Cost of Living Comparison Between Frankfurt and Jena Cost of Living Comparison Between Frankfurt and Jena

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,724 in Frankfurt versus $1,788 in Jena.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,953 in Frankfurt versus $2,710 in Jena.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,182 in Frankfurt versus $3,632 in Jena.

Living in Frankfurt is roughly 52% more expensive than in Jena, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Frankfurt 104% above, Jena 34% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.56 €17.11

$11.78 €10.30

66.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$92.7 €81.1

$57.6 €50.4

60.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.06 €12.30

$10.93 €9.56

28.64%

Cappuccino

$4.52 €3.96

$3.94 €3.45

14.72%

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

$3.65 €3.19

$3.09 €2.71

18.12%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.40 €2.97

$3.42 €2.99

-0.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.91 €5.17

$5.25 €4.59

12.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.25 €4.59

$4.66 €4.08

12.66%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.51 €1.32

$1.28 €1.12

17.97%

White Bread (500g)

$2.21 €1.93

$2.20 €1.92

0.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.32 €2.90

$3.28 €2.87

1.22%

Eggs

$4.12 €3.60

$3.80 €3.33

8.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.83 €12.97

$15.02 €13.14

-1.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.94 €12.20

$13.36 €11.69

4.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$21.95 €19.20

$19.27 €16.86

13.91%

Apples (1kg)

$3.52 €3.08

$3.20 €2.80

10.00%

Banana (1kg)

$2.16 €1.89

$1.69 €1.48

27.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.33 €2.04

$2.18 €1.90

6.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.03 €4.41

$4.46 €3.90

12.78%

Potato (1kg)

$1.69 €1.48

$1.55 €1.35

9.03%

Onion (1kg)

$1.71 €1.50

$1.51 €1.32

13.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.02 €1.76

$1.82 €1.59

10.99%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 €1.02

$1.04 €0.91

11.54%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.90 €8.66

$9.95 €8.71

-0.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.41 €5.60

$5.61 €4.91

14.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 €0.91

$1.02 €0.89

1.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.49 €1.30

$1.61 €1.41

-7.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.33 €3.79

$2.94 €2.57

47.28%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$67.9 €59.4

$65.8 €57.6

3.13%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.87 €5.14

$4.66 €4.08

25.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.70 €2.37

$3.07 €2.69

-12.05%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$37.66 €32.95

$35.37 €30.95

6.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.05 €1.80

$1.92 €1.68

6.77%

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

$31.5K €27.5K

$32.1K €28.1K

-1.86%

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

$35.6K €31.1K

$36.2K €31.7K

-1.77%

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

$367 €321

$330 €289

11.08%

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

$24.53 €21.46

$31.34 €27.42

-21.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.69 €37.35

$50.3 €44.03

-15.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$64.3 €56.3

$34.51 €30.19

86.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.59 €25.89

$23.46 €20.52

26.13%

Cinema Ticket

$16.11 €14.10

$10.29 €9.00

56.56%

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

$604 €528

$349 €306

72.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.0K €14.0K

$14.5K €12.6K

10.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$92.3 €80.7

$88.8 €77.7

3.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.02 €34.14

$22.94 €20.07

70.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 €87.1

$123 €108

-19.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 €126

$121 €106

19.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,542 €1,349

$793 €694

94.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,167 €1,021

$479 €419

143.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,806 €2,455

$1,276 €1,116

119.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,010 €1,758

$870 €761

131.07%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,196 €7,171

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,324 €3,783

$2,806 €2,455

54.12%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,169 €3,648

$3,333 €2,916

25.09%

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: July 11, 2026

Last update for Jena: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,542 in Frankfurt and $793 in Jena. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Frankfurt pays 25% 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 $58.0 in Jena for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $363 vs $337 per month, with Jena 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 Jena: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Jena is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 52% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 25% higher in Frankfurt, 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: $1,542 in Frankfurt versus $793 in Jena. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Jena – a meal for two runs $58.0 versus $93.0 in Frankfurt. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,724 per month in Frankfurt versus $1,788 in Jena – a 52% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,788 in Jena versus $2,724 in Frankfurt, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Jena but tight or insufficient in Frankfurt. The gap between the two cities makes Jena the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Jena 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 Jena 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 Jena gentler on the wallet – expenses run 52% less than in Frankfurt. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.