Cost of Living Comparison Between Frankfurt and Neu-Ulm Cost of Living Comparison Between Frankfurt and Neu-Ulm

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,707 in Frankfurt versus $1,961 in Neu-Ulm.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,943 in Frankfurt versus $3,013 in Neu-Ulm.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,179 in Frankfurt versus $4,065 in Neu-Ulm.

Living in Frankfurt is roughly 38% more expensive than Neu-Ulm, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Frankfurt 102% above, Neu-Ulm 46% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.51 €16.64

$17.20 €14.67

13.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$92.5 €78.9

$66.0 €56.3

40.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.98 €11.92

$11.39 €9.71

22.74%

Cappuccino

$4.50 €3.84

$3.91 €3.34

15.09%

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

$3.65 €3.11

$2.90 €2.47

25.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.26 €2.78

$2.59 €2.21

25.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.84 €4.98

$4.67 €3.99

25.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.24 €4.47

$4.79 €4.08

9.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.51 €1.29

$1.27 €1.09

18.90%

White Bread (500g)

$2.30 €1.96

$2.31 €1.97

-0.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.44 €2.94

$3.54 €3.02

-2.82%

Eggs

$4.08 €3.48

$3.92 €3.34

4.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.06 €12.84

$14.80 €12.63

1.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.51 €11.53

$15.27 €13.02

-11.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.20 €18.94

$20.37 €17.38

8.98%

Apples (1kg)

$3.49 €2.98

$3.18 €2.71

9.75%

Banana (1kg)

$2.14 €1.83

$1.78 €1.52

20.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.32 €1.98

$2.27 €1.93

2.20%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.98 €4.25

$5.14 €4.38

-3.11%

Potato (1kg)

$1.68 €1.43

$1.58 €1.35

6.33%

Onion (1kg)

$1.66 €1.42

$1.58 €1.35

5.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.93 €1.65

$1.85 €1.58

4.32%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 €0.95

$1.18 €1.01

-5.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.78 €8.35

$9.69 €8.27

0.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.15 €6.10

$5.91 €5.04

20.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 €0.92

$1.11 €0.94

-3.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 €1.32

$1.76 €1.50

-11.93%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.24 €3.62

$3.51 €2.99

20.80%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$67.2 €57.3

$57.6 €49.10

16.66%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.64 €4.82

$3.81 €3.25

48.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.62 €2.24

$3.66 €3.13

-28.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$38.88 €33.16

$28.00 €23.89

38.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.02 €1.73

$2.01 €1.71

0.50%

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

$32.1K €27.4K

$31.2K €26.6K

2.86%

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

$35.1K €29.9K

$36.1K €30.8K

-2.95%

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

$376 €321

$278 €237

35.36%

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

$24.53 €20.92

$34.78 €29.66

-29.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$43.91 €37.46

$54.7 €46.65

-19.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$65.0 €55.4

$40.82 €34.82

59.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.82 €25.44

$26.34 €22.47

13.21%

Cinema Ticket

$15.90 €13.56

$14.02 €11.96

13.41%

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

$610 €521

$361 €308

68.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.4K €14.0K

$13.1K €11.2K

24.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$92.3 €78.8

$76.1 €64.9

21.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.93 €33.21

$48.37 €41.26

-19.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.8 €83.4

$72.4 €61.8

34.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 €123

$102 €87.2

40.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,538 €1,312

$853 €728

80.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,180 €1,007

$674 €575

75.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,773 €2,365

$1,169 €997

137.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,010 €1,715

$1,246 €1,063

61.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,531 €7,277

$5,982 €5,103

42.60%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,614 €3,936

$4,677 €3,990

-1.36%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,623 €3,944

$3,588 €3,060

28.87%

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 20, 2026

Last update for Neu-Ulm: April 22, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,538 in Frankfurt and $853 in Neu-Ulm. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Frankfurt pays 29% 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 in Frankfurt vs $66 in Neu-Ulm for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $364 vs $359 per month, with Neu-Ulm 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 Neu-Ulm: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Neu-Ulm is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 38% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Frankfurt pays 29% 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: $1,538 in Frankfurt versus $853 in Neu-Ulm. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Neu-Ulm – a meal for two runs $66.0 versus $92.0 in Frankfurt. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,707 per month in Frankfurt versus $1,961 in Neu-Ulm – a 38% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,961 in Neu-Ulm versus $2,707 in Frankfurt, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Neu-Ulm but tight or insufficient in Frankfurt. The gap between the two cities makes Neu-Ulm the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Neu-Ulm 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 Neu-Ulm 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 Neu-Ulm gentler on the wallet – expenses run 38% less than in Frankfurt. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.