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: $1,941 in Mons versus $2,544 in Durham, NC.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,872 in Mons versus $3,720 in Durham, NC.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,804 in Mons versus $4,895 in Durham, NC.

Living in Mons costs roughly 24% less than in Durham, NC, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Mons 45% above, Durham, NC 90% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.69 €15.22

$14.88 $14.88

18.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$88.3 €76.0

$69.0 $69.0

27.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.54 €9.07

$9.88 $9.88

6.68%

Cappuccino

$3.74 €3.22

$4.58 $4.58

-18.34%

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

$2.75 €2.36

$2.13 $2.13

29.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.63 €2.26

$1.81 $1.81

45.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.51 €3.88

$4.91 $4.91

-8.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.56 €3.92

$6.69 $6.69

-31.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.28 €1.10

$0.87 $0.87

47.13%

White Bread (500g)

$2.34 €2.01

$3.74 $3.74

-37.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.41 €2.07

$3.60 $3.60

-33.06%

Eggs

$4.23 €3.64

$4.66 $4.66

-9.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.32 €14.90

$9.07 $9.07

90.96%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.79 €10.14

$12.29 $12.29

-4.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.09 €16.42

$15.92 $15.92

19.91%

Apples (1kg)

$2.82 €2.42

$5.58 $5.58

-49.46%

Banana (1kg)

$2.38 €2.05

$1.23 $1.23

93.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.64 €2.27

$3.78 $3.78

-30.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.18 €2.73

$3.54 $3.54

-10.17%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 €1.60

$2.51 $2.51

-25.90%

Onion (1kg)

$2.06 €1.77

$2.70 $2.70

-23.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.38 €1.19

$1.99 $1.99

-30.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.95 €0.82

$1.98 $1.98

-52.02%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.27 €8.83

$9.86 $9.86

4.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.76 €4.96

$14.75 $14.75

-60.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.98 €1.71

$1.78 $1.78

11.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.05 €2.63

$4.23 $4.23

-27.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.91 €2.50

$1.98 $1.98

46.97%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$43.22 €37.18

$24.75 $24.75

74.63%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$11.15 €9.60

$2.01 $2.01

454.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.71 €2.33

$1.59 $1.59

70.44%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$53.6 €46.15

$22.39 $22.39

139.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.85 €1.59

$0.87 $0.87

112.64%

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

$33.2K €28.6K

$27.9K $27.9K

18.91%

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

$38.3K €33.0K

$25.5K $25.5K

50.48%

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

$206 €177

$157 $157

31.48%

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

$23.37 €20.10

$53.0 $53.0

-55.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$48.81 €41.98

$74.7 $74.7

-34.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$26.77 €23.02

$39.40 $39.40

-32.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.78 €14.43

Cinema Ticket

$12.54 €10.78

$12.11 $12.11

3.55%

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

$588 €506

$1,269 $1,269

-53.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.5K €16.8K

$31.1K $31.1K

-37.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$110 €94.9

$52.1 $52.1

111.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.9 €46.38

$35.19 $35.19

53.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 €89.8

$77.0 $77.0

35.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$148 €128

$119 $119

24.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$652 €561

$1,841 $1,841

-64.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$726 €624

$1,430 $1,430

-49.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,137 €978

$2,534 $2,534

-55.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,097 €943

$2,279 $2,279

-51.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,858 €2,458

$2,749 $2,749

3.95%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,339 €2,012

$2,718 $2,718

-13.94%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,925 €2,516

$4,478 $4,478

-34.67%

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Durham, NC: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $652 in Mons and $1,841 in Durham, NC. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Durham, NC pays 53% 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: $88.0 in Mons vs $69.0 in Durham, NC. Groceries flip the comparison at $340 vs $375, 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 31% 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, Durham, NC earns 53% less. 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: $652 in Mons versus $1,841 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 75% less than in Durham, NC. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $588 in Mons versus $1,269 in Durham, NC. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,941 in Mons versus $2,544 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 $1,941 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 31% less than in Durham, NC. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.