Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Berlin and Wilhelmshaven

For one person, living is cheaper in Wilhelmshaven: $1,827 a month against $2,547 in Berlin, rent and utilities included – about $8,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Berlin, Germany
Wilhelmshaven, Germany
Berlin
🇩🇪 Germany
$2,547
/mo nomad
Wilhelmshaven
🇩🇪 Germany
$1,827
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Berlin and in Wilhelmshaven

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

A single person spends $2,547 per month in Berlin vs $1,827 in Wilhelmshaven, rent included.

  • Berlin $2,547
  • Wilhelmshaven $1,827

A couple spends around $3,875 per month in Berlin vs $2,758 in Wilhelmshaven, rent included.

  • Berlin $3,875
  • Wilhelmshaven $2,758

A family of three spends $5,204 per month in Berlin vs $3,690 in Wilhelmshaven, rent included.

  • Berlin $5,204
  • Wilhelmshaven $3,690

Berlin costs about 39% more than Wilhelmshaven, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both Berlin and Wilhelmshaven sit above the global median – Berlin by 87%, Wilhelmshaven by 34%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Berlin
Wilhelmshaven
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.64 €14.93
$17.56 €15.76
-5.24%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$78.0 €70.0
$74.1 €66.5
5.31%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$13.38 €12.00
$13.49 €12.10
-0.82%
Cappuccino
$4.24 €3.80
$4.67 €4.19
-9.21%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.42 €3.06
$4.17 €3.74
-17.99%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.16 €2.83
$3.34 €3.00
-5.39%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.45 €4.89
$5.77 €5.18
-5.55%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.35 €3.90
$4.96 €4.45
-12.30%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Berlin
Wilhelmshaven
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.21 €1.08
$1.08 €0.97
12.04%
White Bread (500g)
$2.34 €2.10
$2.53 €2.27
-7.51%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.34 €3.00
$2.78 €2.49
20.14%
Eggs
$4.45 €3.99
$4.20 €3.77
5.95%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$17.11 €15.35
$12.14 €10.90
40.94%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$12.12 €10.88
$12.16 €10.91
-0.33%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$17.59 €15.78
$18.82 €16.89
-6.54%
Apples (1kg)
$3.63 €3.26
$2.52 €2.26
44.05%
Banana (1kg)
$1.95 €1.75
$1.85 €1.66
5.41%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.31 €2.97
$2.07 €1.86
59.90%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.71 €3.33
$4.03 €3.61
-7.94%
Potato (1kg)
$2.14 €1.92
$1.88 €1.69
13.83%
Onion (1kg)
$2.09 €1.88
$1.59 €1.42
31.45%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.40 €1.26
$1.77 €1.59
-20.90%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.00 €0.90
$1.13 €1.02
-11.50%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$10.60 €9.51
$9.56 €8.57
10.88%
Wine (Bottle)
$6.75 €6.06
$5.65 €5.07
19.47%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.30 €1.16
$1.14 €1.03
14.04%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.06 €1.84
$1.51 €1.36
36.42%
🚌 Getting Around
Berlin
Wilhelmshaven
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$4.60 €4.12
$2.78 €2.50
65.47%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$69.3 €62.2
$53.8 €48.28
28.81%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$5.35 €4.80
$6.69 €6.00
-20.03%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$3.15 €2.83
$2.95 €2.65
6.78%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$36.94 €33.14
$41.90 €37.59
-11.84%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.32 €2.08
$2.01 €1.81
15.42%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$33.7K €30.2K
$31.8K €28.5K
5.93%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$38.8K €34.9K
$38.0K €34.1K
2.31%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Berlin
Wilhelmshaven
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$378 €339
$292 €262
29.20%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$19.42 €17.42
$11.01 €9.88
76.39%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$48.13 €43.19
$39.01 €35.00
23.38%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Berlin
Wilhelmshaven
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$39.30 €35.27
$28.11 €25.22
39.81%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$35.65 €31.98
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$14.44 €12.96
$15.88 €14.25
-9.07%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Berlin
Wilhelmshaven
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$146 €131
$500 €449
-70.88%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$15.9K €14.3K
$13.6K €12.2K
16.84%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Berlin
Wilhelmshaven
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$95.6 €85.8
$86.3 €77.4
10.75%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$47.53 €42.65
$36.65 €32.88
29.69%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$105 €94.1
$55.6 €49.87
88.77%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$143 €128
$117 €105
22.39%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Berlin
Wilhelmshaven
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,407 €1,262
$778 €698
80.76%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,117 €1,002
$580 €521
92.50%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,718 €2,439
$1,026 €921
164.81%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,172 €1,949
$1,009 €906
115.24%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$8,339 €7,482
$3,966 €3,559
110.23%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$5,319 €4,773
$2,273 €2,039
134.07%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Berlin
Wilhelmshaven
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,507 €3,147
$3,163 €2,838
10.90%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.8
3.69
2.98%

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

Last update for Berlin: October 27, 2026

Last update for Wilhelmshaven: October 24, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Berlin
$1.1K
Wilhelmshaven
$580 48.1% $537
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Berlin
$445
Wilhelmshaven
$342 23.1% $103
Groceries & Markets
Berlin
$345
Wilhelmshaven
$319 7.5% $26
Eating Out
Berlin
$286
Wilhelmshaven
$306 6.8% $19
Clothing & Footwear
Berlin
$176
Wilhelmshaven
$133 24.5% $43
Getting Around
Berlin
$109
Wilhelmshaven
$86 20.6% $22
Sport & Entertainment
Berlin
$68
Wilhelmshaven
$60 12.2% $8.3

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,407 in Berlin versus $778 in Wilhelmshaven. 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 11% 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 $78 in Berlin versus $74 in Wilhelmshaven. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $345 vs $319 – making Wilhelmshaven the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇩🇪 Berlin
🇩🇪 Wilhelmshaven
🕒 Local time
18:19 6:19 PM
18:19 6:19 PM
Same time as Berlin
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
3,769,962 Capital
75,728
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of October 29, 2026: 1 USD = 0.897 EUR (1 EUR = 1.11 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Berlin Wilhelmshaven 370 km
From you
  • Berlin
  • Wilhelmshaven

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 Wilhelmshaven: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Wilhelmshaven cheaper than Berlin?
Yes – Berlin is pricier by about 39%, 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 $2,740 in Wilhelmshaven. 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 Wilhelmshaven, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $778 there versus $1,407 in Berlin.
What are total monthly expenses in Berlin and in Wilhelmshaven?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,547 in Berlin and $1,827 in Wilhelmshaven. That makes Wilhelmshaven about 28% cheaper.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
Public transport costs about 22% less in Wilhelmshaven. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Is $3,000 enough for either Berlin or Wilhelmshaven?
$3,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $2,547 in Berlin and $1,827 in Wilhelmshaven, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.
Is it better to live in Berlin or in Wilhelmshaven?
It depends on your priorities. Berlin has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,827 in Wilhelmshaven to $2,547 in Berlin. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Which city is safer, Berlin or Wilhelmshaven?
Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Wilhelmshaven. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Berlin makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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