Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Berlin and Oberhausen

For one person, living is cheaper in Oberhausen: $1,997 a month against $2,553 in Berlin, rent and utilities included – about $6,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Berlin, Germany
Oberhausen, Germany
Berlin
🇩🇪 Germany
$2,553
/mo nomad
Oberhausen
🇩🇪 Germany
$1,997
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Berlin and in Oberhausen

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

A single person spends $2,553 per month in Berlin vs $1,997 in Oberhausen, rent included.

  • Berlin $2,553
  • Oberhausen $1,997

A couple spends around $3,856 per month in Berlin vs $2,847 in Oberhausen, rent included.

  • Berlin $3,856
  • Oberhausen $2,847

A family of three spends $5,159 per month in Berlin vs $3,698 in Oberhausen, rent included.

  • Berlin $5,159
  • Oberhausen $3,698

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

Both Berlin and Oberhausen sit above the global median – Berlin by 88%, Oberhausen by 47%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Berlin
Oberhausen
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.97 €15.14
$16.51 €14.74
2.79%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$77.5 €69.1
$85.2 €76.0
-9.04%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$13.47 €12.02
$13.18 €11.76
2.20%
Cappuccino
$4.35 €3.89
$4.09 €3.65
6.36%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.53 €3.15
$3.11 €2.78
13.50%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.16 €2.82
$3.12 €2.78
1.28%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.60 €4.99
$5.51 €4.91
1.63%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.44 €3.97
$5.70 €5.08
-22.11%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Berlin
Oberhausen
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.23 €1.10
$1.25 €1.12
-1.60%
White Bread (500g)
$2.44 €2.17
$2.12 €1.89
15.09%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.41 €3.05
$3.29 €2.93
3.65%
Eggs
$4.55 €4.06
$3.68 €3.28
23.64%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$17.23 €15.38
$13.76 €12.28
25.22%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$12.24 €10.92
$11.99 €10.70
2.09%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$17.98 €16.04
$22.69 €20.25
-20.76%
Apples (1kg)
$3.52 €3.15
$2.93 €2.62
20.14%
Banana (1kg)
$2.03 €1.81
$2.04 €1.82
-0.49%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.27 €2.92
$2.23 €1.99
46.64%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.72 €3.32
$3.94 €3.52
-5.58%
Potato (1kg)
$2.05 €1.83
$1.32 €1.17
55.30%
Onion (1kg)
$2.19 €1.96
$1.25 €1.12
75.20%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.42 €1.26
$1.52 €1.35
-6.58%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.98 €0.88
$1.12 €1.00
-12.50%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$10.37 €9.25
$9.91 €8.84
4.64%
Wine (Bottle)
$6.78 €6.05
$5.59 €4.99
21.29%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.32 €1.18
$1.04 €0.93
26.92%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.09 €1.86
$1.67 €1.49
25.15%
🚌 Getting Around
Berlin
Oberhausen
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$4.52 €4.03
$3.32 €2.96
36.14%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$69.8 €62.3
$49.51 €44.19
40.90%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$5.19 €4.63
$5.00 €4.46
3.80%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$3.23 €2.88
$2.84 €2.53
13.73%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$37.61 €33.57
$33.76 €30.13
11.40%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.33 €2.08
$2.16 €1.93
7.87%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$33.2K €29.6K
$33.0K €29.4K
0.63%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$39.2K €35.0K
$38.3K €34.2K
2.20%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Berlin
Oberhausen
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$384 €343
$381 €340
0.78%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$19.27 €17.20
$12.35 €11.02
56.03%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$49.17 €43.88
$37.20 €33.20
32.18%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Berlin
Oberhausen
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$39.54 €35.29
$38.75 €34.58
2.04%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$34.56 €30.85
$25.63 €22.88
34.84%
Cinema Ticket
$14.37 €12.83
$15.68 €14.00
-8.35%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Berlin
Oberhausen
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$146 €130
$466 €416
-68.68%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$16.1K €14.4K
$9,576 €8,547
68.51%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Berlin
Oberhausen
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$95.1 €84.9
$88.9 €79.3
7.00%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$47.83 €42.69
$41.50 €37.04
15.25%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$104 €92.9
$98.2 €87.7
5.96%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$143 €128
$142 €126
1.02%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Berlin
Oberhausen
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,398 €1,248
$604 €539
131.45%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,106 €987
$630 €563
75.43%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,727 €2,434
$749 €668
264.25%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,104 €1,878
$767 €684
174.31%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$8,578 €7,656
$4,945 €4,413
73.48%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$5,545 €4,949
$3,384 €3,020
63.84%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Berlin
Oberhausen
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,451 €3,080
$3,396 €3,031
1.63%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.8
3.95
-3.80%

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

Last update for Berlin: October 17, 2026

Last update for Oberhausen: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Berlin
$1.1K
Oberhausen
$630 43% $475
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Berlin
$453
Oberhausen
$431 4.8% $22
Groceries & Markets
Berlin
$349
Oberhausen
$332 4.9% $17
Eating Out
Berlin
$292
Oberhausen
$285 2.6% $7.5
Clothing & Footwear
Berlin
$176
Oberhausen
$167 5.1% $8.9
Getting Around
Berlin
$109
Oberhausen
$82 24.9% $27
Sport & Entertainment
Berlin
$68
Oberhausen
$70 2.7% $1.8

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,398 in Berlin versus $604 in Oberhausen. 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 in Berlin versus $85 in Oberhausen. Groceries tell a different story – $349 in Berlin vs $332 in Oberhausen – so Oberhausen wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know
🇩🇪 Berlin
🇩🇪 Oberhausen
🕒 Local time
20:26 8:26 PM
20:26 8:26 PM
Same time as Berlin
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
3,769,962 Capital
209,292
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of October 25, 2026: 1 USD = 0.892 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Berlin Oberhausen 460 km
From you
  • Berlin
  • Oberhausen

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 Oberhausen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Oberhausen cheaper than Berlin?
Yes – Berlin is pricier by about 28%, 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 $2,995 in Oberhausen. 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 Oberhausen, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $604 there versus $1,398 in Berlin.
What are total monthly expenses in Berlin and in Oberhausen?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,553 in Berlin and $1,997 in Oberhausen. That’s a gap of about 28%.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
Public transport costs about 29% less in Oberhausen. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Is it better to live in Berlin or in Oberhausen?
It depends on your priorities. Berlin has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,997 in Oberhausen to $2,553 in Berlin. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Which city is safer, Berlin or Oberhausen?
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.

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