Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Berlin and Osnabruck

For one person, living is cheaper in Osnabruck: $1,956 a month against $2,547 in Berlin, rent and utilities included – about $7,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

122

Cost of Living Index in Berlin
Learn more

Berlin Living Index
93

Cost of Living Index in Osnabruck
Learn more

Osnabruck Living Index

Jump to prices

Berlin

🇩🇪 Germany

$2,547

/mo nomad

Osnabruck

🇩🇪 Germany

$1,956

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Berlin and in Osnabruck

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

A single person spends $2,547 per month in Berlin vs $1,956 in Osnabruck, rent included.

Berlin $2,547
Osnabruck $1,956

A couple spends around $3,875 per month in Berlin vs $2,925 in Osnabruck, rent included.

Berlin $3,875
Osnabruck $2,925

A family of three spends $5,204 per month in Berlin vs $3,893 in Osnabruck, rent included.

Berlin $5,204
Osnabruck $3,893

Berlin costs about 30% more than Osnabruck, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Berlin and Osnabruck sit above the global median – Berlin by 87%, Osnabruck by 44%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.64 €14.91

$13.51 €12.10

23.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$78.0 €69.9

$77.5 €69.5

0.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.38 €11.99

$10.78 €9.66

24.12%

Cappuccino

$4.24 €3.80

$3.92 €3.51

8.16%

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

$3.42 €3.06

$2.91 €2.61

17.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.16 €2.83

$2.89 €2.59

9.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.45 €4.89

$4.90 €4.39

11.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.35 €3.90

$4.00 €3.58

8.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.21 €1.08

$1.25 €1.12

-3.20%

White Bread (500g)

$2.34 €2.10

$2.37 €2.13

-1.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.34 €3.00

$3.66 €3.28

-8.74%

Eggs

$4.45 €3.99

$3.49 €3.13

27.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.11 €15.33

$14.47 €12.96

18.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.12 €10.86

$10.64 €9.53

13.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.59 €15.76

$18.59 €16.66

-5.38%

Apples (1kg)

$3.63 €3.25

$3.25 €2.92

11.69%

Banana (1kg)

$1.95 €1.75

$1.89 €1.69

3.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.31 €2.97

$2.17 €1.94

52.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.71 €3.33

$4.20 €3.76

-11.67%

Potato (1kg)

$2.14 €1.92

$1.42 €1.27

50.70%

Onion (1kg)

$2.09 €1.88

$1.18 €1.06

77.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 €1.26

$1.62 €1.45

-13.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.00 €0.90

$0.86 €0.77

16.28%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.60 €9.50

$9.95 €8.91

6.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.75 €6.05

$6.85 €6.14

-1.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.30 €1.16

$0.99 €0.89

31.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 €1.84

$1.49 €1.33

38.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.60 €4.12

$3.89 €3.49

18.25%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$69.3 €62.1

$70.9 €63.5

-2.20%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.35 €4.80

$5.25 €4.71

1.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.15 €2.82

$2.76 €2.47

14.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$36.94 €33.10

$36.91 €33.07

0.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.32 €2.07

$2.09 €1.87

11.00%

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

$33.7K €30.2K

$30.2K €27.0K

11.66%

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

$38.8K €34.8K

$39.1K €35.1K

-0.75%

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

$378 €338

$283 €254

33.48%

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

$19.42 €17.40

$30.62 €27.44

-36.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$48.13 €43.13

$40.12 €35.95

19.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.30 €35.22

$50.3 €45.08

-21.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.65 €31.94

Cinema Ticket

$14.44 €12.94

$13.22 €11.85

9.23%

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

$146 €131

$409 €367

-64.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K €14.3K

$27.5K €24.6K

-42.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$95.6 €85.7

$89.5 €80.2

6.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.53 €42.59

$39.13 €35.06

21.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 €94.0

$86.9 €77.9

20.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$143 €128

$108 €96.7

32.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,407 €1,260

$626 €561

124.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,117 €1,001

$712 €638

56.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,718 €2,436

$1,675 €1,501

62.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,172 €1,947

$1,190 €1,067

82.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,339 €7,472

$3,897 €3,492

113.95%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,319 €4,767

$3,302 €2,959

61.08%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,507 €3,143

$1,678 €1,504

109.03%

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 27, 2026

Last update for Osnabruck: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Berlin

$1.1K 43.9%

Osnabruck

$712 36.4% 36.2% $404

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Berlin

$445 17.5%

Osnabruck

$354 18.1% 20.6% $92

Groceries & Markets

Berlin

$345 13.6%

Osnabruck

$319 16.3% 7.5% $26

Eating Out

Berlin

$286 11.2%

Osnabruck

$243 12.4% 15.1% $43

Clothing & Footwear

Berlin

$176 6.9%

Osnabruck

$146 7.4% 17.3% $30

Getting Around

Berlin

$109 4.3%

Osnabruck

$105 5.4% 3.1% $3.3

Sport & Entertainment

Berlin

$68 2.7%

Osnabruck

$77 3.9% 12.6% $8.6

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,407 in Berlin versus $626 in Osnabruck. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries in Berlin are about 2.1 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $78 in Berlin versus $78 in Osnabruck. Groceries tell a different story – $345 in Berlin vs $319 in Osnabruck – so Osnabruck wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇩🇪 Berlin

🇩🇪 Osnabruck

🕒 Local time

11:41 11:41 AM

Same time as Berlin

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

3,769,962 Capital

169,108

💱 Currency

Euro EUR €

📈 Exchange rate

1 EUR = 1.12 USD

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Berlin Osnabruck 360 km

From you

Berlin
Osnabruck

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 Osnabruck: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Berlin is pricier by about 30%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,820 per month in Berlin and $2,935 in Osnabruck. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Osnabruck, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $626 there versus $1,407 in Berlin.

Groceries cost about 8% more in Berlin, though the gap depends on what you buy.

Kindergarten costs $146 per month in Berlin and $409 in Osnabruck. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

It depends on your priorities. Berlin has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,956 in Osnabruck to $2,547 in Berlin. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.

If budget matters most, go with Osnabruck. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Berlin makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.