For one person, living is cheaper in Sumy: $973 a month against $2,551 in Berlin, rent and utilities included – about $18,900 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 Sumy actually costs, broken down by who's living it.
A single person spends $2,551 per month in Berlin vs $973 in Sumy, rent included.
Berlin $2,551
Sumy $973
A couple spends around $3,845 per month in Berlin vs $1,669 in Sumy, rent included.
Berlin $3,845
Sumy $1,669
A family of three spends $5,139 per month in Berlin vs $2,365 in Sumy, rent included.
Berlin $5,139
Sumy $2,365
😐
Berlin costs about 162% more than Sumy, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.
📊
Berlin sits 89% above the global median, while Sumy is 28% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.
Currency
No currencies found
🍽 Eating Out
Berlin
Sumy
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.65€14.81
$11.13₴500
49.60%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$76.7€68.2
$33.38₴1,498
129.84%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$13.47€11.98
$7.95₴357
69.43%
Cappuccino
$4.37€3.89
$1.69₴75.7
158.58%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.48€3.09
$0.75₴33.57
364.00%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.12€2.77
$0.55₴24.78
467.27%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$5.34€4.75
$1.35₴60.8
295.56%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.39€3.91
$1.96₴87.8
123.98%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Berlin
Sumy
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.27€1.13
$1.35₴60.6
-5.93%
White Bread(500g)
$2.33€2.08
$0.83₴37.37
180.72%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$3.40€3.02
$1.45₴64.9
134.48%
Eggs
$4.50€4.00
$2.06₴92.3
118.45%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$16.78€14.93
$10.31₴463
62.75%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$11.91€10.59
$5.36₴241
122.20%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$17.90€15.92
$8.79₴395
103.64%
Apples(1kg)
$3.46€3.07
$1.20₴53.9
188.33%
Banana(1kg)
$1.95€1.73
$1.55₴69.5
25.81%
Oranges(1kg)
$3.26€2.90
$1.88₴84.2
73.40%
Tomato(1kg)
$3.71€3.30
$2.81₴126
32.03%
Potato(1kg)
$2.10€1.87
$0.65₴29.22
223.08%
Onion(1kg)
$2.09€1.86
$0.46₴20.52
354.35%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.42€1.27
$1.39₴62.3
2.16%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.95€0.84
$0.66₴29.53
43.94%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$10.44€9.29
$2.86₴128
265.03%
Wine(Bottle)
$6.58€5.85
$5.63₴253
16.87%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.27€1.13
$0.90₴40.26
41.11%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.08€1.85
$0.90₴40.28
131.11%
🚌 Getting Around
Berlin
Sumy
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$4.34€3.86
$0.34₴15.38
1176.47%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$71.6€63.7
$8.44₴379
748.34%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$5.26€4.68
$2.23₴100
135.87%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$3.09€2.75
$0.46₴20.57
571.74%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$36.34€32.32
$4.37₴196
731.58%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$2.31€2.05
$1.51₴67.9
52.98%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$32.4K€28.8K
$29.1K₴1.3M
11.36%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$38.6K€34.3K
$22.2K₴996.4K
73.95%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Berlin
Sumy
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$382€340
$100.0₴4,488
281.71%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$18.83€16.75
$7.01₴315
168.62%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$48.57€43.20
$6.54₴293
642.66%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Berlin
Sumy
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$40.21€35.76
$46.50₴2,087
-13.53%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$34.90€31.04
$21.44₴962
62.78%
Cinema Ticket
$15.73€14.00
$3.56₴160
341.85%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Berlin
Sumy
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$142€126
$238₴10.7K
-40.39%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$15.8K€14.0K
$15.3K₴686.2K
3.24%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Berlin
Sumy
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$95.4€84.8
$74.6₴3,346
27.90%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$46.32€41.20
$31.08₴1,395
49.03%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$104€92.4
$97.4₴4,372
6.68%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$143€128
$121₴5,432
18.44%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Berlin
Sumy
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,469€1,306
$545₴24.4K
169.65%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,114€991
$306₴13.7K
264.55%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,751€2,447
$998₴44.8K
175.53%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$2,107€1,875
$845₴37.9K
149.54%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$8,454€7,520
$1,641₴73.6K
415.31%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$5,435€4,834
$1,360₴61.0K
299.61%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Berlin
Sumy
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$3,543€3,151
$380₴17.1K
831.68%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
3.8
15.9
-76.10%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Berlin: October 12, 2026
Last update for Sumy: October 12, 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 43.7%
Sumy
$306 31.4% ↓ 72.6%$809
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Berlin
$449 17.6%
Sumy
$114 11.7% ↓ 74.7%$336
🛒Groceries & Markets
Berlin
$343 13.4%
Sumy
$191 19.6% ↓ 44.4%$152
🍽Eating Out
Berlin
$288 11.3%
Sumy
$149 15.3% ↓ 48.2%$139
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Berlin
$175 6.9%
Sumy
$146 15% ↓ 16.7%$29
🚌Getting Around
Berlin
$110 4.3%
Sumy
$14 1.5% ↓ 86.9%$95
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Berlin
$72 2.8%
Sumy
$54 5.5% ↓ 25.2%$18
🏠Accommodation & Living
Berlin
$2.1K 41%
Sumy
$845 35.7% ↓ 59.9%$1.3K
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Berlin
$468 9.1%
Sumy
$121 5.1% ↓ 74.2%$347
🛒Groceries & Markets
Berlin
$813 15.8%
Sumy
$444 18.8% ↓ 45.4%$369
🍽Eating Out
Berlin
$956 18.6%
Sumy
$474 20% ↓ 50.4%$482
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Berlin
$389 7.6%
Sumy
$324 13.7% ↓ 16.7%$65
🚌Getting Around
Berlin
$228 4.4%
Sumy
$29 1.2% ↓ 87.1%$199
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Berlin
$178 3.5%
Sumy
$129 5.4% ↓ 27.8%$50
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $1,469 in Berlin versus $545 in Sumy. 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 832% 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 $77.0 in Berlin versus $33.00 in Sumy. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $343 vs $191 – making Sumy 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 Sumy: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Sumy cheaper than Berlin?
Yes – Berlin is pricier by about 162%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,826 per month in Berlin and $1,459 in Sumy. 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 Sumy, 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 Sumy?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,551 in Berlin and $973 in Sumy. That's a gap of about 162%.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
Public transport costs about 748% less in Sumy. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Is $1,000 a realistic budget for living in Berlin or in Sumy?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Sumy, where all-in costs run around $973, than in Berlin at $2,551. In Sumy it covers expenses comfortably, while in Berlin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Berlin or Sumy more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Sumy – 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 Sumy?
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 Sumy. 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.