Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Berlin and Bonn

For one person, living is cheaper in Bonn: $2,313 a month against $2,547 in Berlin, rent and utilities included – about $2,800 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Berlin outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

122

Cost of Living Index in Berlin
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Berlin Living Index
110

Cost of Living Index in Bonn
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Bonn Living Index

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Berlin

🇩🇪 Germany

$2,547

/mo nomad

Bonn

🇩🇪 Germany

$2,313

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Berlin and in Bonn

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Berlin and in Bonn actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,547 per month in Berlin vs $2,313 in Bonn, rent included.

Berlin $2,547
Bonn $2,313

A couple spends around $3,875 per month in Berlin vs $3,463 in Bonn, rent included.

Berlin $3,875
Bonn $3,463

A family of three spends $5,204 per month in Berlin vs $4,614 in Bonn, rent included.

Berlin $5,204
Bonn $4,614

Berlin costs about 10% more than Bonn, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both Berlin and Bonn sit above the global median – Berlin by 87%, Bonn by 70%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.64 €14.91

$18.55 €16.63

-10.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$78.0 €69.9

$77.5 €69.4

0.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.38 €11.99

$12.15 €10.89

10.12%

Cappuccino

$4.24 €3.80

$4.21 €3.77

0.71%

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

$3.42 €3.06

$3.11 €2.78

9.97%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.16 €2.83

$2.47 €2.21

27.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.45 €4.89

$5.67 €5.08

-3.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.35 €3.90

$4.27 €3.82

1.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.21 €1.08

$1.45 €1.30

-16.55%

White Bread (500g)

$2.34 €2.10

$2.81 €2.52

-16.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.34 €3.00

$4.01 €3.60

-16.71%

Eggs

$4.45 €3.99

$4.17 €3.73

6.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.11 €15.33

$13.76 €12.33

24.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.12 €10.86

$10.65 €9.54

13.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.59 €15.76

$27.08 €24.27

-35.04%

Apples (1kg)

$3.63 €3.25

$3.45 €3.09

5.22%

Banana (1kg)

$1.95 €1.75

$2.65 €2.38

-26.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.31 €2.97

$2.26 €2.03

46.46%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.71 €3.33

$5.24 €4.70

-29.20%

Potato (1kg)

$2.14 €1.92

$2.24 €2.00

-4.46%

Onion (1kg)

$2.09 €1.88

$1.71 €1.53

22.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 €1.26

$1.65 €1.48

-15.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.00 €0.90

$1.31 €1.18

-23.66%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.60 €9.50

$9.51 €8.52

11.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.75 €6.05

$5.97 €5.35

13.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.30 €1.16

$1.26 €1.13

3.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 €1.84

$1.79 €1.60

15.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.60 €4.12

$4.59 €4.11

0.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$69.3 €62.1

$71.1 €63.8

-2.57%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.35 €4.80

$2.95 €2.64

81.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.15 €2.82

$1.97 €1.77

59.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$36.94 €33.10

$31.22 €27.98

18.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.32 €2.07

$2.29 €2.05

1.31%

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

$33.7K €30.2K

$33.3K €29.8K

1.27%

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

$38.8K €34.8K

$37.9K €34.0K

2.46%

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

$378 €338

$332 €297

13.86%

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

$19.42 €17.40

$24.57 €22.01

-20.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$48.13 €43.13

$39.59 €35.48

21.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.30 €35.22

$42.47 €38.06

-7.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.65 €31.94

$32.47 €29.10

9.79%

Cinema Ticket

$14.44 €12.94

$15.74 €14.11

-8.26%

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

$146 €131

$690 €618

-78.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K €14.3K

$13.9K €12.5K

14.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$95.6 €85.7

$75.3 €67.4

27.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.53 €42.59

$37.43 €33.54

26.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 €94.0

$103 €92.5

1.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$143 €128

$113 €101

26.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,407 €1,260

$1,072 €960

31.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,117 €1,001

$925 €828

20.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,718 €2,436

$2,113 €1,894

28.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,172 €1,947

$1,601 €1,434

35.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,339 €7,472

$6,131 €5,494

36.01%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,319 €4,767

$4,368 €3,914

21.77%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,507 €3,143

$3,480 €3,119

0.78%

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: October 27, 2026

Last update for Bonn: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Berlin

$1.1K 43.9%

Bonn

$925 40% 17.2% $192

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Berlin

$445 17.5%

Bonn

$396 17.1% 11.1% $49

Groceries & Markets

Berlin

$345 13.6%

Bonn

$374 16.2% 8.2% $28

Eating Out

Berlin

$286 11.2%

Bonn

$295 12.7% 2.9% $8.3

Clothing & Footwear

Berlin

$176 6.9%

Bonn

$148 6.4% 15.9% $28

Getting Around

Berlin

$109 4.3%

Bonn

$102 4.4% 6% $6.5

Sport & Entertainment

Berlin

$68 2.7%

Bonn

$74 3.2% 8.5% $5.8

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,407 in Berlin versus $1,072 in Bonn. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $78 in Berlin versus $77 in Bonn. Groceries tell a different story – $345 in Berlin vs $374 in Bonn – so Berlin wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇩🇪 Berlin

🇩🇪 Bonn

🕒 Local time

06:19 6:19 AM

Same time as Berlin

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

3,769,962 Capital

335,913

💱 Currency

Euro EUR €

📈 Exchange rate

1 EUR = 1.12 USD

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Berlin Bonn 480 km

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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 Bonn: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Berlin is pricier by about 10%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in clothing.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,820 per month in Berlin and $3,470 in Bonn. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Bonn, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,072 there versus $1,407 in Berlin.

Public transport costs about 3% less in Berlin. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Interestingly, groceries are about 8% cheaper in Berlin – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,547 in Berlin and $2,313 in Bonn. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

It depends on your priorities. Berlin has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,313 in Bonn to $2,547 in Berlin. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.