Cost of Living Comparison Between Mons and Durham, NC Cost of Living Comparison Between Mons and Durham, NC

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,919 in Mons versus $2,620 in Durham, NC.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,861 in Mons versus $3,769 in Durham, NC.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,803 in Mons versus $4,918 in Durham, NC.

Living in Mons costs roughly 27% less than in Durham, NC, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Mons 44% above, Durham, NC 96% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.12 €14.95

$14.82 $14.82

15.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$87.0 €76.0

$70.9 $70.9

22.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.62 €9.28

$10.12 $10.12

4.94%

Cappuccino

$3.72 €3.25

$4.66 $4.66

-20.17%

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

$2.71 €2.37

$2.23 $2.23

21.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 €2.21

$1.83 $1.83

38.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.51 €3.94

$5.03 $5.03

-10.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.70 €4.11

$6.32 $6.32

-25.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.30 €1.14

$0.88 $0.88

47.73%

White Bread (500g)

$2.26 €1.97

$3.86 $3.86

-41.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.38 €2.08

$3.75 $3.75

-36.53%

Eggs

$4.08 €3.57

$4.50 $4.50

-9.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.71 €15.47

$9.02 $9.02

96.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.94 €10.43

$12.57 $12.57

-5.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.52 €16.18

$15.51 $15.51

19.41%

Apples (1kg)

$2.85 €2.49

$5.76 $5.76

-50.52%

Banana (1kg)

$2.37 €2.07

$1.18 $1.18

100.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.74 €2.40

$3.90 $3.90

-29.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.14 €2.74

$3.42 $3.42

-8.19%

Potato (1kg)

$1.92 €1.68

$2.52 $2.52

-23.81%

Onion (1kg)

$2.07 €1.81

$2.69 $2.69

-23.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.31 €1.14

$1.97 $1.97

-33.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 €0.79

$1.97 $1.97

-53.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.11 €8.83

$9.88 $9.88

2.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.52 €4.82

$15.16 $15.16

-63.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.92 €1.68

$1.70 $1.70

12.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 €2.55

$4.24 $4.24

-31.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.82 €2.47

$1.95 $1.95

44.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$42.11 €36.79

$25.19 $25.19

67.17%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$11.05 €9.65

$2.02 $2.02

447.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.68 €2.35

$1.57 $1.57

70.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$53.8 €47.00

$22.40 $22.40

140.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.92 €1.68

$0.81 $0.81

137.04%

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

$33.0K €28.8K

$28.1K $28.1K

17.52%

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

$37.6K €32.8K

$26.0K $26.0K

44.33%

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

$204 €178

$162 $162

26.18%

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

$23.10 €20.18

$54.4 $54.4

-57.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$48.98 €42.79

$75.8 $75.8

-35.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$27.10 €23.68

$40.09 $40.09

-32.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.93 €14.79

Cinema Ticket

$12.48 €10.91

$12.04 $12.04

3.65%

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

$587 €513

$1,267 $1,267

-53.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.2K €16.8K

$30.7K $30.7K

-37.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$111 €96.7

$52.1 $52.1

112.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.5 €47.64

$34.92 $34.92

56.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 €92.8

$76.6 $76.6

38.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$150 €131

$119 $119

26.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$646 €564

$1,882 $1,882

-65.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$722 €631

$1,453 $1,453

-50.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,123 €981

$2,529 $2,529

-55.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 €928

$2,332 $2,332

-54.44%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,052 €3,540

$2,683 $2,683

51.00%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,953 €2,580

$2,726 $2,726

8.35%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,938 €2,567

$4,523 $4,523

-35.04%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.23

6.54

-50.61%

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

Last update for Mons: July 12, 2026

Last update for Durham, NC: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $646 in Mons and $1,882 in Durham, NC. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Durham, NC pays 54% 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: $87.0 in Mons vs $71.0 in Durham, NC. Groceries flip the comparison at $338 vs $377, with Mons 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

Mons vs Durham, NC: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mons wins on cost – living expenses run 37% lower than in Durham, NC. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Mons the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 54% lower in Durham, NC. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $646 in Mons versus $1,882 in Durham, NC. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Mons runs roughly 67% less than in Durham, NC. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $587 in Mons versus $1,267 in Durham, NC. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,919 in Mons versus $2,620 in Durham, NC, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Mons but tight or insufficient in Durham, NC. The gap between the two cities makes Mons the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Mons delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,919 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Mons hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Mons and Durham, NC 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 Mons gentler on the wallet – expenses run 37% less than in Durham, NC. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.