Cost of Living Comparison Between Frankfurt and Kaufbeuren Cost of Living Comparison Between Frankfurt and Kaufbeuren

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,727 in Frankfurt versus $1,964 in Kaufbeuren.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,977 in Frankfurt versus $2,944 in Kaufbeuren.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,226 in Frankfurt versus $3,925 in Kaufbeuren.

Living in Frankfurt is roughly 39% more expensive than Kaufbeuren, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Frankfurt 104% above, Kaufbeuren 47% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.96 €17.09

$17.53 €15.00

13.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$93.1 €79.7

$66.4 €56.8

40.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.08 €12.05

$11.38 €9.74

23.73%

Cappuccino

$4.61 €3.95

$3.98 €3.41

15.83%

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

$3.74 €3.20

$2.79 €2.39

34.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.35 €2.87

$2.62 €2.24

27.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.86 €5.02

$4.61 €3.95

27.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.24 €4.48

$4.50 €3.85

16.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.52 €1.30

$1.29 €1.11

17.83%

White Bread (500g)

$2.23 €1.91

$2.14 €1.83

4.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.29 €2.82

$3.49 €2.99

-5.73%

Eggs

$3.97 €3.40

$3.64 €3.11

9.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.15 €12.96

$15.19 €13.01

-0.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.76 €11.78

$13.18 €11.28

4.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$21.92 €18.76

$20.55 €17.59

6.67%

Apples (1kg)

$3.54 €3.03

$3.37 €2.88

5.04%

Banana (1kg)

$2.08 €1.78

$1.76 €1.50

18.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.22 €1.90

$2.56 €2.20

-13.28%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.13 €4.39

$4.96 €4.25

3.43%

Potato (1kg)

$1.68 €1.44

$1.84 €1.57

-8.70%

Onion (1kg)

$1.74 €1.49

$1.85 €1.58

-5.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.00 €1.71

$1.87 €1.60

6.95%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 €0.98

$1.33 €1.14

-13.53%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.12 €8.66

$9.09 €7.78

11.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.89 €5.90

$6.47 €5.54

6.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.05 €0.90

$1.06 €0.91

-0.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 €1.29

$1.70 €1.46

-11.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.10 €3.51

$3.40 €2.91

20.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$66.1 €56.6

$62.1 €53.2

6.39%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.92 €5.07

$4.13 €3.54

43.34%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.72 €2.33

$2.07 €1.77

31.40%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$37.68 €32.26

$28.42 €24.33

32.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.05 €1.75

$1.96 €1.68

4.59%

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

$31.5K €27.0K

$33.2K €28.5K

-5.16%

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

$34.8K €29.8K

$35.7K €30.6K

-2.53%

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

$366 €314

$274 €235

33.63%

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

$24.17 €20.69

$34.13 €29.21

-29.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$43.97 €37.64

$54.8 €46.89

-19.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$64.4 €55.1

$39.56 €33.86

62.77%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.61 €25.35

$22.94 €19.64

29.08%

Cinema Ticket

$16.22 €13.88

$17.52 €14.99

-7.42%

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

$610 €522

$343 €294

77.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.3K €14.0K

$11.4K €9,794

42.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$92.1 €78.8

$76.6 €65.5

20.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.48 €32.94

$49.35 €42.24

-22.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.1 €83.9

$72.3 €61.9

35.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$145 €124

$99.4 €85.1

45.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,516 €1,298

$833 €713

82.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,181 €1,011

$677 €579

74.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,806 €2,402

$1,553 €1,329

80.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,060 €1,763

$1,228 €1,051

67.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,210 €7,027

$5,290 €4,528

55.20%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,707 €4,029

$3,460 €2,962

36.03%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,745 €4,061

$2,926 €2,505

62.16%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.99

3.97

0.50%

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

Last update for Frankfurt: April 27, 2026

Last update for Kaufbeuren: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,516 in Frankfurt and $833 in Kaufbeuren. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Frankfurt pays 62% 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 $66.0 in Kaufbeuren for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $364 vs $353 per month, with Kaufbeuren 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 Kaufbeuren: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kaufbeuren is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 39% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Frankfurt pays 62% 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 $833 in Kaufbeuren. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Kaufbeuren – a meal for two runs $66.0 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 $1,964 in Kaufbeuren – a 39% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,964 in Kaufbeuren versus $2,727 in Frankfurt, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Kaufbeuren but tight or insufficient in Frankfurt. The gap between the two cities makes Kaufbeuren the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Kaufbeuren 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 Kaufbeuren 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 Kaufbeuren gentler on the wallet – expenses run 39% less than in Frankfurt. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.