Cost of Living Comparison Between Frankfurt and Oberhausen Cost of Living Comparison Between Frankfurt and Oberhausen

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,727 in Frankfurt versus $2,098 in Oberhausen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,977 in Frankfurt versus $2,991 in Oberhausen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,226 in Frankfurt versus $3,884 in Oberhausen.

Living in Frankfurt is roughly 30% more expensive than Oberhausen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Frankfurt 104% above, Oberhausen 57% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.96 €17.09

$18.29 €15.66

9.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$93.1 €79.7

$68.9 €59.0

35.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.08 €12.05

$13.92 €11.92

1.15%

Cappuccino

$4.61 €3.95

$4.13 €3.54

11.62%

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

$3.74 €3.20

$3.33 €2.85

12.31%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.35 €2.87

$3.08 €2.63

8.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.86 €5.02

$4.75 €4.06

23.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.24 €4.48

$4.66 €3.99

12.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.52 €1.30

$1.35 €1.15

12.59%

White Bread (500g)

$2.23 €1.91

$2.22 €1.90

0.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.29 €2.82

$3.59 €3.07

-8.36%

Eggs

$3.97 €3.40

$3.65 €3.12

8.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.15 €12.96

$14.70 €12.58

3.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.76 €11.78

$14.10 €12.07

-2.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$21.92 €18.76

$21.47 €18.38

2.10%

Apples (1kg)

$3.54 €3.03

$3.17 €2.72

11.67%

Banana (1kg)

$2.08 €1.78

$1.93 €1.65

7.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.22 €1.90

$2.31 €1.98

-3.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.13 €4.39

$4.77 €4.09

7.55%

Potato (1kg)

$1.68 €1.44

$1.60 €1.37

5.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.74 €1.49

$1.63 €1.39

6.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.00 €1.71

$1.92 €1.64

4.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 €0.98

$1.14 €0.98

0.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.12 €8.66

$9.28 €7.95

9.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.89 €5.90

$5.99 €5.13

15.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.05 €0.90

$1.11 €0.95

-5.41%

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

$3.43 €2.93

19.53%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$66.1 €56.6

$51.7 €44.28

27.72%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.92 €5.07

$5.19 €4.45

14.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.72 €2.33

$2.40 €2.06

13.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$37.68 €32.26

$35.38 €30.29

6.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.05 €1.75

$2.00 €1.71

2.50%

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

$31.5K €27.0K

$32.0K €27.4K

-1.55%

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

$34.8K €29.8K

$35.0K €30.0K

-0.61%

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

$366 €314

$394 €337

-6.98%

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

$24.17 €20.69

$25.00 €21.40

-3.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$43.97 €37.64

$50.1 €42.92

-12.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$64.4 €55.1

$39.79 €34.06

61.82%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.61 €25.35

$22.99 €19.68

28.80%

Cinema Ticket

$16.22 €13.88

$17.33 €14.84

-6.41%

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

$610 €522

$464 €397

31.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.3K €14.0K

$9,905 €8,479

64.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$92.1 €78.8

$96.7 €82.8

-4.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.48 €32.94

$45.60 €39.04

-15.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.1 €83.9

$105 €89.7

-6.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$145 €124

-0.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,516 €1,298

$610 €522

148.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,181 €1,011

$646 €553

82.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,806 €2,402

$776 €664

261.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,060 €1,763

$781 €669

163.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,210 €7,027

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,707 €4,029

$2,386 €2,042

97.29%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,745 €4,061

$3,562 €3,049

33.20%

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 Oberhausen: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,516 in Frankfurt and $610 in Oberhausen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Frankfurt pays 33% 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 $69.0 in Oberhausen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $364 vs $355 per month, with Oberhausen 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 Oberhausen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Oberhausen is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 30% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Frankfurt pays 33% 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 $610 in Oberhausen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Oberhausen – a meal for two runs $69.0 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 $2,098 in Oberhausen – a 30% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,098 in Oberhausen versus $2,727 in Frankfurt, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Oberhausen but tight or insufficient in Frankfurt. The gap between the two cities makes Oberhausen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Oberhausen 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 Oberhausen 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 Oberhausen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 30% less than in Frankfurt. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.