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

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

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

Berlin costs about 31% more than Aachen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.10 €14.70

$16.60 €14.27

3.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$80.8 €69.5

$65.0 €55.9

24.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.70 €11.78

$11.39 €9.79

20.28%

Cappuccino

$4.44 €3.81

$3.78 €3.25

17.46%

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

$3.54 €3.04

$2.92 €2.51

21.23%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.19 €2.74

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.54 €4.76

$5.07 €4.36

9.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.55 €3.91

$5.72 €4.92

-20.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 €1.08

$1.38 €1.19

-9.42%

White Bread (500g)

$2.43 €2.09

$2.00 €1.72

21.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.46 €2.97

$3.89 €3.34

-11.05%

Eggs

$4.33 €3.72

$3.44 €2.96

25.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.59 €14.26

$14.90 €12.81

11.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.92 €11.11

$11.10 €9.55

16.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.40 €15.82

$21.81 €18.75

-15.64%

Apples (1kg)

$3.58 €3.08

$3.40 €2.92

5.29%

Banana (1kg)

$2.04 €1.75

$2.40 €2.06

-15.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.05 €2.62

$2.12 €1.82

43.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.72 €3.20

$3.63 €3.12

2.48%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 €1.72

$1.54 €1.33

29.87%

Onion (1kg)

$2.14 €1.84

$1.55 €1.34

38.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.41 €1.21

$1.56 €1.34

-9.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.05 €0.90

$1.30 €1.12

-19.23%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.51 €9.03

$10.68 €9.18

-1.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.09 €6.09

$7.16 €6.16

-0.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 €1.15

$1.21 €1.04

9.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.07 €1.78

$1.62 €1.40

27.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.54 €3.90

$4.01 €3.45

13.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.5 €63.2

0.07%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.42 €4.66

$5.57 €4.78

-2.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.28 €2.82

$2.61 €2.24

25.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$38.72 €33.29

$37.63 €32.35

2.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.24 €1.92

$2.19 €1.88

2.28%

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)

$39.7K €34.2K

$39.3K €33.8K

1.21%

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

$422 €363

$399 €343

5.79%

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

$19.27 €16.56

$17.82 €15.32

8.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$50.6 €43.50

$49.99 €42.98

1.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.37 €36.42

$39.58 €34.03

7.05%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$38.13 €32.78

$29.06 €24.98

31.21%

Cinema Ticket

$15.61 €13.42

$16.17 €13.90

-3.46%

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

$158 €136

$770 €662

-79.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.6K €14.3K

$20.5K €17.6K

-18.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$93.4 €80.3

$96.0 €82.5

-2.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.07 €39.60

$44.50 €38.26

3.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 €91.2

$86.7 €74.5

22.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$138 €119

$137 €117

0.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,567 €1,347

$852 €732

83.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,174 €1,010

$596 €513

96.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,744 €2,359

$1,570 €1,350

74.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,188 €1,881

$1,067 €917

105.07%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,126 €7,845

$4,653 €4,000

96.13%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,748 €4,942

$3,593 €3,089

59.96%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,398 €2,921

$3,715 €3,194

-8.53%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.8

3.96

-4.04%

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

Last update for Berlin: August 31, 2026

Last update for Aachen: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,567 in Berlin versus $852 in Aachen. 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 $81.0 in Berlin versus $65.0 in Aachen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $352 vs $340 – 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

Berlin vs Aachen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

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

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,961 per month in Berlin and $3,013 in Aachen. 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 $81.0 in Berlin and $65.0 in Aachen. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,641 in Berlin and $2,008 in Aachen. 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.