Cost of Living Comparison Between Frankfurt and Munster Cost of Living Comparison Between Frankfurt and Munster

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,667 in Frankfurt versus $2,343 in Munster.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,020 in Frankfurt versus $3,402 in Munster.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,373 in Frankfurt versus $4,460 in Munster.

Living in Frankfurt is roughly 14% more expensive than Munster, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Frankfurt 99% above, Munster 75% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.30 €16.62

$14.05 €12.10

37.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$92.3 €79.5

$75.1 €64.6

23.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.94 €12.00

$11.68 €10.06

19.35%

Cappuccino

$4.44 €3.82

$4.08 €3.51

8.82%

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

$3.62 €3.12

$4.19 €3.60

-13.60%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 €2.78

$2.68 €2.31

20.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.95 €5.12

$5.77 €4.97

3.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.06 €4.36

$4.55 €3.91

11.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.59 €1.37

$1.29 €1.11

23.26%

White Bread (500g)

$2.31 €1.99

$2.19 €1.89

5.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.42 €2.95

$3.92 €3.37

-12.76%

Eggs

$3.97 €3.42

$4.05 €3.48

-1.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.05 €12.96

$14.63 €12.60

2.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.77 €11.86

$14.93 €12.86

-7.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.26 €19.17

$24.55 €21.14

-9.33%

Apples (1kg)

$3.51 €3.03

$3.34 €2.88

5.09%

Banana (1kg)

$2.13 €1.84

$1.80 €1.55

18.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.26 €1.94

$2.20 €1.90

2.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.94 €4.25

$5.30 €4.56

-6.79%

Potato (1kg)

$1.75 €1.51

$1.65 €1.42

6.06%

Onion (1kg)

$1.67 €1.44

$1.58 €1.36

5.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.95 €1.68

$1.82 €1.57

7.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 €1.00

$1.00 €0.86

16.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.72 €8.37

$10.18 €8.76

-4.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.36 €5.48

$6.24 €5.37

1.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.05 €0.90

$1.12 €0.96

-6.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 €1.30

$1.71 €1.47

-11.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.34 €3.74

$3.21 €2.76

35.20%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$67.3 €58.0

$55.9 €48.12

20.43%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.76 €4.96

$4.77 €4.11

20.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.68 €2.30

$2.54 €2.19

5.51%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$38.47 €33.12

$34.95 €30.10

10.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.96 €1.68

$1.95 €1.68

0.51%

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

$31.2K €26.9K

$31.9K €27.5K

-2.03%

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

$35.1K €30.3K

$35.9K €30.9K

-2.11%

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

$371 €320

$415 €357

-10.60%

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

$24.10 €20.75

$25.79 €22.21

-6.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.74 €36.80

$51.9 €44.66

-17.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$65.6 €56.5

$41.87 €36.06

56.72%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.20 €25.14

$18.21 €15.68

60.35%

Cinema Ticket

$15.92 €13.71

$14.52 €12.51

9.64%

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

$604 €520

$729 €627

-17.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.3K €14.0K

$14.2K €12.3K

14.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$92.0 €79.2

$113 €97.2

-18.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.75 €33.37

$46.46 €40.01

-16.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.1 €83.6

$118 €102

-17.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$147 €127

$140 €121

5.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,514 €1,304

$1,195 €1,029

26.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,199 €1,032

$878 €756

36.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,750 €2,368

$2,369 €2,040

16.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,061 €1,775

$1,435 €1,236

43.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,507 €7,326

$8,600 €7,406

-1.08%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,442 €3,825

$4,563 €3,929

-2.66%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,257 €3,666

$3,434 €2,957

23.96%

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 Munster: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,514 in Frankfurt and $1,195 in Munster. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Frankfurt pays 24% 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 $75.0 in Munster. Groceries flip the comparison at $365 vs $371, with Frankfurt cheaper for home cooking.

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 Munster: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Munster is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 14% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Frankfurt pays 24% 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 $1,195 in Munster. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Munster – a meal for two runs $75.0 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 $2,343 in Munster – a 14% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,343 in Munster versus $2,667 in Frankfurt, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Munster but tight or insufficient in Frankfurt. The gap between the two cities makes Munster the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Munster 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 Munster 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 Munster gentler on the wallet – expenses run 14% less than in Frankfurt. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.