Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Braunschweig and Berlin

For one person, living is cheaper in Braunschweig: $1,738 a month against $2,535 in Berlin, rent and utilities included – about $9,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Braunschweig, Germany
Berlin, Germany
Braunschweig
🇩🇪 Germany
$1,738
/mo nomad
Berlin
🇩🇪 Germany
$2,535
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Braunschweig and in Berlin

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Braunschweig and in Berlin actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,738 per month in Braunschweig vs $2,535 in Berlin, rent included.

  • Braunschweig $1,738
  • Berlin $2,535

A couple spends around $2,809 per month in Braunschweig vs $3,888 in Berlin, rent included.

  • Braunschweig $2,809
  • Berlin $3,888

A family of three spends $3,879 per month in Braunschweig vs $5,241 in Berlin, rent included.

  • Braunschweig $3,879
  • Berlin $5,241

Braunschweig is about 31% cheaper than Berlin, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both Braunschweig and Berlin sit above the global median – Braunschweig by 29%, Berlin by 88%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Braunschweig
Berlin
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.73 €14.86
$16.50 €14.66
1.39%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$79.0 €70.2
$79.1 €70.2
-0.10%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.11 €9.87
$13.98 €12.42
-20.53%
Cappuccino
$4.15 €3.69
$4.38 €3.89
-5.25%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.35 €2.98
$3.20 €2.84
4.69%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.77 €2.46
$3.08 €2.74
-10.06%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$4.52 €4.01
$5.38 €4.78
-15.99%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.74 €3.33
$4.38 €3.89
-14.61%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Braunschweig
Berlin
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.26 €1.12
$1.24 €1.10
1.61%
White Bread (500g)
$2.33 €2.07
$2.51 €2.23
-7.17%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$4.44 €3.95
$3.36 €2.99
32.14%
Eggs
$4.11 €3.65
$4.68 €4.15
-12.18%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$14.29 €12.69
$18.28 €16.24
-21.83%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.30 €9.15
$12.25 €10.88
-15.92%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$25.44 €22.60
$18.10 €16.08
40.55%
Apples (1kg)
$3.38 €3.00
$3.36 €2.98
0.60%
Banana (1kg)
$2.14 €1.90
$1.97 €1.75
8.63%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.90 €1.69
$3.39 €3.01
-43.95%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.81 €3.39
$3.61 €3.21
5.54%
Potato (1kg)
$1.20 €1.07
$2.02 €1.80
-40.59%
Onion (1kg)
$1.32 €1.18
$1.92 €1.71
-31.25%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.40 €1.24
$1.48 €1.31
-5.41%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.88 €0.78
$0.90 €0.80
-2.22%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$9.80 €8.71
$10.48 €9.31
-6.49%
Wine (Bottle)
$6.24 €5.54
$6.68 €5.93
-6.59%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.16 €1.03
$1.31 €1.17
-11.45%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.57 €1.39
$2.01 €1.79
-21.89%
🚌 Getting Around
Braunschweig
Berlin
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$3.82 €3.40
$4.53 €4.02
-15.67%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$69.3 €61.5
$70.2 €62.4
-1.37%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$5.51 €4.90
$4.85 €4.31
13.61%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.80 €2.49
$3.11 €2.76
-9.97%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$31.30 €27.80
$37.21 €33.06
-15.88%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.15 €1.91
$2.33 €2.07
-7.73%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$32.9K €29.2K
$33.3K €29.6K
-1.30%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$39.0K €34.7K
$39.4K €35.0K
-0.88%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Braunschweig
Berlin
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$196 €174
$390 €346
-49.68%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$29.45 €26.16
$19.74 €17.54
49.19%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$51.1 €45.35
$49.03 €43.55
4.12%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Braunschweig
Berlin
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$39.47 €35.06
$40.21 €35.72
-1.84%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$13.52 €12.01
$35.15 €31.23
-61.54%
Cinema Ticket
$13.45 €11.95
$15.36 €13.64
-12.43%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Braunschweig
Berlin
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$390 €347
$145 €129
168.29%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$14.0K €12.5K
$18.0K €16.0K
-21.89%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Braunschweig
Berlin
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$82.4 €73.2
$100.0 €88.8
-17.58%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$38.46 €34.16
$47.89 €42.54
-19.69%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$99.5 €88.3
$103 €91.4
-3.34%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$121 €107
$141 €126
-14.56%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Braunschweig
Berlin
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$662 €588
$1,427 €1,267
-53.58%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$525 €466
$1,082 €961
-51.50%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,292 €1,148
$2,717 €2,414
-52.46%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,119 €994
$2,170 €1,927
-48.43%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,464 €3,966
$8,523 €7,571
-47.62%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,066 €1,835
$5,436 €4,829
-61.99%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Braunschweig
Berlin
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$4,289 €3,810
$3,543 €3,148
21.04%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.76
3.8
-1.05%

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

Last update for Braunschweig: October 31, 2026

Last update for Berlin: November 1, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Braunschweig
$525
Berlin
$1.1K 106% $557
Groceries & Markets
Braunschweig
$341
Berlin
$351 2.9% $10
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Braunschweig
$277
Berlin
$459 65.8% $182
Eating Out
Braunschweig
$272
Berlin
$287 5.8% $16
Clothing & Footwear
Braunschweig
$154
Berlin
$176 15% $23
Getting Around
Braunschweig
$104
Berlin
$109 4.5% $4.7
Sport & Entertainment
Braunschweig
$66
Berlin
$71 6.8% $4.5

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $662 in Braunschweig versus $1,427 in Berlin. 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 21% higher in Braunschweig, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $79 in Braunschweig versus $79 in Berlin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $341 vs $351 – making Braunschweig the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇩🇪 Braunschweig
🇩🇪 Berlin
🕒 Local time
18:28 6:28 PM
18:28 6:28 PM
Same time as Braunschweig
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
253,167
3,769,962 Capital
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of November 4, 2026: 1 USD = 0.888 EUR (1 EUR = 1.13 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Braunschweig Berlin 200 km
From you
  • Braunschweig
  • Berlin

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
Braunschweig vs Berlin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Braunschweig cheaper than Berlin?
Yes – Berlin is pricier by about 46%, 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 $2,607 per month in Braunschweig and $3,803 in Berlin. 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 Braunschweig, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $662 there versus $1,427 in Berlin.
How do food prices compare in Braunschweig and in Berlin?
Groceries cost about 3% more in Berlin, though the gap depends on what you buy.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $390 per month in Braunschweig and $145 in Berlin. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Is $3,000 enough for either Braunschweig or Berlin?
$3,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $1,738 in Braunschweig and $2,535 in Berlin, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.
Is it better to live in Braunschweig or in Berlin?
It depends on your priorities. Berlin has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,738 in Braunschweig to $2,535 in Berlin. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Which city is safer, Braunschweig or Berlin?
Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.

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