Cost of Living Comparison Between Best and Jena Cost of Living Comparison Between Best and Jena

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,269 per month in Best vs $1,749 in Jena, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,161 per month in Best vs $2,661 in Jena, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,053 per month in Best vs $3,573 in Jena, rent included.

Best costs about 30% more than Jena, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Best and Jena sit above the global median – Best by 69%, Jena by 31%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$21.00 €17.98

$11.66 €9.98

80.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$92.3 €79.0

$59.0 €50.5

56.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.77 €10.08

$10.91 €9.34

7.88%

Cappuccino

$3.50 €2.99

$4.16 €3.56

-15.87%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.16 €2.71

$3.15 €2.70

0.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 €2.38

$3.48 €2.98

-20.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.11 €4.37

$5.23 €4.47

-2.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.92 €5.06

$4.55 €3.89

30.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 €0.97

$1.28 €1.09

-10.94%

White Bread (500g)

$2.02 €1.73

$2.24 €1.92

-9.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.30 €2.83

$3.12 €2.67

5.77%

Eggs

$4.62 €3.96

$3.79 €3.24

21.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.33 €11.41

$14.92 €12.77

-10.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.34 €13.99

$13.60 €11.64

20.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.78 €14.36

$19.21 €16.44

-12.65%

Apples (1kg)

$2.16 €1.85

$3.27 €2.80

-33.94%

Banana (1kg)

$2.60 €2.23

$1.70 €1.46

52.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.95 €1.67

$2.28 €1.95

-14.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.82 €3.27

$4.69 €4.01

-18.55%

Potato (1kg)

$2.12 €1.81

$1.50 €1.29

41.33%

Onion (1kg)

$2.03 €1.74

$1.48 €1.26

37.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 €1.06

$1.77 €1.51

-29.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 €0.45

$1.08 €0.92

-50.93%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.31 €8.82

$10.10 €8.65

2.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.99 €5.12

$5.91 €5.06

1.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.55 €1.32

$1.07 €0.91

44.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.70 €2.31

$1.56 €1.33

73.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.56 €2.19

$3.05 €2.61

-16.07%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.6 €62.1

$67.6 €57.9

7.32%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.42 €2.92

$4.49 €3.84

-23.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.10 €1.80

$3.04 €2.61

-30.92%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.85 €24.69

$34.83 €29.81

-17.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.27 €1.95

$1.93 €1.65

17.62%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$25.6K €21.9K

$31.1K €26.6K

-17.64%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$27.3K €23.3K

$37.2K €31.8K

-26.59%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$168 €144

$332 €285

-49.32%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$22.43 €19.20

$31.72 €27.15

-29.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$46.39 €39.71

$50.5 €43.24

-8.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.78 €25.49

$34.08 €29.17

-12.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.45 €18.36

$23.19 €19.85

-7.50%

Cinema Ticket

$14.90 €12.75

$10.44 €8.93

42.72%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$1,157 €991

$345 €295

235.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,044 €4,317

$14.4K €12.3K

-65.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.2 €55.0

$87.4 €74.8

-26.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.90 €26.45

$23.10 €19.77

33.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.3 €73.9

$123 €105

-29.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$67.7 €57.9

$118 €101

-42.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,830 €1,567

$776 €664

135.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,111 €951

$466 €399

138.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,585 €2,213

$1,268 €1,086

103.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,425 €1,220

$888 €760

60.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,423 €4,642

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,559 €3,903

$2,935 €2,513

55.33%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,325 €3,702

$3,403 €2,913

27.09%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.5

3.98

-12.06%

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

Last update for Best: April 28, 2026

Last update for Jena: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,830 in Best versus $776 in Jena. 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 27% higher in Best, 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 $92.0 in Best versus $59.0 in Jena. Groceries tell a different story – $336 in Best vs $340 in Jena – so Best wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Best vs Jena: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Best is pricier by about 30%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,403 per month in Best and $2,624 in Jena. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Jena, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,269 in Best and $1,749 in Jena. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 7% less in Jena. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Jena, where all-in costs run around $1,749, than in Best at $2,269. In Jena it covers expenses comfortably, while in Best it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Jena – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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.

If budget matters most, go with Jena. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Best makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.