For one person, living is cheaper in Perm: $917 a month against $2,545 in Berlin, rent and utilities included – about $19,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.
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 Perm actually costs, broken down by who's living it.
A single person spends $2,545 per month in Berlin vs $917 in Perm, rent included.
Berlin $2,545
Perm $917
A couple spends around $3,901 per month in Berlin vs $1,387 in Perm, rent included.
Berlin $3,901
Perm $1,387
A family of three spends $5,257 per month in Berlin vs $1,858 in Perm, rent included.
Berlin $5,257
Perm $1,858
😐
Berlin costs about 178% more than Perm, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.
📊
Berlin sits 90% above the global median, while Perm is 32% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.
Currency
No currencies found
🍽 Eating Out
Berlin
Perm
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.81€14.99
$8.05₽684
108.82%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$79.6€71.0
$26.22₽2,229
203.51%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$13.38€11.93
$6.06₽515
120.79%
Cappuccino
$4.27€3.81
$2.18₽186
95.87%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.40€3.03
$0.78₽66.7
335.90%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.12€2.78
$0.40₽33.93
680.00%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$5.48€4.88
$1.21₽103
352.89%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.56€4.06
$1.55₽131
194.19%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Berlin
Perm
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.27€1.13
$1.07₽91.3
18.69%
White Bread(500g)
$2.45€2.18
$0.83₽70.8
195.18%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$3.30€2.94
$1.25₽106
164.00%
Eggs
$4.45€3.97
$1.28₽109
247.66%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$17.10€15.25
$7.83₽666
118.39%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$12.19€10.87
$5.23₽445
133.08%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$18.30€16.32
$11.68₽993
56.68%
Apples(1kg)
$3.58€3.19
$2.15₽182
66.51%
Banana(1kg)
$1.98€1.76
$2.10₽178
-5.71%
Oranges(1kg)
$3.27€2.91
$2.09₽178
56.46%
Tomato(1kg)
$3.81€3.40
$2.29₽195
66.38%
Potato(1kg)
$2.13€1.90
$0.56₽47.90
280.36%
Onion(1kg)
$2.21€1.97
$0.44₽37.10
402.27%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.49€1.33
$0.86₽73.0
73.26%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.01€0.90
$0.82₽69.4
23.17%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$10.49€9.36
$2.62₽222
300.38%
Wine(Bottle)
$6.76€6.03
$9.26₽787
-27.00%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.34€1.20
$0.87₽74.0
54.02%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.10€1.87
$1.63₽139
28.83%
🚌 Getting Around
Berlin
Perm
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$4.37€3.90
$0.52₽44.51
740.38%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$71.0€63.3
$24.53₽2,085
189.28%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$5.29€4.72
$1.75₽149
202.29%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$3.05€2.72
$0.45₽38.66
577.78%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$36.30€32.36
$4.16₽354
772.60%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$2.28€2.03
$0.81₽68.7
181.48%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$33.2K€29.6K
$40.7K₽3.5M
-18.25%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$39.1K€34.8K
$39.3K₽3.3M
-0.64%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Berlin
Perm
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$379€338
$128₽10.8K
197.26%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$19.31€17.22
$5.68₽483
239.96%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$48.41€43.17
$8.33₽708
481.15%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Berlin
Perm
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$40.31€35.94
$27.00₽2,295
49.30%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$35.51€31.66
$13.23₽1,125
168.41%
Cinema Ticket
$15.53€13.85
$8.30₽706
87.11%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Berlin
Perm
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$144€128
$233₽19.8K
-38.44%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$15.8K€14.0K
$4,398₽373.9K
258.19%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Berlin
Perm
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$94.6€84.4
$53.3₽4,534
77.46%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$46.33€41.31
$32.85₽2,793
41.04%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$103€92.1
$61.9₽5,266
66.81%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$141€126
$69.9₽5,943
102.19%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Berlin
Perm
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,488€1,327
$471₽40.0K
216.04%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,098€979
$265₽22.5K
314.76%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,665€2,376
$603₽51.3K
341.80%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$2,080€1,855
$479₽40.8K
333.89%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$8,578€7,648
$2,358₽200.5K
263.82%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$5,438€4,849
$1,543₽131.2K
252.39%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Berlin
Perm
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$3,487€3,109
$973₽82.7K
258.37%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
3.8
23.33
-83.71%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Berlin: October 3, 2026
Last update for Perm: October 3, 2026
Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Share of the monthly basket for a family of three, rent included.
🏠Accommodation & Living
Berlin
$1.1K 43.3%
Perm
$265 29.4% ↓ 75.9%$833
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Berlin
$447 17.6%
Perm
$142 15.7% ↓ 68.3%$305
🛒Groceries & Markets
Berlin
$351 13.8%
Perm
$199 22.1% ↓ 43.2%$152
🍽Eating Out
Berlin
$289 11.4%
Perm
$123 13.6% ↓ 57.5%$166
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Berlin
$174 6.8%
Perm
$98 10.9% ↓ 43.5%$75
🚌Getting Around
Berlin
$109 4.3%
Perm
$31 3.4% ↓ 71.9%$78
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Berlin
$71 2.8%
Perm
$44 4.8% ↓ 38.9%$28
🏠Accommodation & Living
Berlin
$2.1K 40.5%
Perm
$479 25.9% ↓ 77%$1.6K
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Berlin
$466 9.1%
Perm
$147 8% ↓ 68.4%$319
🛒Groceries & Markets
Berlin
$831 16.2%
Perm
$461 24.9% ↓ 44.5%$370
🍽Eating Out
Berlin
$971 18.9%
Perm
$382 20.6% ↓ 60.7%$590
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Berlin
$386 7.5%
Perm
$218 11.8% ↓ 43.5%$168
🚌Getting Around
Berlin
$227 4.4%
Perm
$62 3.4% ↓ 72.5%$164
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Berlin
$178 3.5%
Perm
$100 5.4% ↓ 43.7%$78
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $1,488 in Berlin versus $471 in Perm. 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 258% higher in Berlin, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.
🛒A mid-range dinner for two costs $80.0 in Berlin versus $26.00 in Perm. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $351 vs $199 – making Perm the more affordable choice for daily food spending.
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 Perm: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Perm cheaper than Berlin?
Yes – Berlin is pricier by about 178%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,818 per month in Berlin and $1,375 in Perm. 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 Perm, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
What are total monthly expenses in Berlin and in Perm?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,545 in Berlin and $917 in Perm. That's a gap of about 178%.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
Public transport costs about 189% less in Perm. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Berlin or in Perm?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Perm, where all-in costs run around $917, than in Berlin at $2,545. In Perm it covers expenses comfortably, while in Berlin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Berlin or Perm more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Perm – 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 Perm?
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 Perm. 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.