Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Berlin and Malabo

For one person, living is cheaper in Malabo: $673 a month against $2,545 in Berlin, rent and utilities included – about $22,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Berlin
🇩🇪 Germany
$2,545
/mo nomad
Malabo
🇬🇶 Equatorial Guinea
$673
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Berlin and in Malabo

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

A single person spends $2,545 per month in Berlin vs $673 in Malabo, rent included.

  • Berlin $2,545
  • Malabo $673

A couple spends around $3,901 per month in Berlin vs $1,117 in Malabo, rent included.

  • Berlin $3,901
  • Malabo $1,117

A family of three spends $5,257 per month in Berlin vs $1,560 in Malabo, rent included.

  • Berlin $5,257
  • Malabo $1,560

Berlin costs about 278% more than Malabo, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Berlin sits 90% above the global median, while Malabo is 50% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Berlin
Malabo
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.81 €15.00
$8.70 FCFA 5,088
93.22%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$79.6 €71.0
$69.6 FCFA 40.7K
14.37%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$13.38 €11.94
$8.65 FCFA 5,060
54.68%
Cappuccino
$4.27 €3.81
$4.79 FCFA 2,804
-10.86%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.40 €3.03
$0.84 FCFA 491
304.76%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.12 €2.79
$0.41 FCFA 240
660.98%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.48 €4.89
$1.69 FCFA 989
224.26%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.56 €4.07
-
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Berlin
Malabo
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.27 €1.13
$2.73 FCFA 1,596
-53.48%
White Bread (500g)
$2.45 €2.19
-
-
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.30 €2.94
$1.75 FCFA 1,025
88.57%
Eggs
$4.45 €3.97
$3.70 FCFA 2,165
20.27%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$17.10 €15.26
$6.75 FCFA 3,948
153.33%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$12.19 €10.88
$6.02 FCFA 3,522
102.49%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$18.30 €16.33
$7.08 FCFA 4,142
158.47%
Apples (1kg)
$3.58 €3.19
$2.37 FCFA 1,385
51.05%
Banana (1kg)
$1.98 €1.77
$1.76 FCFA 1,027
12.50%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.27 €2.92
-
-
Tomato (1kg)
$3.81 €3.40
-
-
Potato (1kg)
$2.13 €1.90
-
-
Onion (1kg)
$2.21 €1.97
-
-
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.49 €1.33
-
-
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.01 €0.90
-
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$10.49 €9.37
$4.47 FCFA 2,615
134.68%
Wine (Bottle)
$6.76 €6.03
-
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.34 €1.20
$1.40 FCFA 822
-4.29%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.10 €1.87
$0.89 FCFA 521
135.96%
🚌 Getting Around
Berlin
Malabo
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$4.37 €3.90
$1.74 FCFA 1,020
151.15%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$71.0 €63.3
$26.67 FCFA 15.6K
166.07%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$5.29 €4.72
$0.83 FCFA 485
537.35%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$3.05 €2.73
$0.90 FCFA 528
238.89%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$36.30 €32.39
$8.72 FCFA 5,103
316.28%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.28 €2.03
-
-
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$33.2K €29.7K
$32.6K FCFA 19.1M
2.07%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$39.1K €34.9K
$29.1K FCFA 17.0M
34.36%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Berlin
Malabo
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$379 €339
-
-
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$19.31 €17.23
$17.56 FCFA 10.3K
9.97%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$48.41 €43.20
$17.07 FCFA 9,986
183.60%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Berlin
Malabo
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$40.31 €35.97
$34.14 FCFA 20.0K
18.07%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$35.51 €31.69
$14.84 FCFA 8,685
139.29%
Cinema Ticket
$15.53 €13.86
$5.42 FCFA 3,173
186.53%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Berlin
Malabo
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$144 €128
-
-
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$15.8K €14.1K
$344 FCFA 201.4K
4476.86%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Berlin
Malabo
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$94.6 €84.5
-
-
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$46.33 €41.34
-
-
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$103 €92.2
-
-
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$141 €126
-
-
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Berlin
Malabo
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,488 €1,328
-
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,098 €980
$223 FCFA 130.4K
392.78%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,665 €2,378
$346 FCFA 202.3K
670.83%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,080 €1,856
$285 FCFA 166.7K
630.27%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$8,578 €7,655
$841 FCFA 492.3K
919.54%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$5,438 €4,853
$648 FCFA 378.9K
739.70%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Berlin
Malabo
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,487 €3,112
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.8
6.8
-44.12%

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

Last update for Berlin: October 3, 2026

Last update for Malabo: October 4, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Berlin
$1.1K
Malabo
–
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Berlin
$447
Malabo
–
Groceries & Markets
Berlin
$351
Malabo
–
Eating Out
Berlin
$289
Malabo
–
Clothing & Footwear
Berlin
$174
Malabo
–
Getting Around
Berlin
$109
Malabo
–
Sport & Entertainment
Berlin
$71
Malabo
–

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $80.0 in Berlin versus $70.0 in Malabo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $351 vs $152 – making Malabo the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇩🇪 Berlin
🇬🇶 Malabo
🕒 Local time
10:14 10:14 AM
09:14 9:14 AM
1 h behind Berlin
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
3,769,962 Capital
297,000 Capital
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

XAF, USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 0.892 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

Central African CFA Franc exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 585 XAF (1,000 XAF = 1.71 USD). 1 EUR = 656 XAF (1,000 XAF = 1.52 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Berlin Malabo 5,440 km ≈ 7 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Berlin
  • Malabo

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 Malabo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Malabo cheaper than Berlin?
Yes – Berlin is pricier by about 278%, 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 $3,818 per month in Berlin and $1,009 in Malabo. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
Public transport costs about 166% less in Malabo. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
How do food prices compare in Berlin and in Malabo?
Groceries cost about 131% 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 Malabo?
A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Malabo, where all-in costs run around $673, than in Berlin at $2,545. In Malabo it covers expenses comfortably, while in Berlin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Berlin or Malabo more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Malabo – 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 Malabo?
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 Malabo. 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.

Berlin vs other spots: cost of living compared

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