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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,490 per month in Berlin vs $2,007 in Aachen, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,662 per month in Berlin vs $3,019 in Aachen, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,834 per month in Berlin vs $4,032 in Aachen, rent included.

Berlin costs about 24% more than Aachen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Berlin and Aachen sit above the global median – Berlin by 86%, Aachen by 50%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.19 €14.78

$15.96 €13.73

7.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$82.0 €70.5

$79.6 €68.4

3.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.90 €11.10

$11.47 €9.86

12.47%

Cappuccino

$4.36 €3.75

$3.98 €3.42

9.55%

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

$3.43 €2.95

$3.23 €2.78

6.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 €2.49

$2.94 €2.53

-1.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.32 €4.57

$5.17 €4.45

2.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 €3.97

$4.76 €4.09

-3.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.34 €1.15

$1.26 €1.09

6.35%

White Bread (500g)

$2.03 €1.75

$2.23 €1.92

-8.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.65 €3.14

$3.43 €2.95

6.41%

Eggs

$3.92 €3.37

$3.68 €3.17

6.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.87 €12.79

$14.57 €12.53

2.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.86 €9.34

$14.05 €12.08

-22.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.71 €16.10

$19.46 €16.74

-3.85%

Apples (1kg)

$3.37 €2.90

$3.22 €2.77

4.66%

Banana (1kg)

$2.19 €1.89

$1.78 €1.53

23.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.86 €2.46

$2.23 €1.92

28.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.91 €3.37

$4.47 €3.84

-12.53%

Potato (1kg)

$2.03 €1.74

$1.55 €1.33

30.97%

Onion (1kg)

$1.69 €1.45

$1.72 €1.48

-1.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.75 €1.51

$1.82 €1.57

-3.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 €0.94

$0.93 €0.80

17.20%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.89 €8.51

$9.76 €8.40

1.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.13 €6.13

$7.17 €6.17

-0.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 €1.04

$1.05 €0.90

14.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.88 €1.62

$1.64 €1.41

14.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.93 €3.38

$3.37 €2.90

16.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$66.3 €57.1

$57.7 €49.64

14.94%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.83 €5.01

$5.69 €4.89

2.46%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.34 €2.01

$2.32 €2.00

0.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$41.82 €35.98

$17.05 €14.66

145.28%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.96 €1.69

$1.98 €1.70

-1.01%

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

$32.6K €28.0K

$32.0K €27.5K

1.73%

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

$36.6K €31.5K

$38.2K €32.9K

-4.25%

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

$361 €310

$364 €313

-0.88%

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

$20.21 €17.38

$19.75 €16.99

2.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$46.28 €39.81

$52.5 €45.12

-11.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.96 €32.65

$35.57 €30.60

6.72%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.13 €25.06

$21.94 €18.87

32.77%

Cinema Ticket

$14.73 €12.67

$16.31 €14.03

-9.69%

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

$196 €169

$403 €347

-51.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.3K €8,831

$22.8K €19.6K

-54.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$92.7 €79.7

$110 €94.9

-16.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.10 €38.80

$44.82 €38.55

0.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 €91.4

$83.6 €71.9

27.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$133 €114

$135 €117

-1.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,410 €1,213

$815 €701

72.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,038 €893

$598 €514

73.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,702 €2,325

$1,448 €1,246

86.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,879 €1,616

$1,165 €1,002

61.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,825 €7,591

$4,686 €4,031

88.32%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,803 €4,992

$3,651 €3,141

58.94%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,451 €2,969

$3,586 €3,085

-3.78%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.68

3.97

-7.30%

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

Last update for Berlin: May 31, 2026

Last update for Aachen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,410 in Berlin versus $815 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 4% 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 $82.0 in Berlin versus $80.0 in Aachen. Groceries tell a different story – $334 in Berlin vs $343 in Aachen – so Berlin 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

Berlin vs Aachen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,490 in Berlin, $2,007 in Aachen – roughly 24% apart. Berlin costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,734 per month in Berlin and $3,010 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 $82.0 in Berlin and $80.0 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 $2,490 in Berlin and $2,007 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 $2,007, than in Berlin at $2,490. 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 $2,007 in Aachen to $2,490 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.