Kearney, NE vs Stevens Point, WI: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kearney, NE and Stevens Point, WI differ by about 3% in total monthly costs ($1,986 vs $1,935 including rent). Stevens Point, WI is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Kearney, NE pays 158% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $925 in Kearney, NE versus $946 in Stevens Point, WI. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Kearney, NE pay roughly 1% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $1,986 per month in Kearney, NE versus $1,935 in Stevens Point, WI – a 3% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,935 in Stevens Point, WI versus $1,986 in Kearney, NE, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Stevens Point, WI but tight or insufficient in Kearney, NE. The gap between the two cities makes Stevens Point, WI 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.

Safety-wise, Kearney, NE and Stevens Point, WI are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Stevens Point, WI gentler on the wallet – expenses run 3% less than in Kearney, NE. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.