Cost of Living Comparison Between Berlin and Krefeld Cost of Living Comparison Between Berlin and Krefeld

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,641 per month in Berlin vs $2,124 in Krefeld, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,948 per month in Berlin vs $3,192 in Krefeld, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,256 per month in Berlin vs $4,260 in Krefeld, rent included.

Berlin costs about 24% more than Krefeld, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Berlin and Krefeld sit above the global median – Berlin by 92%, Krefeld by 55%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.10 €14.70

$17.20 €14.78

-0.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$80.8 €69.5

$74.0 €63.6

9.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.70 €11.78

$11.67 €10.03

17.40%

Cappuccino

$4.44 €3.81

$4.32 €3.72

2.78%

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

$3.54 €3.04

$3.87 €3.33

-8.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.19 €2.74

$3.30 €2.84

-3.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.54 €4.76

$5.86 €5.04

-5.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.55 €3.91

$5.26 €4.53

-13.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 €1.08

$1.29 €1.11

-3.10%

White Bread (500g)

$2.43 €2.09

$2.12 €1.82

14.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.46 €2.97

$3.84 €3.30

-9.90%

Eggs

$4.33 €3.72

$3.88 €3.33

11.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.59 €14.26

$14.00 €12.04

18.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.92 €11.11

$12.08 €10.39

6.95%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.40 €15.82

$26.09 €22.43

-29.47%

Apples (1kg)

$3.58 €3.08

$3.24 €2.78

10.49%

Banana (1kg)

$2.04 €1.75

$2.14 €1.84

-4.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.05 €2.62

$2.56 €2.20

19.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.72 €3.20

$4.33 €3.73

-14.09%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 €1.72

$1.39 €1.20

43.88%

Onion (1kg)

$2.14 €1.84

$1.22 €1.05

75.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.41 €1.21

$1.68 €1.44

-16.07%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.05 €0.90

$1.07 €0.92

-1.87%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.51 €9.03

$9.92 €8.52

5.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.09 €6.09

$5.71 €4.91

24.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 €1.15

$1.10 €0.95

20.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.07 €1.78

$1.67 €1.43

23.95%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.54 €3.90

$3.57 €3.07

27.17%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.5 €63.2

$61.2 €52.6

20.11%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.42 €4.66

$5.13 €4.41

5.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.28 €2.82

$2.33 €2.00

40.77%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$38.72 €33.29

$34.44 €29.61

12.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.24 €1.92

$2.16 €1.85

3.70%

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

$33.5K €28.8K

$33.6K €28.9K

-0.32%

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

$39.7K €34.2K

$40.2K €34.6K

-1.11%

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

$422 €363

$415 €357

1.73%

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

$19.27 €16.56

$27.08 €23.28

-28.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$50.6 €43.50

$42.11 €36.20

20.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.37 €36.42

$41.53 €35.71

2.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$38.13 €32.78

$30.04 €25.83

26.93%

Cinema Ticket

$15.61 €13.42

$14.04 €12.07

11.18%

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

$158 €136

$469 €403

-66.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.6K €14.3K

$24.0K €20.6K

-30.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$93.4 €80.3

$91.5 €78.7

2.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.07 €39.60

$42.75 €36.75

7.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 €91.2

$107 €91.6

-0.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$138 €119

$135 €116

2.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,567 €1,347

$751 €646

108.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,174 €1,010

$616 €530

90.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,744 €2,359

$1,451 €1,247

89.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,188 €1,881

$1,140 €980

91.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,126 €7,845

$3,413 €2,934

167.39%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,748 €4,942

$4,735 €4,070

21.41%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,398 €2,921

$2,025 €1,741

67.85%

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: August 31, 2026

Last update for Krefeld: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,567 in Berlin versus $751 in Krefeld. 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 68% higher in Berlin, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $81.0 in Berlin versus $74.0 in Krefeld. Groceries tell a different story – $352 in Berlin vs $353 in Krefeld – 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 Krefeld: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Berlin is pricier by about 24%, 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 $3,187 in Krefeld. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Krefeld, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,641 in Berlin and $2,124 in Krefeld. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 20% less in Krefeld. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Krefeld, where all-in costs run around $2,124, than in Berlin at $2,641. In Krefeld it covers expenses comfortably, while in Berlin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Krefeld – 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 Krefeld. 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.