Cost of Living Comparison Between Aachen and Berlin Cost of Living Comparison Between Aachen and Berlin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,008 per month in Aachen vs $2,641 in Berlin, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,994 per month in Aachen vs $3,948 in Berlin, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,980 per month in Aachen vs $5,256 in Berlin, rent included.

Aachen is about 24% cheaper than Berlin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Aachen and Berlin sit above the global median – Aachen by 46%, Berlin by 92%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.60 €14.27

$17.10 €14.70

-2.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$65.0 €55.9

$80.8 €69.5

-19.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.39 €9.79

$13.70 €11.78

-16.86%

Cappuccino

$3.78 €3.25

$4.44 €3.81

-14.86%

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

$2.92 €2.51

$3.54 €3.04

-17.51%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.19 €2.74

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.07 €4.36

$5.54 €4.76

-8.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.72 €4.92

$4.55 €3.91

25.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 €1.19

$1.25 €1.08

10.40%

White Bread (500g)

$2.00 €1.72

$2.43 €2.09

-17.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.89 €3.34

$3.46 €2.97

12.43%

Eggs

$3.44 €2.96

$4.33 €3.72

-20.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.90 €12.81

$16.59 €14.26

-10.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.10 €9.55

$12.92 €11.11

-14.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$21.81 €18.75

$18.40 €15.82

18.53%

Apples (1kg)

$3.40 €2.92

$3.58 €3.08

-5.03%

Banana (1kg)

$2.40 €2.06

$2.04 €1.75

17.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.12 €1.82

$3.05 €2.62

-30.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.63 €3.12

$3.72 €3.20

-2.42%

Potato (1kg)

$1.54 €1.33

$2.00 €1.72

-23.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.55 €1.34

$2.14 €1.84

-27.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.56 €1.34

$1.41 €1.21

10.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.30 €1.12

$1.05 €0.90

23.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.68 €9.18

$10.51 €9.03

1.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.16 €6.16

$7.09 €6.09

0.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 €1.04

$1.33 €1.15

-9.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.62 €1.40

$2.07 €1.78

-21.74%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.01 €3.45

$4.54 €3.90

-11.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.5 €63.2

-0.07%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.57 €4.78

$5.42 €4.66

2.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.61 €2.24

$3.28 €2.82

-20.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$37.63 €32.35

$38.72 €33.29

-2.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.19 €1.88

$2.24 €1.92

-2.23%

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

$33.5K €28.8K

0.08%

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

$39.3K €33.8K

$39.7K €34.2K

-1.19%

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

$399 €343

$422 €363

-5.48%

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

$17.82 €15.32

$19.27 €16.56

-7.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$49.99 €42.98

$50.6 €43.50

-1.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.58 €34.03

$42.37 €36.42

-6.58%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.06 €24.98

$38.13 €32.78

-23.79%

Cinema Ticket

$16.17 €13.90

$15.61 €13.42

3.59%

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

$770 €662

$158 €136

386.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.5K €17.6K

$16.6K €14.3K

23.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$96.0 €82.5

$93.4 €80.3

2.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.50 €38.26

$46.07 €39.60

-3.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.7 €74.5

$106 €91.2

-18.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$137 €117

$138 €119

-0.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$852 €732

$1,567 €1,347

-45.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$596 €513

$1,174 €1,010

-49.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,570 €1,350

$2,744 €2,359

-42.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,067 €917

$2,188 €1,881

-51.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,653 €4,000

$9,126 €7,845

-49.01%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,593 €3,089

$5,748 €4,942

-37.49%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,715 €3,194

$3,398 €2,921

9.32%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.96

3.8

4.21%

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

Last update for Aachen: August 31, 2026

Last update for Berlin: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $852 in Aachen versus $1,567 in Berlin. 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 9% higher in Aachen, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $65.0 in Aachen versus $81.0 in Berlin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $340 vs $352 – making Aachen the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Aachen vs Berlin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,008 in Aachen, $2,641 in Berlin – roughly 31% apart. Berlin costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,013 per month in Aachen and $3,961 in Berlin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $65.0 in Aachen and $81.0 in Berlin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,008 in Aachen and $2,641 in Berlin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Aachen, where all-in costs run around $2,008, than in Berlin at $2,641. In Aachen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Berlin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Berlin has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,008 in Aachen to $2,641 in Berlin. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Aachen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Berlin makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.