Explore Cities/Compare Cities/Normal vs Scranton

Normal vs Scranton

Side-by-side comparison for digital nomads

Scranton 20% cheaper N/A / Moderate

Normal

Justin Simmonds/Unsplash

Scranton

Nicholas Bukofski/Unsplash

Nomad Cost

$3,811

Normal

$3,061

Scranton

Internet

279

Mbps

279

Mbps

Safety

N/A

Normal

Moderate

Scranton

Air Quality

5/5

Normal

5/5

Scranton

Healthcare

N/A

Normal

Low

Scranton

Population

54.5k

Normal

76.7k

Scranton

Normal and Scranton are both in United States, making this one of the most common comparisons for digital nomads planning a base in the region. This guide breaks down the key differences across cost, internet, safety, weather, and quality of life.

Cost of Living

Budget-conscious nomads take note: Scranton costs $3061/mo, saving 20% compared to Normal's $3811/mo — that's $9000 per year.

For families, Normal costs $5002.25/mo compared to Scranton's $5258.0625/mo.

Internet & Infrastructure

Internet speeds are nearly identical — Normal at 279 Mbps and Scranton at 279 Mbps. Both handle video calls and uploads well.

Quality of Life

Both Normal and Scranton share the same safety rating — travelers can feel equally comfortable in either city.

Healthcare quality is rated similarly in both Normal and Scranton.

Monthly Weather Comparison

The best time to visit Normal is August (around 30 degrees, 0mm rain, score 335), while Scranton peaks in September (25 degrees, 0mm rain, score 399). Timing your stay around these months can make a big difference in your experience.

Cost of Living

NormalScranton

Nomad$3,811/mo$3,061/mo

Expat$2,805/mo$2,149/mo

Local$1,429/mo$1,502/mo

Family$5,002/mo$5,258/mo

Internet & Infrastructure

NormalScranton

City Speed

279 Mbps

Country Speed279 Mbps279 Mbps

Environment & Health

NormalScranton

Air Quality Score5/55/5

PollutionN/ALow

ClimateN/AModerate

Humidity8081

Quality of Life

NormalScranton

SafetyN/AModerate

HealthcareN/ALow

Monthly Weather Comparison

Normal

Scranton

Jan

-2°

0mm261

0°

0mm325

Feb

5°

0mm275

2°

0mm339

Mar

10°

0mm282

8°

0mm344

Apr

15°

1mm281

13°

1mm333

May

24°

1mm310

23°

0mm377

Jun

30°

0mm322

29°

0mm394

Jul

31°

1mm306

32°

0mm397

Aug

30°

0mm335

28°

1mm371

Sep

26°

0mm335

25°

0mm399

Oct

19°

0mm315

16°

0mm359

Nov

10°

0mm282

8°

0mm349

Dec

1°

0mm272

-1°

0mm325

Who Should Choose Normal?

Excellent for video calls and large uploads with 279 Mbps
Clean air with a 5/5 air quality score
Smaller city feel with 54.5k residents
Peak season in August — 30 degrees, score 335

Who Should Choose Scranton?

Excellent for video calls and large uploads with 279 Mbps
Clean air with a 5/5 air quality score
Smaller city feel with 76.7k residents
Peak season in September — 25 degrees, score 399

Overall Verdict

For the typical digital nomad, Scranton is the stronger pick. At $3061/mo it beats Normal's $3811/mo by 20%, and the 279 Mbps internet handles video calls without issues.

Granular Price Comparison

Normal Scranton

ItemNormalScrantonDiff

🍽️Restaurants8 items

Meal, inexpensive restaurant$10—

—

Meal for 2, mid-range (3-course)$40—

—

McMeal or equivalent combo$6.75$8

16%

Cappuccino (regular)$4.25$4.6

Domestic beer (0.5L draught)$5.75—

—

Imported beer (0.33L bottle)$4$4

Coke/Pepsi (0.33L)$2.23$1.5

33%

Water (0.33L)$1.31$1.25

🛒Markets19 items

Milk (1L)$0.79$0.92

14%

White bread (500g)$3$2.41

20%

White rice (1kg)$7.53$3.16

58%

Eggs (12)$2.25$2.64

15%

Chicken fillets (1kg)$10$11.02

Beef round (1kg)$16$6.37

60%

Local cheese (1kg)$11.76$14.23

17%

Apples (1kg)$6.61$6

Bananas (1kg)$1.54$1.96

21%

Oranges (1kg)$4.55$8.82

48%

Tomatoes (1kg)$6.31$3.23

49%

Potatoes (1kg)$5.87$2.46

58%

Onions (1kg)$5.28$2.09

60%

Lettuce (1 head)$1.96$1.66

15%

Water (1.5L bottle)$2$0.89

55%

Wine, mid-range bottle$11.5$11

Domestic beer (0.5L bottle)$2.86—

—

Imported beer (0.33L bottle)$2.08$4.25

51%

Cigarettes (pack of 20)$8.5$8.86

🚌Transport8 items

One-way local transport ticket$2.5$1.75

30%

Monthly transport pass$92.5$60

35%

Taxi start (normal tariff)$4.25$3

29%

Taxi per 1km$2.11$1.94

Taxi 1hr waiting$30$12

60%

Gasoline (1L)$1.18$1.28

Volkswagen Golf (new)$13,000$19,000

32%

Toyota Corolla (new)$16,000$26,000

38%

⚡Utilities3 items

Utilities, 85m² apartment/mo$231.57$185.51

20%

Internet 60+ Mbps/mo$60.4$85

29%

Mobile prepaid per minute$0.2$0.1

50%

🏋️Sport & Leisure3 items

Fitness club, monthly—$28

—

Tennis court rent (1hr weekend)$7.22—

—

Cinema, 1 ticket$7$11

36%

👶Childcare2 items

Preschool, full-day private/mo$700$1,800

61%

International primary school/yr$8,750$7,800

11%

👗Clothing4 items

Jeans (Levi's 501 or similar)$41.25$37.49

Summer dress (chain store)$16$41.33

61%

Nike running shoes (mid-range)$72.5$76.33

Men's leather business shoes$40$75

47%

🏠Rent4 items

1-bedroom apartment, city centre$975$1,550

37%

1-bedroom apartment, outside centre$700$1,000

30%

3-bedroom apartment, city centre$2,200$2,500

12%

3-bedroom apartment, outside centre$1,500$1,500

🏗️Buy2 items

Price per m², city centre$1,700—

—

Price per m², outside centre$1,200$1,076.39

10%

💰Finance2 items

Average monthly net salary$2,600$2,178

16%

Mortgage interest rate (20yr fixed)$5.43$4.45

18%

Lower is better for all cost items.

Data from Open-Meteo (weather) and global internet speed rankings. Updated monthly.

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