Cost of Living Comparison Between Dessau and Arnhem Cost of Living Comparison Between Dessau and Arnhem

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,897 in Dessau versus $2,713 in Arnhem.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,994 in Dessau versus $3,945 in Arnhem.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,092 in Dessau versus $5,177 in Arnhem.

Living in Dessau costs roughly 30% less than in Arnhem, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Dessau 38% above, Arnhem 97% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.76 €15.27

$23.54 €20.23

-24.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$86.7 €74.6

$91.0 €78.2

-4.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.75 €13.54

$13.81 €11.87

14.05%

Cappuccino

$4.49 €3.86

$4.48 €3.85

0.22%

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

$2.89 €2.49

$3.42 €2.94

-15.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.35 €3.74

$2.70 €2.32

61.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.35 €4.60

$5.72 €4.92

-6.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.94 €5.10

$5.98 €5.14

-0.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.39 €1.20

$1.25 €1.07

11.20%

White Bread (500g)

$2.14 €1.84

$2.05 €1.76

4.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.04 €3.48

$3.45 €2.97

17.10%

Eggs

$3.73 €3.20

$5.36 €4.61

-30.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.33 €8.88

$13.37 €11.49

-22.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.39 €10.66

$14.85 €12.76

-16.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.68 €19.50

$16.54 €14.22

37.12%

Apples (1kg)

$3.39 €2.91

$2.82 €2.43

20.21%

Banana (1kg)

$2.19 €1.88

$2.50 €2.15

-12.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.19 €1.88

$1.87 €1.61

17.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.60 €3.10

$5.51 €4.74

-34.66%

Potato (1kg)

$1.27 €1.09

$2.00 €1.72

-36.50%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 €1.00

$2.56 €2.20

-54.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.70 €1.46

$1.28 €1.10

32.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.27 €1.10

$0.78 €0.67

62.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.77 €8.40

$14.73 €12.66

-33.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.80 €5.85

$7.52 €6.46

-9.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 €1.00

$1.50 €1.29

-22.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 €1.43

$2.80 €2.40

-40.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.70 €2.32

$4.62 €3.97

-41.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$66.7 €57.4

$115 €99.3

-42.21%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.25 €4.51

$4.16 €3.58

26.20%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.63 €2.26

$2.37 €2.03

10.97%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.35 €30.39

$33.82 €29.07

4.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.01 €1.73

$2.35 €2.02

-14.47%

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

$34.1K €29.3K

$43.3K €37.2K

-21.24%

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

$40.6K €34.9K

$40.8K €35.1K

-0.58%

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

$297 €255

$289 €248

2.72%

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

$26.18 €22.51

$23.38 €20.10

11.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$54.6 €46.93

$45.35 €38.99

20.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$72.7 €62.5

$43.15 €37.09

68.44%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.02 €19.79

$11.72 €10.08

96.42%

Cinema Ticket

$12.36 €10.62

$15.03 €12.92

-17.76%

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

$321 €276

$1,288 €1,108

-75.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,275 €5,395

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$78.9 €67.8

$99.2 €85.3

-20.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.95 €42.08

$30.25 €26.01

61.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$141 €121

$112 €95.9

25.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$178 €153

$162 €139

9.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$464 €399

$1,509 €1,297

-69.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$461 €396

$1,205 €1,036

-61.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$742 €638

$2,285 €1,964

-67.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,045 €898

$1,877 €1,614

-44.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,513 €3,020

$5,379 €4,624

-34.68%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,858 €1,597

$4,357 €3,745

-57.36%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,238 €1,924

$3,764 €3,236

-40.54%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.95

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

Last update for Dessau: September 1, 2026

Last update for Arnhem: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $464 in Dessau and $1,509 in Arnhem. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Arnhem pays 68% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $87.0 in Dessau vs $91.0 in Arnhem for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $335 vs $350 per month, with Dessau cheaper across the board.

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

Dessau vs Arnhem: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Dessau and Arnhem differ by about 43% in total monthly costs ($1,897 vs $2,713 including rent). Dessau is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 68% lower in Arnhem. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $464 in Dessau versus $1,509 in Arnhem. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 4% higher in Arnhem. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Dessau – a meal for two runs $87.0 versus $91.0 in Arnhem. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,897 in Dessau versus $2,713 in Arnhem, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Dessau but tight or insufficient in Arnhem. The gap between the two cities makes Dessau the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Dessau and Arnhem are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Dessau gentler on the wallet – expenses run 43% less than in Arnhem. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.