๐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,057 in Mankato, MN versus $2,137 in Afula.
๐Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,053 in Mankato, MN versus $2,745 in Afula.
๐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,049 in Mankato, MN versus $3,354 in Afula.
๐Living in Mankato, MN costs roughly 4% less than in Afula, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.
๐Both cities are pricier than the global median: Mankato, MN54% above, Afula59% above.
Currency
๐ฝ Eating Out
Mankato, MN
Afula
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$15.79$15.79
$22.12โช66.4
-28.62%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$70.8$70.8
$87.3โช262
-18.88%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$9.94$9.94
$16.84โช50.5
-40.97%
Cappuccino
$5.10$5.10
$4.29โช12.87
18.88%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.13$2.13
$3.13โช9.38
-31.95%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.68$1.68
$2.34โช7.03
-28.21%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$5.08$5.08
$8.29โช24.87
-38.72%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$5.95$5.95
$9.60โช28.79
-38.02%
๐ Groceries & Markets
Mankato, MN
Afula
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$0.96$0.96
$1.97โช5.92
-51.27%
White Bread(500g)
$2.57$2.57
$1.39โช4.18
84.89%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.18$2.18
$2.23โช6.69
-2.24%
Eggs
$3.44$3.44
$4.07โช12.21
-15.48%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$8.49$8.49
$12.99โช38.97
-34.64%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$14.83$14.83
$9.21โช27.62
61.02%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$17.14$17.14
$11.38โช34.15
50.62%
Apples(1kg)
$4.50$4.50
$2.49โช7.46
80.72%
Banana(1kg)
$1.58$1.58
$1.63โช4.90
-3.07%
Oranges(1kg)
$3.77$3.77
$1.64โช4.92
129.88%
Tomato(1kg)
$3.54$3.54
$1.89โช5.67
87.30%
Potato(1kg)
$4.29$4.29
$1.11โช3.33
286.49%
Onion(1kg)
$3.05$3.05
$1.05โช3.14
190.48%
Lettuce(1 head)
$2.40$2.40
$2.11โช6.34
13.74%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$2.02$2.02
$1.16โช3.48
74.14%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$12.14$12.14
$8.52โช25.56
42.49%
Wine(Bottle)
$15.02$15.02
$11.58โช34.74
29.71%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.74$1.74
$2.81โช8.42
-38.08%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.28$4.28
$3.61โช10.84
18.56%
๐ Getting Around
Mankato, MN
Afula
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$2.03$2.03
$1.57โช4.71
29.30%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
-
$27.79โช83.4
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$2.04$2.04
$4.05โช12.14
-49.63%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.44$1.44
$0.86โช2.59
67.44%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$19.97$19.97
$41.18โช124
-51.51%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$0.78$0.78
$2.00โช6.00
-61.00%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$25.9K$25.9K
$40.4Kโช121.1K
-35.79%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$24.4K$24.4K
$46.9Kโช140.8K
-48.03%
๐งพ Monthly Utilities & Internet
Mankato, MN
Afula
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$131$131
$186โช557
-29.37%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$51.8$51.8
$11.37โช34.10
355.32%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$75.6$75.6
$22.12โช66.4
241.91%
๐ Sport & Entertainment
Mankato, MN
Afula
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$39.54$39.54
$41.57โช125
-4.88%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$18.32โช55.0
-
Cinema Ticket
$14.98$14.98
$12.31โช36.93
21.69%
๐งธ Childcare & Education
Mankato, MN
Afula
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$1,371$1,371
$854โช2,561
60.61%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$11.8K$11.8K
$18.6Kโช55.7K
-36.17%
๐๐ Clothing & Footwear
Mankato, MN
Afula
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$62.3$62.3
$83.7โช251
-25.55%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$35.41$35.41
$61.5โช185
-42.42%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$71.6$71.6
$134โช401
-46.40%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$144$144
$168โช504
-14.53%
๐ Accommodation & Living
Mankato, MN
Afula
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$987$987
$1,012โช3,037
-2.50%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$908$908
$942โช2,825
-3.55%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,622$2,622
$988โช2,965
165.27%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,476$1,476
$666โช1,998
121.68%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$1,639$1,639
$3,873โช11.6K
-57.67%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,603$1,603
$3,110โช9,329
-48.44%
๐ต Salaries & Financials
Mankato, MN
Afula
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$3,898$3,898
$4,479โช13.4K
-12.98%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
6.61
3
120.33%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input โ minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Mankato, MN: April 20, 2026
Last update for Afula: April 21, 2026
Cost Breakdown
๐ A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $987 in Mankato, MN and $1,012 in Afula. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
๐ฐAfula pays 15% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.
๐Dining out: $71 in Mankato, MN vs $87 in Afula. Groceries flip the comparison at $374 vs $288, with Afula 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
Mankato, MN vs Afula: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Mankato, MN and Afula?
Mankato, MN and Afula differ by about 4% in total monthly costs ($2,057 vs $2,137 including rent). Mankato, MN is meaningfully more affordable โ a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city has better-paying jobs?
On paper, Afula earns 15% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How do apartment prices compare in Mankato, MN and Afula?
Rent for a central apartment: $987 in Mankato, MN versus $1,012 in Afula. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Shoppers in Afula pay roughly 30% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.
Which city is more expensive overall: Mankato, MN or Afula?
All in, you'll spend $2,057 per month in Mankato, MN versus $2,137 in Afula โ a 4% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Which city is more doable on $3,000 per month?
At $2,057 in Mankato, MN versus $2,137 in Afula, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Mankato, MN but tight or insufficient in Afula. The gap between the two cities makes Mankato, MN the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Mankato, MN and Afula?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better โ the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.
Is Mankato, MN or Afula safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Mankato, MN and Afula are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Where should expats move: Mankato, MN or Afula?
Expats usually find Mankato, MN gentler on the wallet โ expenses run 4% less than in Afula. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.
Mankato, MN vs other spots: cost of living compared