Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Berlin and Braunschweig

For one person, living is cheaper in Braunschweig: $1,738 a month against $2,535 in Berlin, rent and utilities included – about $9,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

122

Cost of Living Index in Berlin
Learn more

Berlin Living Index
83

Cost of Living Index in Braunschweig
Learn more

Braunschweig Living Index

Jump to prices

Berlin

🇩🇪 Germany

$2,535

/mo nomad

Braunschweig

🇩🇪 Germany

$1,738

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Berlin and in Braunschweig

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 Braunschweig actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,535 per month in Berlin vs $1,738 in Braunschweig, rent included.

Berlin $2,535
Braunschweig $1,738

A couple spends around $3,888 per month in Berlin vs $2,809 in Braunschweig, rent included.

Berlin $3,888
Braunschweig $2,809

A family of three spends $5,241 per month in Berlin vs $3,879 in Braunschweig, rent included.

Berlin $5,241
Braunschweig $3,879

Berlin costs about 46% more than Braunschweig, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both Berlin and Braunschweig sit above the global median – Berlin by 88%, Braunschweig by 29%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.50 €14.66

$16.73 €14.86

-1.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$79.1 €70.2

$79.0 €70.2

0.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.98 €12.42

$11.11 €9.87

25.83%

Cappuccino

$4.38 €3.89

$4.15 €3.69

5.54%

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

$3.20 €2.84

$3.35 €2.98

-4.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.08 €2.74

$2.77 €2.46

11.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.38 €4.78

$4.52 €4.01

19.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.38 €3.89

$3.74 €3.33

17.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.24 €1.10

$1.26 €1.12

-1.59%

White Bread (500g)

$2.51 €2.23

$2.33 €2.07

7.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.36 €2.99

$4.44 €3.95

-24.32%

Eggs

$4.68 €4.15

$4.11 €3.65

13.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.28 €16.24

$14.29 €12.69

27.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.25 €10.88

$10.30 €9.15

18.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.10 €16.08

$25.44 €22.60

-28.85%

Apples (1kg)

$3.36 €2.98

$3.38 €3.00

-0.59%

Banana (1kg)

$1.97 €1.75

$2.14 €1.90

-7.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.39 €3.01

$1.90 €1.69

78.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.61 €3.21

$3.81 €3.39

-5.25%

Potato (1kg)

$2.02 €1.80

$1.20 €1.07

68.33%

Onion (1kg)

$1.92 €1.71

$1.32 €1.18

45.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.48 €1.31

$1.40 €1.24

5.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 €0.80

$0.88 €0.78

2.27%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.48 €9.31

$9.80 €8.71

6.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.68 €5.93

$6.24 €5.54

7.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 €1.17

$1.16 €1.03

12.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.01 €1.79

$1.57 €1.39

28.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.53 €4.02

$3.82 €3.40

18.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$70.2 €62.4

$69.3 €61.5

1.39%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.85 €4.31

$5.51 €4.90

-11.98%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.11 €2.76

$2.80 €2.49

11.07%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$37.21 €33.06

$31.30 €27.80

18.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.33 €2.07

$2.15 €1.91

8.37%

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

$33.3K €29.6K

$32.9K €29.2K

1.32%

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

$39.4K €35.0K

$39.0K €34.7K

0.89%

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

$390 €346

$196 €174

98.74%

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

$19.74 €17.54

$29.45 €26.16

-32.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$49.03 €43.55

$51.1 €45.35

-3.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.21 €35.72

$39.47 €35.06

1.87%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.15 €31.23

$13.52 €12.01

159.99%

Cinema Ticket

$15.36 €13.64

$13.45 €11.95

14.20%

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

$145 €129

$390 €347

-62.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.0K €16.0K

$14.0K €12.5K

28.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$100.0 €88.8

$82.4 €73.2

21.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.89 €42.54

$38.46 €34.16

24.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 €91.4

$99.5 €88.3

3.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$141 €126

$121 €107

17.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,427 €1,267

$662 €588

115.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,082 €961

$525 €466

106.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,717 €2,414

$1,292 €1,148

110.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,170 €1,927

$1,119 €994

93.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,523 €7,571

$4,464 €3,966

90.91%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,436 €4,829

$2,066 €1,835

163.09%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,543 €3,148

$4,289 €3,810

-17.38%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.8

3.76

1.06%

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

Last update for Berlin: November 1, 2026

Last update for Braunschweig: October 31, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Berlin

$1.1K 42.7%

Braunschweig

$525 30.2% 51.5% $557

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Berlin

$459 18.1%

Braunschweig

$277 15.9% 39.7% $182

Groceries & Markets

Berlin

$351 13.8%

Braunschweig

$341 19.6% 2.8% $10

Eating Out

Berlin

$287 11.3%

Braunschweig

$272 15.6% 5.5% $16

Clothing & Footwear

Berlin

$176 7%

Braunschweig

$154 8.8% 13% $23

Getting Around

Berlin

$109 4.3%

Braunschweig

$104 6% 4.3% $4.7

Sport & Entertainment

Berlin

$71 2.8%

Braunschweig

$66 3.8% 6.4% $4.5

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,427 in Berlin versus $662 in Braunschweig. 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 21% higher in Braunschweig, 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 $79 in Berlin versus $79 in Braunschweig. Groceries tell a different story – $351 in Berlin vs $341 in Braunschweig – so Braunschweig wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇩🇪 Berlin

🇩🇪 Braunschweig

🕒 Local time

22:01 10:01 PM

Same time as Berlin

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

3,769,962 Capital

253,167

💱 Currency

Euro EUR €

📈 Exchange rate

1 EUR = 1.13 USD

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Berlin Braunschweig 200 km

From you

Berlin
Braunschweig

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Braunschweig: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Berlin is pricier by about 46%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in clothing.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,803 per month in Berlin and $2,607 in Braunschweig. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Braunschweig, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $662 there versus $1,427 in Berlin.

Groceries cost about 3% more in Berlin, though the gap depends on what you buy.

Kindergarten costs $145 per month in Berlin and $390 in Braunschweig. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$3,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $2,535 in Berlin and $1,738 in Braunschweig, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

It depends on your priorities. Berlin has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,738 in Braunschweig to $2,535 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.