Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Berlin and Kempten

For one person, living is cheaper in Kempten: $1,977 a month against $2,535 in Berlin, rent and utilities included – about $6,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Berlin, Germany
Kempten, Germany
Berlin
🇩🇪 Germany
$2,535
/mo nomad
Kempten
🇩🇪 Germany
$1,977
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Berlin and in Kempten

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

A single person spends $2,535 per month in Berlin vs $1,977 in Kempten, rent included.

  • Berlin $2,535
  • Kempten $1,977

A couple spends around $3,888 per month in Berlin vs $2,950 in Kempten, rent included.

  • Berlin $3,888
  • Kempten $2,950

A family of three spends $5,241 per month in Berlin vs $3,924 in Kempten, rent included.

  • Berlin $5,241
  • Kempten $3,924

Berlin costs about 28% more than Kempten, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Berlin and Kempten sit above the global median – Berlin by 88%, Kempten by 46%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Berlin
Kempten
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.50 €14.72
$17.69 €15.78
-6.73%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$79.1 €70.5
$56.0 €49.94
41.22%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$13.98 €12.47
$9.73 €8.68
43.68%
Cappuccino
$4.38 €3.91
$4.06 €3.62
7.88%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.20 €2.86
$2.79 €2.49
14.70%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.08 €2.75
$2.36 €2.11
30.51%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.38 €4.80
$4.87 €4.34
10.47%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.38 €3.90
$3.43 €3.06
27.70%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Berlin
Kempten
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.24 €1.11
$1.28 €1.14
-3.13%
White Bread (500g)
$2.51 €2.24
$2.29 €2.04
9.61%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.36 €3.00
$3.11 €2.78
8.04%
Eggs
$4.68 €4.17
$4.37 €3.90
7.09%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$18.28 €16.31
$16.66 €14.86
9.72%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$12.25 €10.93
$12.67 €11.30
-3.31%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$18.10 €16.15
$16.81 €15.00
7.67%
Apples (1kg)
$3.36 €3.00
$2.45 €2.18
37.14%
Banana (1kg)
$1.97 €1.76
$1.42 €1.26
38.73%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.39 €3.02
$1.58 €1.41
114.56%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.61 €3.22
$4.10 €3.65
-11.95%
Potato (1kg)
$2.02 €1.80
$1.68 €1.50
20.24%
Onion (1kg)
$1.92 €1.71
$1.61 €1.43
19.25%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.48 €1.32
$1.47 €1.31
0.68%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.90 €0.81
$0.54 €0.48
66.67%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$10.48 €9.34
$9.05 €8.07
15.80%
Wine (Bottle)
$6.68 €5.96
$5.51 €4.92
21.23%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.31 €1.17
$1.09 €0.97
20.18%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.01 €1.79
$1.09 €0.97
84.40%
🚌 Getting Around
Berlin
Kempten
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$4.53 €4.04
$3.15 €2.81
43.81%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$70.2 €62.7
$60.6 €54.0
15.96%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.85 €4.32
$4.76 €4.24
1.89%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$3.11 €2.77
$2.87 €2.56
8.36%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$37.21 €33.19
$39.80 €35.50
-6.51%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.33 €2.08
$2.10 €1.87
10.95%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$33.3K €29.7K
$33.5K €29.9K
-0.51%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$39.4K €35.1K
$33.0K €29.4K
19.33%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Berlin
Kempten
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$390 €348
$312 €279
24.78%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$19.74 €17.61
$17.72 €15.81
11.40%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$49.03 €43.73
$43.47 €38.77
12.79%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Berlin
Kempten
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$40.21 €35.87
$56.1 €50.0
-28.32%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$35.15 €31.36
$26.35 €23.51
33.40%
Cinema Ticket
$15.36 €13.70
$13.08 €11.67
17.43%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Berlin
Kempten
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$145 €130
$318 €283
-54.22%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$18.0K €16.0K
$22.2K €19.8K
-18.92%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Berlin
Kempten
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$100.0 €89.2
$80.4 €71.7
24.38%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$47.89 €42.71
$43.26 €38.59
10.70%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$103 €91.8
$96.0 €85.7
7.13%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$141 €126
$139 €124
1.60%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Berlin
Kempten
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,427 €1,273
$894 €797
59.66%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,082 €965
$680 €606
59.19%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,717 €2,424
$1,544 €1,377
76.03%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,170 €1,935
$1,213 €1,082
78.94%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$8,523 €7,602
$6,054 €5,400
40.78%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$5,436 €4,849
$4,882 €4,355
11.34%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Berlin
Kempten
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,543 €3,161
$3,872 €3,454
-8.50%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.8
2.6
46.15%

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

Last update for Berlin: November 1, 2026

Last update for Kempten: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Berlin
$1.1K
Kempten
$680 37.2% $402
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Berlin
$459
Kempten
$374 18.5% $85
Groceries & Markets
Berlin
$351
Kempten
$316 9.9% $35
Eating Out
Berlin
$287
Kempten
$271 5.6% $16
Clothing & Footwear
Berlin
$176
Kempten
$161 8.5% $15
Getting Around
Berlin
$109
Kempten
$92 15.2% $17
Sport & Entertainment
Berlin
$71
Kempten
$82 16% $11

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,427 in Berlin versus $894 in Kempten. 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 9% higher in Kempten, 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 $56 in Kempten. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $351 vs $316 – making Kempten the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇩🇪 Berlin
🇩🇪 Kempten
🕒 Local time
03:01 3:01 AM
03:01 3:01 AM
Same time as Berlin
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
3,769,962 Capital
61,399
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of November 4, 2026: 1 USD = 0.892 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Berlin Kempten 580 km ≈ 1 h 15 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Berlin
  • Kempten

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 Kempten: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Kempten cheaper than Berlin?
Yes – Berlin is pricier by about 28%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,803 per month in Berlin and $2,965 in Kempten. 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 Kempten, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $894 there versus $1,427 in Berlin.
What are total monthly expenses in Berlin and in Kempten?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,535 in Berlin and $1,977 in Kempten. That makes Kempten about 22% cheaper.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
Public transport costs about 14% less in Kempten. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Is $3,000 enough for either Berlin or Kempten?
$3,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $2,535 in Berlin and $1,977 in Kempten, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.
Is it better to live in Berlin or in Kempten?
It depends on your priorities. Berlin has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,977 in Kempten to $2,535 in Berlin. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Which city is safer, Berlin or Kempten?
Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
For expats, Kempten is the easier option financially – housing and daily costs are lower, and overall it costs about 22% less, which matters a lot on a fixed budget or early-career salary.

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