Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Berlin and Long Beach, CA

For one person, living is cheaper in Berlin: $2,553 a month against $3,185 in Long Beach, CA, rent and utilities included – about $7,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Berlin
🇩🇪 Germany
$2,553
/mo nomad
Long Beach, CA
🇺🇸 United States
$3,185
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Berlin and in Long Beach, CA

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 Long Beach, CA actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,553 per month in Berlin vs $3,185 in Long Beach, CA, rent included.

  • Berlin $2,553
  • Long Beach, CA $3,185

A couple spends around $3,856 per month in Berlin vs $4,857 in Long Beach, CA, rent included.

  • Berlin $3,856
  • Long Beach, CA $4,857

A family of three spends $5,159 per month in Berlin vs $6,529 in Long Beach, CA, rent included.

  • Berlin $5,159
  • Long Beach, CA $6,529

Berlin is about 20% cheaper than Long Beach, CA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Berlin and Long Beach, CA sit above the global median – Berlin by 88%, Long Beach, CA by 135%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Berlin
Long Beach, CA
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.97 €15.09
$19.67 $19.67
-13.73%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$77.5 €68.9
$78.7 $78.7
-1.55%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$13.47 €11.98
$14.48 $14.48
-6.98%
Cappuccino
$4.35 €3.87
$6.17 $6.17
-29.50%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.53 €3.14
$3.27 $3.27
7.95%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.16 €2.81
$2.48 $2.48
27.42%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.60 €4.98
$7.46 $7.46
-24.93%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.44 €3.95
$9.70 $9.70
-54.23%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Berlin
Long Beach, CA
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.23 €1.09
$1.05 $1.05
17.14%
White Bread (500g)
$2.44 €2.17
$4.13 $4.13
-40.92%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.41 €3.04
$4.65 $4.65
-26.67%
Eggs
$4.55 €4.05
$4.63 $4.63
-1.73%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$17.23 €15.33
$13.11 $13.11
31.43%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$12.24 €10.89
$14.28 $14.28
-14.29%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$17.98 €15.99
$15.21 $15.21
18.21%
Apples (1kg)
$3.52 €3.13
$4.74 $4.74
-25.74%
Banana (1kg)
$2.03 €1.81
$1.67 $1.67
21.56%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.27 €2.91
$4.80 $4.80
-31.87%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.72 €3.31
$4.84 $4.84
-23.14%
Potato (1kg)
$2.05 €1.82
$3.46 $3.46
-40.75%
Onion (1kg)
$2.19 €1.95
$2.24 $2.24
-2.23%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.42 €1.26
$2.04 $2.04
-30.39%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.98 €0.87
$1.83 $1.83
-46.45%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$10.37 €9.22
$11.56 $11.56
-10.29%
Wine (Bottle)
$6.78 €6.03
$15.06 $15.06
-54.98%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.32 €1.17
$1.93 $1.93
-31.61%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.09 €1.86
$3.29 $3.29
-36.47%
🚌 Getting Around
Berlin
Long Beach, CA
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$4.52 €4.02
$1.76 $1.76
156.82%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$69.8 €62.1
$68.9 $68.9
1.22%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$5.19 €4.62
$2.92 $2.92
77.74%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$3.23 €2.87
$2.08 $2.08
55.29%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$37.61 €33.46
$28.25 $28.25
33.13%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.33 €2.07
$1.54 $1.54
51.30%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$33.2K €29.5K
$28.5K $28.5K
16.34%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$39.2K €34.8K
$26.0K $26.0K
50.85%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Berlin
Long Beach, CA
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$384 €342
$169 $169
127.84%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$19.27 €17.14
$66.3 $66.3
-70.93%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$49.17 €43.74
$60.3 $60.3
-18.48%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Berlin
Long Beach, CA
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$39.54 €35.17
$39.49 $39.49
0.13%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$34.56 €30.74
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$14.37 €12.78
$14.84 $14.84
-3.17%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Berlin
Long Beach, CA
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$146 €130
$1,912 $1,912
-92.37%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$16.1K €14.4K
$36.2K $36.2K
-55.37%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Berlin
Long Beach, CA
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$95.1 €84.6
$58.5 $58.5
62.57%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$47.83 €42.54
$40.11 $40.11
19.25%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$104 €92.6
$93.9 $93.9
10.85%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$143 €127
$142 $142
0.60%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Berlin
Long Beach, CA
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,398 €1,244
$2,057 $2,057
-32.03%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,106 €984
$1,813 $1,813
-38.99%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,727 €2,426
$3,672 $3,672
-25.74%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,104 €1,871
$3,462 $3,462
-39.23%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$8,578 €7,630
$7,440 $7,440
15.30%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$5,545 €4,932
$6,677 $6,677
-16.96%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Berlin
Long Beach, CA
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,451 €3,070
$4,419 $4,419
-21.90%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.8
6.39
-40.53%

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

Last update for Berlin: October 17, 2026

Last update for Long Beach, CA: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Berlin
$1.1K
Long Beach, CA
$1.8K 63.9% $707
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Berlin
$453
Long Beach, CA
$295 34.8% $157
Groceries & Markets
Berlin
$349
Long Beach, CA
$414 18.5% $65
Eating Out
Berlin
$292
Long Beach, CA
$355 21.4% $63
Clothing & Footwear
Berlin
$176
Long Beach, CA
$151 14.2% $25
Getting Around
Berlin
$109
Long Beach, CA
$89 18.2% $20
Sport & Entertainment
Berlin
$68
Long Beach, CA
$69 1.3% $0.9

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,398 in Berlin versus $2,057 in Long Beach, CA. 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 28% higher in Long Beach, CA, 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 $77.0 in Berlin versus $79.0 in Long Beach, CA. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $349 vs $414 – making Berlin the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇩🇪 Berlin
🇺🇸 Long Beach, CA
🕒 Local time
02:22 2:22 AM
17:22 5:22 PM
9 h behind Berlin
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
3,769,962 Capital
469,450
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of October 22, 2026: 1 USD = 0.889 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 22, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Berlin Long Beach, CA 9,340 km ≈ 12 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Berlin
  • Long Beach, CA

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 Long Beach, CA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Long Beach, CA cheaper than Berlin?
Yes – Long Beach, CA is pricier by about 25%, 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 $3,829 per month in Berlin and $4,778 in Long Beach, CA. 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 Berlin, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
What are total monthly expenses in Berlin and in Long Beach, CA?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,553 in Berlin and $3,185 in Long Beach, CA. That's a gap of about 25%.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
Public transport costs about 1% less in Berlin. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Is $2,500 a realistic budget for living in Berlin or in Long Beach, CA?
A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Berlin, where all-in costs run around $2,553, than in Long Beach, CA at $3,185. In Berlin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Long Beach, CA it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Berlin or Long Beach, CA more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Berlin – 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 Long Beach, CA?
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 Berlin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Long Beach, CA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

Berlin vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities

Show times on the 12-hour clock, temperatures in °F and distances in miles?