Cost of Living Comparison Between Berlin and Oldenburg Cost of Living Comparison Between Berlin and Oldenburg

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,441 per month in Berlin vs $2,028 in Oldenburg, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,613 per month in Berlin vs $2,912 in Oldenburg, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,786 per month in Berlin vs $3,796 in Oldenburg, rent included.

Berlin costs about 20% more than Oldenburg, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Berlin and Oldenburg sit above the global median – Berlin by 82%, Oldenburg by 51%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.17 €14.79

$10.97 €9.45

56.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$81.0 €69.8

$79.5 €68.5

1.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.57 €10.83

$11.50 €9.91

9.30%

Cappuccino

$4.40 €3.79

$3.94 €3.40

11.68%

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

$3.40 €2.93

$4.07 €3.51

-16.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.02 €2.61

$3.43 €2.95

-11.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.16 €4.44

$5.14 €4.43

0.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.54 €3.91

$4.14 €3.57

9.66%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.35 €1.16

$1.32 €1.13

2.27%

White Bread (500g)

$2.01 €1.73

$2.25 €1.94

-10.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.67 €3.16

$3.33 €2.86

10.21%

Eggs

$3.84 €3.31

$4.07 €3.51

-5.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.48 €12.47

$15.41 €13.27

-6.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.81 €9.31

$14.95 €12.89

-27.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.22 €16.56

$19.55 €16.85

-1.69%

Apples (1kg)

$3.31 €2.85

$3.12 €2.69

6.09%

Banana (1kg)

$2.15 €1.85

$1.73 €1.49

24.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.71 €2.34

$2.29 €1.97

18.34%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.98 €3.43

$4.68 €4.03

-14.96%

Potato (1kg)

$2.01 €1.73

$1.52 €1.31

32.24%

Onion (1kg)

$1.67 €1.44

$1.68 €1.44

-0.60%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.68 €1.45

$1.93 €1.66

-12.95%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.05 €0.91

$1.00 €0.86

5.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.97 €8.59

$9.32 €8.03

6.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.10 €6.11

$6.90 €5.94

2.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 €1.00

$1.07 €0.92

8.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.95 €1.68

$1.77 €1.53

10.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.95 €3.40

$3.33 €2.87

18.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$68.4 €58.9

$66.7 €57.5

2.58%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.65 €4.87

$5.28 €4.55

7.01%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 €2.07

$2.00 €1.73

20.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$41.69 €35.92

$49.91 €43.00

-16.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.01 €1.73

$2.00 €1.72

0.50%

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

$32.3K €27.9K

$30.9K €26.6K

4.53%

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

$37.0K €31.9K

$34.0K €29.3K

8.79%

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

$364 €314

$290 €250

25.32%

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

$20.30 €17.49

$39.13 €33.72

-48.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$47.74 €41.13

$53.6 €46.14

-10.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.36 €33.05

$36.14 €31.14

6.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.21 €25.17

$7.96 €6.85

266.96%

Cinema Ticket

$14.50 €12.49

$13.68 €11.79

5.99%

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

$191 €165

$697 €601

-72.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K €9,065

$10.5K €9,030

0.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$94.4 €81.3

$139 €120

-32.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.51 €39.21

$34.96 €30.12

30.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$107 €92.2

$114 €98.5

-6.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$130 €112

$114 €97.8

14.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,417 €1,221

$979 €844

44.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,036 €893

$690 €594

50.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,667 €2,298

$1,290 €1,112

106.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,904 €1,640

$950 €819

100.31%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,018 €7,770

$4,370 €3,765

106.37%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,146 €5,295

$3,054 €2,631

101.22%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,405 €2,934

$3,612 €3,112

-5.72%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.68

3.96

-7.07%

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

Last update for Berlin: June 7, 2026

Last update for Oldenburg: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,417 in Berlin versus $979 in Oldenburg. 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 6% higher in Oldenburg, 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 $81.0 in Berlin versus $80.0 in Oldenburg. Groceries tell a different story – $332 in Berlin vs $354 in Oldenburg – 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 Oldenburg: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Berlin is pricier by about 20%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,661 per month in Berlin and $3,042 in Oldenburg. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Oldenburg, 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 $2,441 in Berlin and $2,028 in Oldenburg. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 3% less in Oldenburg. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Oldenburg, where all-in costs run around $2,028, than in Berlin at $2,441. In Oldenburg it covers expenses comfortably, while in Berlin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Oldenburg – 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 Oldenburg. 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.