Cost of Living Comparison Between Normal, IL and Meaux Cost of Living Comparison Between Normal, IL and Meaux

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,893 per month in Normal, IL vs $1,854 in Meaux, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,327 per month in Normal, IL vs $2,766 in Meaux, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,761 per month in Normal, IL vs $3,677 in Meaux, rent included.

Normal, IL costs about 2% more than Meaux, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Normal, IL and Meaux sit above the global median – Normal, IL by 41%, Meaux by 38%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.96 $9.96

$17.69 €15.09

-43.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$50.9 $50.9

$57.1 €48.73

-10.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.19 $10.19

$11.50 €9.81

-11.39%

Cappuccino

$5.03 $5.03

$2.93 €2.50

71.67%

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

$3.14 $3.14

$2.73 €2.33

15.02%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.16 $2.16

$2.55 €2.18

-15.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.90 $4.90

$7.07 €6.03

-30.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.88 $6.88

$4.75 €4.05

44.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.79 $0.79

$1.37 €1.17

-42.34%

White Bread (500g)

$2.54 $2.54

$1.43 €1.22

77.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.33 $3.33

$1.71 €1.46

94.74%

Eggs

$3.93 $3.93

$4.22 €3.60

-6.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.95 $8.95

$11.55 €9.86

-22.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.66 $12.66

$13.79 €11.76

-8.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.54 $15.54

$19.64 €16.75

-20.88%

Apples (1kg)

$5.55 $5.55

$3.42 €2.92

62.28%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 $1.17

$1.52 €1.29

-23.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.69 $4.69

$3.40 €2.90

37.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.88 $4.88

$2.24 €1.91

117.86%

Potato (1kg)

$2.13 $2.13

$2.71 €2.31

-21.40%

Onion (1kg)

$2.21 $2.21

$2.99 €2.55

-26.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.92 $1.92

$1.37 €1.17

40.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.70 $2.70

$0.44 €0.38

513.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.33 $10.33

$15.32 €13.07

-32.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.42 $11.42

$4.65 €3.97

145.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 $1.86

$2.83 €2.41

-34.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 $2.97

$4.02 €3.43

-26.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.96 $1.96

$1.93 €1.64

1.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$93.9 $93.9

$49.59 €42.30

89.37%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.78 $2.78

$4.74 €4.05

-41.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.58 $1.58

$2.09 €1.79

-24.40%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$21.35 $21.35

$54.9 €46.81

-61.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.79 $0.79

$2.11 €1.80

-62.56%

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

$29.9K $29.9K

$34.9K €29.8K

-14.24%

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

$26.0K $26.0K

$37.2K €31.7K

-29.93%

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

$181 $181

$251 €214

-27.99%

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

$39.73 $39.73

$11.66 €9.95

240.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$63.0 $63.0

$34.16 €29.14

84.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.24 $42.24

$37.94 €32.36

11.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.97 €15.33

Cinema Ticket

$14.50 $14.50

$15.71 €13.40

-7.70%

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

$694 $694

$877 €748

-20.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.5K $24.5K

$8,488 €7,240

188.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$30.29 $30.29

$112 €95.7

-73.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.57 $40.57

$46.51 €39.67

-12.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.2 $81.2

$125 €107

-35.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 $104

$159 €135

-34.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,576 $1,576

$763 €651

106.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$712 $712

$617 €526

15.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,674 $2,674

$1,391 €1,186

92.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,259 $2,259

$1,066 €909

111.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,955 $9,955

$4,323 €3,688

130.27%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,051 €2,602

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,461 $3,461

$3,414 €2,912

1.36%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.55

3.55

84.51%

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

Last update for Normal, IL: April 21, 2026

Last update for Meaux: April 22, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,576 in Normal, IL versus $763 in Meaux. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 1% higher in Normal, IL, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $51 in Normal, IL versus $57 in Meaux. Groceries tell a different story – $366 in Normal, IL vs $322 in Meaux – so Meaux wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Normal, IL vs Meaux: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Normal, IL is pricier by about 2%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,839 per month in Normal, IL and $2,781 in Meaux. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Meaux, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $694 per month in Normal, IL and $877 in Meaux. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 14% more in Normal, IL, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Meaux, where all-in costs run around $1,854, than in Normal, IL at $1,893. In Meaux it covers expenses comfortably, while in Normal, IL it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Meaux – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Meaux. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Normal, IL makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.