Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Berlin and Gulbene

For one person, living is cheaper in Gulbene: $1,289 a month against $2,553 in Berlin, rent and utilities included – about $15,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Berlin
🇩🇪 Germany
$2,553
/mo nomad
Gulbene
🇱🇻 Latvia
$1,289
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Berlin and in Gulbene

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

A single person spends $2,553 per month in Berlin vs $1,289 in Gulbene, rent included.

  • Berlin $2,553
  • Gulbene $1,289

A couple spends around $3,856 per month in Berlin vs $1,973 in Gulbene, rent included.

  • Berlin $3,856
  • Gulbene $1,973

A family of three spends $5,159 per month in Berlin vs $2,657 in Gulbene, rent included.

  • Berlin $5,159
  • Gulbene $2,657

Berlin costs about 98% more than Gulbene, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Berlin sits 88% above the global median, while Gulbene is 5% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Berlin
Gulbene
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.97 €15.09
$16.73 €14.88
1.43%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$77.5 €68.9
$68.5 €60.9
13.09%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$13.47 €11.98
$9.45 €8.41
42.54%
Cappuccino
$4.35 €3.87
$3.82 €3.40
13.87%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.53 €3.14
$1.59 €1.41
122.01%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.16 €2.81
$1.20 €1.07
163.33%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.60 €4.98
$5.57 €4.95
0.54%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.44 €3.95
$5.18 €4.61
-14.29%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Berlin
Gulbene
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.23 €1.09
$1.19 €1.06
3.36%
White Bread (500g)
$2.44 €2.17
$1.50 €1.33
62.67%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.41 €3.04
$2.54 €2.26
34.25%
Eggs
$4.55 €4.05
$3.72 €3.30
22.31%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$17.23 €15.33
$10.70 €9.52
61.03%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$12.24 €10.89
$8.74 €7.77
40.05%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$17.98 €15.99
$13.98 €12.43
28.61%
Apples (1kg)
$3.52 €3.13
$2.09 €1.86
68.42%
Banana (1kg)
$2.03 €1.81
$1.77 €1.57
14.69%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.27 €2.91
$2.56 €2.27
27.73%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.72 €3.31
$3.25 €2.89
14.46%
Potato (1kg)
$2.05 €1.82
$0.88 €0.79
132.95%
Onion (1kg)
$2.19 €1.95
$0.95 €0.84
130.53%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.42 €1.26
$1.77 €1.57
-19.77%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.98 €0.87
$0.98 €0.87
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$10.37 €9.22
$6.53 €5.81
58.81%
Wine (Bottle)
$6.78 €6.03
$8.02 €7.14
-15.46%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.32 €1.17
$2.01 €1.79
-34.33%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.09 €1.86
$2.02 €1.79
3.47%
🚌 Getting Around
Berlin
Gulbene
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$4.52 €4.02
-
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$69.8 €62.1
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$5.19 €4.62
$3.41 €3.03
52.20%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$3.23 €2.87
$0.99 €0.88
226.26%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$37.61 €33.46
$17.96 €15.97
109.41%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.33 €2.07
$2.12 €1.89
9.91%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$33.2K €29.5K
$27.3K €24.3K
21.49%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$39.2K €34.8K
$29.7K €26.4K
31.81%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Berlin
Gulbene
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$384 €342
$368 €328
4.31%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$19.27 €17.14
$19.94 €17.74
-3.36%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$49.17 €43.74
$19.84 €17.65
147.83%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Berlin
Gulbene
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$39.54 €35.17
-
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$34.56 €30.74
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$14.37 €12.78
$11.06 €9.83
29.93%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Berlin
Gulbene
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$146 €130
$674 €599
-78.33%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$16.1K €14.4K
$18.4K €16.4K
-12.52%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Berlin
Gulbene
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$95.1 €84.6
$70.2 €62.4
35.50%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$47.83 €42.54
$51.0 €45.33
-6.14%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$104 €92.6
$86.2 €76.7
20.78%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$143 €127
$136 €121
5.06%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Berlin
Gulbene
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,398 €1,244
$190 €169
635.46%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,106 €984
$168 €149
558.87%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,727 €2,426
$352 €313
675.26%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,104 €1,871
$332 €295
533.78%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$8,578 €7,630
$681 €605
1160.29%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$5,545 €4,932
$568 €505
876.14%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Berlin
Gulbene
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,451 €3,070
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.8
4.77
-20.34%

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

Last update for Berlin: October 17, 2026

Last update for Gulbene: October 20, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Berlin
$1.1K
Gulbene
$168 84.8% $938
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Berlin
$453
Gulbene
$408 9.8% $45
Groceries & Markets
Berlin
$349
Gulbene
$271 22.5% $79
Eating Out
Berlin
$292
Gulbene
$257 11.9% $35
Clothing & Footwear
Berlin
$176
Gulbene
$155 11.9% $21
Getting Around
Berlin
$109
Gulbene
$8.3 * 92.4% $101
Sport & Entertainment
Berlin
$68
Gulbene
$22 * 67.6% $46

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,398 in Berlin versus $190 in Gulbene. 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 $77.0 in Berlin versus $69.0 in Gulbene. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $349 vs $271 – making Gulbene the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇩🇪 Berlin
🇱🇻 Gulbene
🕒 Local time
22:22 10:22 PM
23:22 11:22 PM
1 h ahead of Berlin
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
3,769,962 Capital
7,500
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 0.889 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Berlin Gulbene 1,000 km ≈ 1 h 45 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Berlin
  • Gulbene

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 Gulbene: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Gulbene cheaper than Berlin?
Yes – Berlin is pricier by about 98%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in transport.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,829 per month in Berlin and $1,934 in Gulbene. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Gulbene, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Is eating out cheaper in Berlin or in Gulbene?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $77.0 in Berlin and $69.0 in Gulbene. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
How do food prices compare in Berlin and in Gulbene?
Groceries cost about 29% more in Berlin, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Is $2,000 a realistic budget for living in Berlin or in Gulbene?
A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Gulbene, where all-in costs run around $1,289, than in Berlin at $2,553. In Gulbene it covers expenses comfortably, while in Berlin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Berlin or Gulbene more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Gulbene – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is safer, Berlin or Gulbene?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Gulbene. 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.

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