Cost of Living Comparison Between Frankfurt and Giessen Cost of Living Comparison Between Frankfurt and Giessen

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,632 in Frankfurt versus $2,253 in Giessen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,944 in Frankfurt versus $3,199 in Giessen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,256 in Frankfurt versus $4,145 in Giessen.

Living in Frankfurt is roughly 17% more expensive than Giessen, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Frankfurt 96% above, Giessen 68% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.73 €17.00

$20.93 €18.03

-5.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$94.2 €81.2

$80.7 €69.6

16.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.06 €12.12

$12.83 €11.06

9.59%

Cappuccino

$4.43 €3.82

$3.86 €3.33

14.77%

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

$3.74 €3.23

$2.96 €2.55

26.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 €2.88

$2.03 €1.75

64.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.82 €5.01

$4.99 €4.30

16.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.23 €4.50

$5.23 €4.51

Milk (1 liter)

$1.50 €1.30

$1.27 €1.09

18.11%

White Bread (500g)

$2.26 €1.94

$2.21 €1.90

2.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.29 €2.84

$3.37 €2.90

-2.37%

Eggs

$3.97 €3.42

$4.00 €3.45

-0.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.72 €12.68

$14.53 €12.52

1.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.49 €11.62

$14.40 €12.41

-6.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$21.76 €18.75

$19.33 €16.65

12.57%

Apples (1kg)

$3.51 €3.03

$3.09 €2.67

13.59%

Banana (1kg)

$2.07 €1.79

$1.78 €1.53

16.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.31 €1.99

$2.19 €1.88

5.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.10 €4.40

$5.00 €4.31

2.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.72 €1.48

$1.43 €1.24

20.28%

Onion (1kg)

$1.65 €1.42

$1.43 €1.23

15.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.92 €1.65

$1.89 €1.63

1.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.10 €0.95

$1.19 €1.03

-7.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.07 €8.68

$9.68 €8.34

4.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.39 €5.51

$5.62 €4.85

13.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 €0.93

$1.02 €0.88

5.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 €1.29

$1.63 €1.40

-7.98%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.19 €3.61

$3.39 €2.92

23.60%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$66.9 €57.7

$60.8 €52.4

10.12%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.73 €4.94

$5.70 €4.91

0.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.62 €2.26

$1.32 €1.14

98.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$37.81 €32.58

$40.17 €34.61

-5.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.98 €1.70

$2.01 €1.73

-1.49%

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

$31.5K €27.1K

$31.4K €27.1K

0.08%

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

$34.7K €29.9K

$36.9K €31.8K

-5.73%

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

$366 €316

$326 €280

12.54%

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

$24.43 €21.05

$32.91 €28.36

-25.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$43.03 €37.07

$55.6 €47.88

-22.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$66.6 €57.4

$31.19 €26.87

113.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.59 €25.49

$23.50 €20.25

25.91%

Cinema Ticket

$16.09 €13.86

$13.84 €11.92

16.26%

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

$601 €517

$1,116 €962

-46.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.5K €14.2K

$46.8K €40.3K

-64.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$90.0 €77.5

$46.93 €40.43

91.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.41 €33.95

$23.50 €20.25

67.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.6 €83.2

$104 €89.6

-7.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$147 €127

$135 €117

8.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,527 €1,316

$913 €787

67.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,188 €1,023

$909 €783

30.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,756 €2,375

$1,507 €1,298

82.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,058 €1,773

$1,257 €1,083

63.72%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,493 €7,318

$5,775 €4,976

47.07%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,480 €3,860

$2,923 €2,518

53.29%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,241 €3,654

$2,767 €2,384

53.26%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Giessen: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,527 in Frankfurt and $913 in Giessen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Frankfurt pays 53% 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: $94.0 in Frankfurt vs $81.0 in Giessen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $359 vs $346 per month, with Giessen 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 Giessen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Giessen is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 17% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Frankfurt pays 53% 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: $1,527 in Frankfurt versus $913 in Giessen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Giessen – a meal for two runs $81.0 versus $94.0 in Frankfurt. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,632 per month in Frankfurt versus $2,253 in Giessen – a 17% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,253 in Giessen versus $2,632 in Frankfurt, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Giessen but tight or insufficient in Frankfurt. The gap between the two cities makes Giessen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Giessen 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 Giessen 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 Giessen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 17% less than in Frankfurt. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.