Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Berlin and Passau

For one person, living is cheaper in Passau: $1,547 a month against $2,547 in Berlin, rent and utilities included – about $12,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Berlin, Germany
Passau, Germany
Berlin
🇩🇪 Germany
$2,547
/mo nomad
Passau
🇩🇪 Germany
$1,547
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Berlin and in Passau

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

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

  • Berlin $2,547
  • Passau $1,547

A couple spends around $3,875 per month in Berlin vs $2,585 in Passau, rent included.

  • Berlin $3,875
  • Passau $2,585

A family of three spends $5,204 per month in Berlin vs $3,623 in Passau, rent included.

  • Berlin $5,204
  • Passau $3,623

Berlin costs about 65% more than Passau, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in leisure.

Both Berlin and Passau sit above the global median – Berlin by 87%, Passau by 14%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Berlin
Passau
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.64 €14.94
$16.66 €14.96
-0.12%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$78.0 €70.1
$60.8 €54.6
28.24%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$13.38 €12.02
$11.94 €10.72
12.06%
Cappuccino
$4.24 €3.80
$3.75 €3.37
13.07%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.42 €3.07
$3.56 €3.19
-3.93%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.16 €2.84
$3.09 €2.78
2.27%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.45 €4.90
$4.38 €3.93
24.43%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.35 €3.91
$5.10 €4.58
-14.71%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Berlin
Passau
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.21 €1.08
$1.16 €1.04
4.31%
White Bread (500g)
$2.34 €2.10
$2.14 €1.92
9.35%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.34 €3.00
$3.31 €2.97
0.91%
Eggs
$4.45 €4.00
$3.77 €3.38
18.04%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$17.11 €15.37
$14.47 €13.00
18.24%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$12.12 €10.89
$16.45 €14.77
-26.32%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$17.59 €15.80
$20.53 €18.44
-14.32%
Apples (1kg)
$3.63 €3.26
$2.82 €2.53
28.72%
Banana (1kg)
$1.95 €1.75
$1.75 €1.57
11.43%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.31 €2.97
$2.13 €1.92
55.40%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.71 €3.34
$4.54 €4.07
-18.28%
Potato (1kg)
$2.14 €1.92
$1.50 €1.34
42.67%
Onion (1kg)
$2.09 €1.88
$1.62 €1.46
29.01%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.40 €1.26
$1.83 €1.65
-23.50%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.00 €0.90
$1.07 €0.96
-6.54%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$10.60 €9.53
$9.12 €8.19
16.23%
Wine (Bottle)
$6.75 €6.06
$5.70 €5.12
18.42%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.30 €1.17
$1.05 €0.94
23.81%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.06 €1.85
$1.73 €1.56
19.08%
🚌 Getting Around
Berlin
Passau
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$4.60 €4.13
$2.82 €2.54
63.12%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$69.3 €62.3
$64.8 €58.2
6.99%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$5.35 €4.81
$4.45 €3.99
20.22%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$3.15 €2.83
$2.53 €2.27
24.51%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$36.94 €33.18
$39.45 €35.44
-6.36%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.32 €2.08
$1.85 €1.66
25.41%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$33.7K €30.3K
$32.6K €29.3K
3.43%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$38.8K €34.9K
-
-
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Berlin
Passau
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$378 €339
$264 €237
43.23%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$19.42 €17.44
$16.57 €14.88
17.20%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$48.13 €43.24
$52.1 €46.80
-7.62%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Berlin
Passau
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$39.30 €35.31
-
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$35.65 €32.02
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$14.44 €12.97
$12.50 €11.23
15.52%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Berlin
Passau
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$146 €131
$698 €627
-79.11%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$15.9K €14.3K
$19.2K €17.3K
-17.22%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Berlin
Passau
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$95.6 €85.9
-
-
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$47.53 €42.70
-
-
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$105 €94.3
-
-
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$143 €129
-
-
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Berlin
Passau
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,407 €1,264
$677 €608
107.93%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,117 €1,003
$471 €423
136.90%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,718 €2,441
$1,681 €1,510
61.71%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,172 €1,951
$1,347 €1,210
61.32%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$8,339 €7,490
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$5,319 €4,778
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Berlin
Passau
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,507 €3,151
$3,514 €3,157
-0.19%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.8
3.98
-4.52%

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

Last update for Berlin: October 27, 2026

Last update for Passau: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Berlin
$1.1K
Passau
$471 57.8% $645
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Berlin
$445
Passau
$332 25.4% $113
Groceries & Markets
Berlin
$345
Passau
$352 2% $6.9
Eating Out
Berlin
$286
Passau
$273 4.7% $14
Clothing & Footwear
Berlin
$176
Passau
- * 100%
Getting Around
Berlin
$109
Passau
$93 14.4% $16
Sport & Entertainment
Berlin
$68
Passau
$25 * 63.3% $43

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,407 in Berlin versus $677 in Passau. 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 $78 in Berlin versus $61 in Passau. Groceries tell a different story – $345 in Berlin vs $352 in Passau – so Berlin wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know
🇩🇪 Berlin
🇩🇪 Passau
🕒 Local time
20:57 8:57 PM
20:57 8:57 PM
Same time as Berlin
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
3,769,962 Capital
54,401
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 0.898 EUR (1 EUR = 1.11 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Berlin Passau 440 km
From you
  • Berlin
  • Passau

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 Passau: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Passau cheaper than Berlin?
Yes – Berlin is pricier by about 65%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in clothing.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,820 per month in Berlin and $2,321 in Passau. 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 Passau, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $677 there versus $1,407 in Berlin.
Is eating out cheaper in Berlin or in Passau?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $78 in Berlin and $61 in Passau. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
Public transport costs about 7% less in Passau. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Is $2,000 a realistic budget for living in Berlin or in Passau?
A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Passau, where all-in costs run around $1,547, than in Berlin at $2,547. In Passau it covers expenses comfortably, while in Berlin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is it better to live in Berlin or in Passau?
It depends on your priorities. Berlin has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,547 in Passau to $2,547 in Berlin. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Which city is safer, Berlin or Passau?
Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.

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