Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Berlin and Serpukhov

For one person, living is cheaper in Serpukhov: $1,212 a month against $2,553 in Berlin, rent and utilities included – about $16,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Berlin
🇩🇪 Germany
$2,553
/mo nomad
Serpukhov
🇷🇺 Russia
$1,212
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Berlin and in Serpukhov

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

A single person spends $2,553 per month in Berlin vs $1,212 in Serpukhov, rent included.

  • Berlin $2,553
  • Serpukhov $1,212

A couple spends around $3,856 per month in Berlin vs $1,885 in Serpukhov, rent included.

  • Berlin $3,856
  • Serpukhov $1,885

A family of three spends $5,159 per month in Berlin vs $2,559 in Serpukhov, rent included.

  • Berlin $5,159
  • Serpukhov $2,559

Berlin costs about 111% more than Serpukhov, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Berlin sits 88% above the global median, while Serpukhov is 11% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Berlin
Serpukhov
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.97 €15.09
$12.30 ₽1,026
37.97%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$77.5 €68.9
$60.5 ₽5,049
28.07%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$13.47 €11.98
$7.42 ₽619
81.54%
Cappuccino
$4.35 €3.87
$2.37 ₽198
83.54%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.53 €3.14
$0.88 ₽73.4
301.14%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.16 €2.81
$0.63 ₽52.4
401.59%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.60 €4.98
$0.94 ₽78.4
495.74%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.44 €3.95
$1.18 ₽98.6
276.27%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Berlin
Serpukhov
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.23 €1.09
$1.12 ₽93.4
9.82%
White Bread (500g)
$2.44 €2.17
$0.71 ₽59.3
243.66%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.41 €3.04
$1.69 ₽141
101.78%
Eggs
$4.55 €4.05
$0.88 ₽73.6
417.05%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$17.23 €15.33
$14.72 ₽1,228
17.05%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$12.24 €10.89
$6.71 ₽560
82.41%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$17.98 €15.99
$15.16 ₽1,265
18.60%
Apples (1kg)
$3.52 €3.13
$2.13 ₽178
65.26%
Banana (1kg)
$2.03 €1.81
$1.81 ₽151
12.15%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.27 €2.91
$2.00 ₽167
63.50%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.72 €3.31
$4.15 ₽347
-10.36%
Potato (1kg)
$2.05 €1.82
$0.97 ₽81.2
111.34%
Onion (1kg)
$2.19 €1.95
$0.77 ₽64.4
184.42%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.42 €1.26
$1.65 ₽138
-13.94%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.98 €0.87
$0.95 ₽79.2
3.16%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$10.37 €9.22
$3.49 ₽291
197.13%
Wine (Bottle)
$6.78 €6.03
$5.90 ₽492
14.92%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.32 €1.17
$1.01 ₽84.0
30.69%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.09 €1.86
$1.24 ₽104
68.55%
🚌 Getting Around
Berlin
Serpukhov
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$4.52 €4.02
$0.55 ₽45.71
721.82%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$69.8 €62.1
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$5.19 €4.62
$2.44 ₽203
112.70%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$3.23 €2.87
$0.38 ₽31.41
750.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$37.61 €33.46
$6.48 ₽541
480.40%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.33 €2.07
$0.83 ₽69.0
180.72%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$33.2K €29.5K
$41.7K ₽3.5M
-20.52%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$39.2K €34.8K
$39.4K ₽3.3M
-0.69%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Berlin
Serpukhov
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$384 €342
$188 ₽15.7K
104.14%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$19.27 €17.14
$7.04 ₽588
173.72%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$49.17 €43.74
$9.72 ₽811
405.86%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Berlin
Serpukhov
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$39.54 €35.17
$35.92 ₽2,998
10.08%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$34.56 €30.74
$26.04 ₽2,173
32.72%
Cinema Ticket
$14.37 €12.78
$4.17 ₽348
244.60%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Berlin
Serpukhov
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$146 €130
$351 ₽29.3K
-58.45%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$16.1K €14.4K
$6,403 ₽534.4K
152.04%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Berlin
Serpukhov
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$95.1 €84.6
$113 ₽9,414
-15.72%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$47.83 €42.54
$66.9 ₽5,586
-28.53%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$104 €92.6
$149 ₽12.4K
-30.05%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$143 €127
$186 ₽15.6K
-23.27%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Berlin
Serpukhov
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,398 €1,244
$468 ₽39.0K
198.84%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,106 €984
$318 ₽26.6K
247.43%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,727 €2,426
$983 ₽82.1K
177.36%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,104 €1,871
$493 ₽41.2K
326.32%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$8,578 €7,630
$2,590 ₽216.2K
231.17%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$5,545 €4,932
$1,573 ₽131.3K
252.45%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Berlin
Serpukhov
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,451 €3,070
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.8
19.56
-80.57%

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

Last update for Berlin: October 17, 2026

Last update for Serpukhov: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Berlin
$1.1K
Serpukhov
$318 71.2% $788
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Berlin
$453
Serpukhov
$205 54.7% $248
Groceries & Markets
Berlin
$349
Serpukhov
$244 30.2% $105
Eating Out
Berlin
$292
Serpukhov
$162 44.5% $130
Clothing & Footwear
Berlin
$176
Serpukhov
$232 32% $56
Getting Around
Berlin
$109
Serpukhov
$6.5 * 94% $103
Sport & Entertainment
Berlin
$68
Serpukhov
$44 35.2% $24

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,398 in Berlin versus $468 in Serpukhov. 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 $77.0 in Berlin versus $60.0 in Serpukhov. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $349 vs $244 – making Serpukhov the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇩🇪 Berlin
🇷🇺 Serpukhov
🕒 Local time
21:53 9:53 PM
22:53 10:53 PM
1 h ahead of Berlin
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
3,769,962 Capital
124,897
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

RUB, USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 0.889 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

Russian Ruble exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 83.46 RUB (100 RUB = 1.2 USD). 1 EUR = 93.83 RUB (100 RUB = 1.07 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Berlin Serpukhov 1,600 km ≈ 2 h 30 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Berlin
  • Serpukhov

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 Serpukhov: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Serpukhov cheaper than Berlin?
Yes – Berlin is pricier by about 111%, 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 $3,829 per month in Berlin and $1,818 in Serpukhov. 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 Serpukhov, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Is eating out cheaper in Berlin or in Serpukhov?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $77.0 in Berlin and $60.0 in Serpukhov. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
How do food prices compare in Berlin and in Serpukhov?
Groceries cost about 43% more in Berlin, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Is $1,000 a realistic budget for living in Berlin or in Serpukhov?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Serpukhov, where all-in costs run around $1,212, than in Berlin at $2,553. In Serpukhov it covers expenses comfortably, while in Berlin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Berlin or Serpukhov more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Serpukhov – 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 Serpukhov?
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 Serpukhov. 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.

Berlin vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities

Show times on the 12-hour clock, temperatures in °F and distances in miles?