Cost of Living Comparison Between Bochum and Lexington, KY Cost of Living Comparison Between Bochum and Lexington, KY

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,980 per month in Bochum vs $2,317 in Lexington, KY, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,052 per month in Bochum vs $3,410 in Lexington, KY, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,123 per month in Bochum vs $4,503 in Lexington, KY, rent included.

Bochum is about 15% cheaper than Lexington, KY, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Bochum and Lexington, KY sit above the global median – Bochum by 48%, Lexington, KY by 73%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.16 €14.77

$14.75 $14.75

16.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$75.7 €65.2

$71.0 $71.0

6.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.74 €10.11

$10.20 $10.20

15.10%

Cappuccino

$3.71 €3.20

$5.05 $5.05

-26.53%

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

$2.83 €2.43

$2.28 $2.28

24.12%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 €2.36

$1.75 $1.75

56.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.94 €5.12

$4.84 $4.84

22.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.02 €3.46

$8.04 $8.04

-50.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.21 €1.04

$0.71 $0.71

70.42%

White Bread (500g)

$2.14 €1.84

$2.89 $2.89

-25.95%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.31 €2.85

$4.58 $4.58

-27.73%

Eggs

$3.88 €3.34

$3.20 $3.20

21.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.95 €12.87

$12.77 $12.77

17.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.63 €12.60

$11.02 $11.02

32.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.79 €17.90

$16.43 $16.43

26.54%

Apples (1kg)

$3.42 €2.95

$4.81 $4.81

-28.90%

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 €1.49

$1.24 $1.24

39.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.23 €1.92

$3.50 $3.50

-36.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.07 €4.37

$4.53 $4.53

11.92%

Potato (1kg)

$1.69 €1.46

$3.37 $3.37

-49.85%

Onion (1kg)

$1.70 €1.46

$3.24 $3.24

-47.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.03 €1.75

$2.04 $2.04

-0.49%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.11 €0.96

$1.77 $1.77

-37.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.66 €8.31

$8.08 $8.08

19.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.69 €4.90

$12.78 $12.78

-55.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.06 €0.91

$2.80 $2.80

-62.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.71 €1.47

$3.23 $3.23

-47.06%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.83 €3.30

$0.99 $0.99

286.87%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$57.5 €49.51

$30.54 $30.54

88.24%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.96 €5.13

$5.11 $5.11

16.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.93 €1.66

$1.63 $1.63

18.40%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.68 €29.86

$29.72 $29.72

16.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.01 €1.73

$0.78 $0.78

157.69%

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

$31.3K €27.0K

$23.3K $23.3K

34.43%

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

$32.2K €27.7K

$26.3K $26.3K

22.37%

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

$416 €359

$207 $207

101.56%

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

$35.61 €30.66

$72.6 $72.6

-50.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.3 €45.88

$67.8 $67.8

-21.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.35 €26.13

$35.38 $35.38

-14.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.26 €20.03

$30.06 $30.06

-22.62%

Cinema Ticket

$17.32 €14.91

$14.79 $14.79

17.11%

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

$427 €368

$1,168 $1,168

-63.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.4K €12.4K

$24.7K $24.7K

-41.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$85.7 €73.8

$58.2 $58.2

47.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.19 €38.91

$35.11 $35.11

28.71%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 €91.6

$103 $103

2.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$142 €123

$157 $157

-9.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$686 €591

$1,105 $1,105

-37.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$499 €430

$1,034 $1,034

-51.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,298 €1,118

$2,102 $2,102

-38.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,038 €894

$1,731 $1,731

-40.04%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,090 €3,522

$2,079 $2,079

96.73%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,544 €3,913

$2,106 $2,106

115.75%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,777 €2,391

$4,059 $4,059

-31.59%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.97

6.67

-40.48%

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

Last update for Bochum: June 1, 2026

Last update for Lexington, KY: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $686 in Bochum versus $1,105 in Lexington, KY. 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 46% higher in Lexington, KY, 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 $76.0 in Bochum versus $71.0 in Lexington, KY. Groceries tell a different story – $354 in Bochum vs $370 in Lexington, KY – so Bochum 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

Bochum vs Lexington, KY: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,980 in Bochum, $2,317 in Lexington, KY – roughly 17% apart. Lexington, KY costs more across the board, with Monthly Utilities & Internet showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,970 per month in Bochum and $3,475 in Lexington, KY. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $76.0 in Bochum and $71.0 in Lexington, KY. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,980 in Bochum and $2,317 in Lexington, KY. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Bochum, where all-in costs run around $1,980, than in Lexington, KY at $2,317. In Bochum it covers expenses comfortably, while in Lexington, KY it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Bochum – 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 Bochum. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Lexington, KY makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.