Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Springfield, MO and Durham

For one person, living is cheaper in Durham: $2,052 a month against $2,208 in Springfield, MO, rent and utilities included – about $1,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

107

Cost of Living Index in Springfield, MO
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Springfield, MO Living Index
100

Cost of Living Index in Durham
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Durham Living Index

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Springfield, MO

🇺🇸 United States

$2,208

/mo nomad

Durham

🇬🇧 United Kingdom

$2,052

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Springfield, MO and in Durham

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Springfield, MO and in Durham actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,208 in Springfield, MO versus $2,052 in Durham.

Springfield, MO $2,208
Durham $2,052

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,251 in Springfield, MO versus $3,328 in Durham.

Springfield, MO $3,251
Durham $3,328

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,294 in Springfield, MO versus $4,604 in Durham.

Springfield, MO $4,294
Durham $4,604

Living in Springfield, MO is roughly 8% more expensive than in Durham, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in utilities.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Springfield, MO 64% above, Durham 52% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$27.40 $27.40

$19.54 £14.66

40.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$59.5 $59.5

$93.8 £70.4

-36.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.17 $11.17

$11.27 £8.46

-0.89%

Cappuccino

$4.91 $4.91

$4.58 £3.44

7.21%

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

$2.30 $2.30

$2.43 £1.83

-5.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.20 $2.20

$2.07 £1.55

6.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.55 $4.55

$6.06 £4.54

-24.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.59 $6.59

$5.21 £3.91

26.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 $1.14

$1.94 £1.46

-41.24%

White Bread (500g)

$3.32 $3.32

$1.55 £1.16

114.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.19 $2.19

$2.94 £2.20

-25.51%

Eggs

$3.76 $3.76

$4.43 £3.32

-15.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.09 $11.09

$10.02 £7.52

10.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.59 $8.59

$8.84 £6.63

-2.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.31 $15.31

$21.52 £16.15

-28.86%

Apples (1kg)

$4.50 $4.50

$2.83 £2.12

59.01%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 $1.08

$2.48 £1.86

-56.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.97 $2.97

$2.73 £2.05

8.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.31 $4.31

$5.21 £3.91

-17.27%

Potato (1kg)

$1.65 $1.65

$1.55 £1.17

6.45%

Onion (1kg)

$2.36 $2.36

$1.65 £1.24

43.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.75 $1.75

$1.11 £0.83

57.66%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.91 £1.43

3.66%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.97 $8.97

$23.03 £17.28

-61.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.24 $13.24

$10.59 £7.95

25.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 $1.78

$3.31 £2.48

-46.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.34 $4.34

$3.17 £2.38

36.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.28 $1.28

$3.08 £2.31

-58.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.66 $45.66

$87.6 £65.7

-47.88%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.01 $3.01

$6.30 £4.72

-52.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.46 $1.46

$1.92 £1.44

-23.96%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$36.10 $36.10

$24.06 £18.05

50.04%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.96 $0.96

$1.88 £1.41

-48.94%

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

$34.8K $34.8K

$38.3K £28.7K

-9.01%

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

$26.5K $26.5K

$40.9K £30.7K

-35.17%

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

$275 $275

$259 £195

6.07%

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

$59.7 $59.7

$15.03 £11.27

296.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$72.3 $72.3

$43.60 £32.71

65.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.8 $57.8

$46.79 £35.10

23.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.98 $34.98

Cinema Ticket

$12.02 $12.02

$12.40 £9.30

-3.06%

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

$760 $760

$1,314 £986

-42.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.8K £18.6K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$72.3 $72.3

$106 £79.3

-31.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.70 $36.70

$69.9 £52.5

-47.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.3 $77.3

$113 £84.4

-31.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$123 $123

$97.2 £72.9

26.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$991 $991

$1,565 £1,174

-36.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$816 $816

$720 £541

13.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,717 $1,717

$2,730 £2,048

-37.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,366 $1,366

$1,614 £1,211

-15.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,772 $1,772

$5,063 £3,798

-65.01%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,811 $1,811

$3,845 £2,885

-52.90%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,927 $2,927

$2,090 £1,568

40.05%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.36

5.18

22.78%

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

Last update for Springfield, MO: October 13, 2026

Last update for Durham: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Springfield, MO

$816 37%

Durham

$720 35.1% 11.7% $96

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Springfield, MO

$407 18.4%

Durham

$318 15.5% 21.9% $89

Eating Out

Springfield, MO

$366 16.6%

Durham

$304 14.8% 16.9% $62

Groceries & Markets

Springfield, MO

$338 15.3%

Durham

$349 17% 3.3% $11

Clothing & Footwear

Springfield, MO

$139 6.3%

Durham

$173 8.5% 24.4% $34

Sport & Entertainment

Springfield, MO

$82 3.7%

Durham

$72 3.5% 12.5% $10

Getting Around

Springfield, MO

$61 2.8%

Durham

$116 5.6% 89.5% $55

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $991 in Springfield, MO and $1,565 in Durham. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Springfield, MO pays 40% 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: $59.0 in Springfield, MO vs $94.0 in Durham for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $338 vs $349 per month, with Springfield, MO cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Springfield, MO

🇬🇧 Durham

🕒 Local time

03:41 3:41 AM

09:41 9:41 AM

6 h ahead of Springfield, MO

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

116,482

42,100

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

British Pound GBP £

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

1 GBP = 1.33 USD

1 GBP = 1.19 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

GBP, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

🇬🇧 British Pound (£)

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

British Pound exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 0.75 GBP (1 GBP = 1.33 USD). 1 EUR = 0.843 GBP (1 GBP = 1.19 EUR).

GBP to USD in detail →

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Between locations

Springfield, MO Durham 6,820 km ≈ 9 h nonstop flight

From you

Springfield, MO
Durham

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

Springfield, MO vs Durham: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Springfield, MO and Durham differ by about 8% in total monthly costs ($2,208 vs $2,052 including rent). Durham is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 40% higher in Springfield, MO, 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: $991 in Springfield, MO versus $1,565 in Durham. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,208 per month in Springfield, MO versus $2,052 in Durham – a 8% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Durham runs roughly 92% less than in Springfield, MO. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $2,052 in Durham versus $2,208 in Springfield, MO, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Durham but tight or insufficient in Springfield, MO. The gap between the two cities makes Durham 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, Springfield, MO and Durham 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 Durham gentler on the wallet – expenses run 8% less than in Springfield, MO. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.