Cost of Living Comparison Between Cairns and Giessen Cost of Living Comparison Between Cairns and Giessen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,309 per month in Cairns vs $2,300 in Giessen, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,426 per month in Cairns vs $3,234 in Giessen, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,543 per month in Cairns vs $4,168 in Giessen, rent included.

Cairns and Giessen have comparable living costs – the differences are in the details.

Both Cairns and Giessen sit above the global median – Cairns by 72%, Giessen by 72%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.80 A$16.40

$21.12 €18.04

-44.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$79.7 A$111

$81.8 €69.8

-2.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.90 A$15.16

$13.11 €11.20

-16.86%

Cappuccino

$3.74 A$5.21

$3.86 €3.30

-3.11%

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

$2.82 A$3.92

$3.06 €2.61

-7.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.29 A$3.19

$1.95 €1.67

17.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.61 A$9.18

$4.83 €4.13

36.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.06 A$9.81

$5.06 €4.32

39.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 A$2.41

$1.22 €1.04

41.80%

White Bread (500g)

$2.52 A$3.51

$2.29 €1.96

10.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.75 A$3.83

$3.41 €2.91

-19.35%

Eggs

$4.08 A$5.66

$3.97 €3.39

2.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.79 A$10.83

$14.52 €12.40

-46.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.09 A$12.64

$14.40 €12.30

-36.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.86 A$17.88

$19.74 €16.86

-34.85%

Apples (1kg)

$2.97 A$4.12

$3.05 €2.60

-2.62%

Banana (1kg)

$2.21 A$3.07

$1.81 €1.55

22.10%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.75 A$3.82

$2.15 €1.83

27.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$7.33 A$10.19

$4.89 €4.18

49.90%

Potato (1kg)

$2.29 A$3.18

$1.38 €1.17

65.94%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 A$3.14

$1.40 €1.19

61.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.29 A$3.18

$1.86 €1.59

23.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.89 A$4.01

$1.16 €0.99

149.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$29.79 A$41.41

$9.60 €8.19

210.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.59 A$16.12

$5.77 €4.93

100.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.37 A$4.68

$1.05 €0.90

220.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 A$4.88

$1.66 €1.42

111.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.27 A$4.54

$3.50 €2.99

-6.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$65.7 A$91.3

$61.6 €52.6

6.59%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.44 A$8.95

$5.82 €4.97

10.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.07 A$4.26

$1.39 €1.19

120.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$33.27 A$46.24

$39.82 €34.00

-16.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 A$1.53

$1.99 €1.70

-44.72%

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

$22.6K A$31.4K

$31.9K €27.3K

-29.30%

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

$19.6K A$27.3K

$37.1K €31.7K

-47.13%

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

$154 A$215

$333 €284

-53.59%

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

$37.14 A$51.6

$32.85 €28.05

13.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$59.4 A$82.6

$54.1 €46.21

9.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.59 A$53.6

$31.95 €27.28

20.78%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.50 A$21.54

$23.35 €19.94

-33.62%

Cinema Ticket

$12.84 A$17.85

$13.67 €11.67

-6.07%

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

$1,608 A$2,235

$1,120 €957

43.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.8K A$16.4K

$46.2K €39.4K

-74.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$83.5 A$116

$45.44 €38.80

83.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$68.1 A$94.7

$23.44 €20.02

190.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.8 A$136

$107 €91.6

-8.87%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$134 A$186

$138 €118

-3.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,212 A$1,684

$924 €789

31.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,102 A$1,532

$943 €805

16.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,052 A$2,852

$1,491 €1,274

37.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,813 A$2,520

$1,283 €1,095

41.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,758 A$9,393

$5,920 €5,056

14.15%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,068 A$7,044

$2,933 €2,505

72.79%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,557 A$6,334

$2,569 €2,194

77.34%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.96

3.98

74.87%

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

Last update for Cairns: April 26, 2026

Last update for Giessen: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,212 in Cairns versus $924 in Giessen. 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 77% higher in Cairns. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $80.0 in Cairns versus $82.0 in Giessen. Groceries tell a different story – $355 in Cairns vs $347 in Giessen – so Giessen 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

Cairns vs Giessen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,464 per month in Cairns and $3,450 in Giessen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 2% more in Cairns, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

Kindergarten costs $1,608 per month in Cairns and $1,120 in Giessen. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Giessen, where all-in costs run around $2,300, than in Cairns at $2,309. In Giessen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Cairns it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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