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: $2,727 in Frankfurt versus $2,300 in Giessen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,977 in Frankfurt versus $3,234 in Giessen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,226 in Frankfurt versus $4,168 in Giessen.

Living in Frankfurt is roughly 19% more expensive than Giessen, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Frankfurt 104% above, Giessen 72% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.96 €17.09

$21.12 €18.08

-5.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$93.1 €79.7

$81.8 €70.0

13.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.08 €12.05

$13.11 €11.23

7.40%

Cappuccino

$4.61 €3.95

$3.86 €3.30

19.43%

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

$3.74 €3.20

$3.06 €2.62

22.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.35 €2.87

$1.95 €1.67

71.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.86 €5.02

$4.83 €4.14

21.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.24 €4.48

$5.06 €4.33

3.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.52 €1.30

$1.22 €1.05

24.59%

White Bread (500g)

$2.23 €1.91

$2.29 €1.96

-2.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.29 €2.82

$3.41 €2.92

-3.52%

Eggs

$3.97 €3.40

$3.97 €3.39

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.15 €12.96

$14.52 €12.43

4.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.76 €11.78

$14.40 €12.33

-4.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$21.92 €18.76

$19.74 €16.90

11.04%

Apples (1kg)

$3.54 €3.03

$3.05 €2.61

16.07%

Banana (1kg)

$2.08 €1.78

$1.81 €1.55

14.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.22 €1.90

$2.15 €1.84

3.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.13 €4.39

$4.89 €4.19

4.91%

Potato (1kg)

$1.68 €1.44

$1.38 €1.18

21.74%

Onion (1kg)

$1.74 €1.49

$1.40 €1.20

24.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.00 €1.71

$1.86 €1.59

7.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 €0.98

$1.16 €0.99

-0.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.12 €8.66

$9.60 €8.21

5.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.89 €5.90

$5.77 €4.94

19.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.05 €0.90

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 €1.29

$1.66 €1.42

-9.04%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.10 €3.51

$3.50 €3.00

17.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$66.1 €56.6

$61.6 €52.7

7.24%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.92 €5.07

$5.82 €4.98

1.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.72 €2.33

$1.39 €1.19

95.68%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$37.68 €32.26

$39.82 €34.08

-5.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.05 €1.75

$1.99 €1.70

3.02%

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

$31.5K €27.0K

$31.9K €27.3K

-1.20%

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

$34.8K €29.8K

$37.1K €31.8K

-6.22%

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

$366 €314

$333 €285

10.07%

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

$24.17 €20.69

$32.85 €28.12

-26.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$43.97 €37.64

$54.1 €46.32

-18.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$64.4 €55.1

$31.95 €27.35

101.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.61 €25.35

$23.35 €19.99

26.81%

Cinema Ticket

$16.22 €13.88

$13.67 €11.70

18.65%

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

$610 €522

$1,120 €959

-45.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.3K €14.0K

$46.2K €39.5K

-64.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$92.1 €78.8

$45.44 €38.89

102.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.48 €32.94

$23.44 €20.07

64.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.1 €83.9

$107 €91.8

-8.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$145 €124

$138 €118

4.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,516 €1,298

$924 €791

64.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,181 €1,011

$943 €807

25.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,806 €2,402

$1,491 €1,277

88.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,060 €1,763

$1,283 €1,098

60.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,210 €7,027

$5,920 €5,067

38.68%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,707 €4,029

$2,933 €2,511

60.49%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,745 €4,061

$2,569 €2,199

84.66%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Giessen: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,516 in Frankfurt and $924 in Giessen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Frankfurt pays 85% 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: $93.0 in Frankfurt vs $82.0 in Giessen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $364 vs $347 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 19% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Frankfurt pays 85% 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: $1,516 in Frankfurt versus $924 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 $82.0 versus $93.0 in Frankfurt. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,727 per month in Frankfurt versus $2,300 in Giessen – a 19% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,300 in Giessen versus $2,727 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 19% less than in Frankfurt. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.