Cost of Living Comparison Between Berlin and Appleton, WI Cost of Living Comparison Between Berlin and Appleton, WI

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,641 per month in Berlin vs $2,142 in Appleton, WI, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,948 per month in Berlin vs $3,284 in Appleton, WI, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,256 per month in Berlin vs $4,426 in Appleton, WI, rent included.

Berlin costs about 23% more than Appleton, WI, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Berlin and Appleton, WI sit above the global median – Berlin by 92%, Appleton, WI by 56%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.10 €14.70

$17.94 $17.94

-4.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$80.8 €69.5

$65.9 $65.9

22.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.70 €11.78

$10.96 $10.96

25.00%

Cappuccino

$4.44 €3.81

$5.33 $5.33

-16.70%

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

$3.54 €3.04

$2.59 $2.59

36.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.19 €2.74

$2.28 $2.28

39.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.54 €4.76

$4.41 $4.41

25.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.55 €3.91

$6.17 $6.17

-26.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 €1.08

$0.99 $0.99

26.26%

White Bread (500g)

$2.43 €2.09

$3.00 $3.00

-19.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.46 €2.97

$5.66 $5.66

-38.87%

Eggs

$4.33 €3.72

$4.72 $4.72

-8.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.59 €14.26

$14.28 $14.28

16.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.92 €11.11

$8.47 $8.47

52.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.40 €15.82

$15.28 $15.28

20.42%

Apples (1kg)

$3.58 €3.08

$4.83 $4.83

-25.88%

Banana (1kg)

$2.04 €1.75

$1.37 $1.37

48.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.05 €2.62

$3.10 $3.10

-1.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.72 €3.20

$4.36 $4.36

-14.68%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 €1.72

$2.06 $2.06

-2.91%

Onion (1kg)

$2.14 €1.84

$2.88 $2.88

-25.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.41 €1.21

$2.18 $2.18

-35.32%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.05 €0.90

$3.11 $3.11

-66.24%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.51 €9.03

$10.88 $10.88

-3.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.09 €6.09

$15.30 $15.30

-53.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 €1.15

$1.70 $1.70

-21.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.07 €1.78

$3.52 $3.52

-41.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.54 €3.90

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.5 €63.2

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.42 €4.66

$3.30 $3.30

64.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.28 €2.82

$1.42 $1.42

130.99%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$38.72 €33.29

$22.44 $22.44

72.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.24 €1.92

$0.96 $0.96

133.33%

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

$33.5K €28.8K

$35.6K $35.6K

-5.88%

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

$39.7K €34.2K

$24.7K $24.7K

60.67%

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

$422 €363

$177 $177

139.02%

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

$19.27 €16.56

$44.91 $44.91

-57.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$50.6 €43.50

$62.0 $62.0

-18.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.37 €36.42

$23.62 $23.62

79.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$38.13 €32.78

$40.87 $40.87

-6.70%

Cinema Ticket

$15.61 €13.42

$14.71 $14.71

6.12%

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

$158 €136

$1,531 $1,531

-89.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.6K €14.3K

$31.6K $31.6K

-47.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$93.4 €80.3

$39.91 $39.91

134.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.07 €39.60

$25.11 $25.11

83.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 €91.2

$50.2 $50.2

111.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$138 €119

$110 $110

25.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,567 €1,347

$1,516 $1,516

3.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,174 €1,010

$1,017 $1,017

15.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,744 €2,359

$1,835 $1,835

49.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,188 €1,881

$1,907 $1,907

14.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,126 €7,845

$2,309 $2,309

295.19%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,748 €4,942

$2,305 $2,305

149.39%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,398 €2,921

$3,957 $3,957

-14.11%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.8

6.14

-38.11%

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

Last update for Berlin: August 31, 2026

Last update for Appleton, WI: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,567 in Berlin versus $1,516 in Appleton, WI. 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 16% higher in Appleton, WI, 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 $66.0 in Appleton, WI. Groceries tell a different story – $352 in Berlin vs $383 in Appleton, WI – 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 Appleton, WI: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Berlin is pricier by about 23%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,961 per month in Berlin and $3,213 in Appleton, WI. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Appleton, WI, 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 $66.0 in Appleton, WI. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 9% cheaper in Berlin – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Appleton, WI, where all-in costs run around $2,142, than in Berlin at $2,641. In Appleton, WI it covers expenses comfortably, while in Berlin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Appleton, WI – 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 Appleton, WI. 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.