Cost of Living Comparison Between Frankfurt and Dusseldorf Cost of Living Comparison Between Frankfurt and Dusseldorf

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,667 in Frankfurt versus $2,488 in Dusseldorf.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,020 in Frankfurt versus $3,754 in Dusseldorf.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,373 in Frankfurt versus $5,021 in Dusseldorf.

Living in Frankfurt is roughly 7% more expensive than Dusseldorf, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Frankfurt 99% above, Dusseldorf 86% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.30 €16.62

$17.35 €14.94

11.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$92.3 €79.5

$86.8 €74.7

6.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.94 €12.00

$14.12 €12.16

-1.27%

Cappuccino

$4.44 €3.82

$4.30 €3.70

3.26%

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

$3.62 €3.12

$3.34 €2.87

8.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 €2.78

$3.06 €2.64

5.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.95 €5.12

$5.48 €4.72

8.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.06 €4.36

$4.66 €4.02

8.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.59 €1.37

$1.35 €1.16

17.78%

White Bread (500g)

$2.31 €1.99

$2.32 €2.00

-0.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.42 €2.95

$3.44 €2.96

-0.58%

Eggs

$3.97 €3.42

$3.84 €3.30

3.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.05 €12.96

$14.56 €12.53

3.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.77 €11.86

$14.82 €12.76

-7.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.26 €19.17

$19.42 €16.72

14.62%

Apples (1kg)

$3.51 €3.03

$3.21 €2.76

9.35%

Banana (1kg)

$2.13 €1.84

$1.88 €1.61

13.30%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.26 €1.94

$2.30 €1.98

-1.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.94 €4.25

$4.77 €4.10

3.56%

Potato (1kg)

$1.75 €1.51

$1.57 €1.35

11.46%

Onion (1kg)

$1.67 €1.44

$1.50 €1.29

11.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.95 €1.68

$1.94 €1.67

0.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 €1.00

$1.17 €1.00

-0.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.72 €8.37

$9.42 €8.11

3.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.36 €5.48

$5.84 €5.03

8.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.05 €0.90

$1.06 €0.91

-0.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 €1.30

$1.65 €1.42

-8.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.34 €3.74

$3.97 €3.41

9.32%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$67.3 €58.0

$68.5 €59.0

-1.69%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.76 €4.96

$5.79 €4.99

-0.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.68 €2.30

$3.20 €2.76

-16.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$38.47 €33.12

$39.97 €34.42

-3.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.96 €1.68

$2.06 €1.77

-4.85%

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

$31.2K €26.9K

$32.0K €27.6K

-2.48%

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

$35.1K €30.3K

$35.8K €30.8K

-1.87%

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

$371 €320

$352 €303

5.39%

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

$24.10 €20.75

$28.54 €24.57

-15.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.74 €36.80

$48.41 €41.69

-11.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$65.6 €56.5

$47.78 €41.14

37.34%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.20 €25.14

$27.01 €23.26

8.11%

Cinema Ticket

$15.92 €13.71

$13.96 €12.03

14.04%

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

$604 €520

$797 €686

-24.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.3K €14.0K

$22.9K €19.7K

-28.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$92.0 €79.2

$119 €102

-22.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.75 €33.37

$47.27 €40.70

-18.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.1 €83.6

$140 €120

-30.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$147 €127

$167 €144

-11.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,514 €1,304

$1,224 €1,054

23.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,199 €1,032

$979 €843

22.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,750 €2,368

$2,366 €2,037

16.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,061 €1,775

$1,826 €1,572

12.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,507 €7,326

$9,715 €8,366

-12.43%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,442 €3,825

$5,485 €4,723

-19.02%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,257 €3,666

$3,949 €3,401

7.80%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.99

3.98

0.25%

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

Last update for Frankfurt: May 31, 2026

Last update for Dusseldorf: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,514 in Frankfurt and $1,224 in Dusseldorf. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Frankfurt pays 8% 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: $92.0 in Frankfurt vs $87.0 in Dusseldorf for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $365 vs $352 per month, with Dusseldorf 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

Frankfurt vs Dusseldorf: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Dusseldorf is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment. The 7% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Frankfurt pays 8% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,514 in Frankfurt versus $1,224 in Dusseldorf. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Dusseldorf – a meal for two runs $87.0 versus $92.0 in Frankfurt. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,667 per month in Frankfurt versus $2,488 in Dusseldorf – a 7% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,488 in Dusseldorf versus $2,667 in Frankfurt, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Dusseldorf but tight or insufficient in Frankfurt. The gap between the two cities makes Dusseldorf the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Dusseldorf is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Frankfurt, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Frankfurt and Dusseldorf 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 Dusseldorf gentler on the wallet – expenses run 7% less than in Frankfurt. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.