Cost of Living Comparison Between Belleville, IL and Recklinghausen Cost of Living Comparison Between Belleville, IL and Recklinghausen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,656 per month in Belleville, IL vs $1,941 in Recklinghausen, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,516 per month in Belleville, IL vs $2,943 in Recklinghausen, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,376 per month in Belleville, IL vs $3,945 in Recklinghausen, rent included.

Belleville, IL costs about 37% more than Recklinghausen, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Belleville, IL and Recklinghausen sit above the global median – Belleville, IL by 98%, Recklinghausen by 45%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.59 $19.59

$18.76 €16.02

4.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.6 $68.6

$88.4 €75.5

-22.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.16 $11.16

$13.72 €11.72

-18.66%

Cappuccino

$5.03 $5.03

$3.65 €3.12

37.81%

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

$2.13 $2.13

$2.41 €2.05

-11.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.92 $1.92

$2.45 €2.09

-21.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.86 $4.86

$4.78 €4.08

1.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.05 $6.05

$4.54 €3.88

33.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.01 $1.01

$1.30 €1.11

-22.31%

White Bread (500g)

$2.76 $2.76

$2.31 €1.97

19.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.56 $2.56

$3.19 €2.72

-19.75%

Eggs

$2.91 $2.91

$3.67 €3.13

-20.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.77 $8.77

$14.64 €12.50

-40.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.18 $12.18

$14.75 €12.60

-17.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.78 $16.78

$22.23 €18.98

-24.52%

Apples (1kg)

$5.54 $5.54

$3.29 €2.81

68.39%

Banana (1kg)

$1.48 $1.48

$1.83 €1.56

-19.13%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.80 $5.80

$2.21 €1.89

162.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.99 $2.99

$4.87 €4.16

-38.60%

Potato (1kg)

$2.46 $2.46

$1.62 €1.38

51.85%

Onion (1kg)

$2.53 $2.53

$1.69 €1.44

49.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.94 $1.94

$1.95 €1.67

-0.51%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.38 $2.38

$1.11 €0.95

114.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.33 $7.33

$9.58 €8.18

-23.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.13 $12.13

$5.75 €4.91

110.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 $1.83

$1.01 €0.86

81.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.40 $3.40

$1.74 €1.48

95.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.04 $2.04

$3.49 €2.98

-41.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$78.1 $78.1

$63.0 €53.8

23.92%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.46 $3.46

$4.99 €4.27

-30.66%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.58 $1.58

$1.89 €1.62

-16.40%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$40.70 $40.70

$39.89 €34.07

2.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 $0.81

$2.06 €1.76

-60.68%

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

$31.6K $31.6K

$32.0K €27.4K

-1.45%

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

$26.4K $26.4K

$36.0K €30.7K

-26.74%

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

$237 $237

$359 €307

-33.95%

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

$52.3 $52.3

$29.02 €24.79

80.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.9 $70.9

$53.2 €45.45

33.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.57 $43.57

$39.84 €34.03

9.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.99 €19.63

Cinema Ticket

$12.53 $12.53

$13.80 €11.78

-9.20%

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

$1,214 $1,214

$463 €395

162.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.5K $23.5K

$9,627 €8,222

144.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.7 $51.7

$95.7 €81.7

-46.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.17 $40.17

$47.61 €40.66

-15.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.1 $90.1

$102 €87.5

-12.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.2 $73.2

$148 €127

-50.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,593 $1,593

$627 €535

154.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,338 $1,338

$529 €452

153.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,923 $1,923

$919 €785

109.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,555 $1,555

$806 €688

93.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,453 $2,453

$5,175 €4,420

-52.60%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,872 $1,872

$3,146 €2,686

-40.49%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,232 $6,232

$2,907 €2,483

114.39%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.49

3.98

63.07%

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

Last update for Belleville, IL: April 27, 2026

Last update for Recklinghausen: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,593 in Belleville, IL versus $627 in Recklinghausen. 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 114% higher in Belleville, 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 $69.0 in Belleville, IL versus $88.0 in Recklinghausen. Groceries tell a different story – $361 in Belleville, IL vs $358 in Recklinghausen – so Recklinghausen 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

Belleville, IL vs Recklinghausen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Belleville, IL costs about 37% more than Recklinghausen, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,984 per month in Belleville, IL and $2,911 in Recklinghausen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $1,214 per month in Belleville, IL and $463 in Recklinghausen. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 1% more in Belleville, 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 Recklinghausen, where all-in costs run around $1,941, than in Belleville, IL at $2,656. In Recklinghausen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Belleville, IL it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Recklinghausen – 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 Recklinghausen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Belleville, IL makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.