Cost of Living Comparison Between Frankfurt and Osnabruck Cost of Living Comparison Between Frankfurt and Osnabruck

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,659 in Frankfurt versus $1,754 in Osnabruck.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,960 in Frankfurt versus $2,828 in Osnabruck.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,260 in Frankfurt versus $3,902 in Osnabruck.

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

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Frankfurt 100% above, Osnabruck 32% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.56 €17.05

$12.03 €10.49

62.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$92.1 €80.3

$69.3 €60.4

33.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.72 €11.96

$9.37 €8.17

46.42%

Cappuccino

$4.40 €3.84

$3.62 €3.16

21.55%

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

$3.79 €3.30

$3.37 €2.94

12.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 €2.82

$2.76 €2.40

17.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.72 €4.99

$5.31 €4.63

7.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.12 €4.47

$4.45 €3.88

15.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.52 €1.32

$1.16 €1.01

31.03%

White Bread (500g)

$2.31 €2.01

$2.35 €2.05

-1.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.41 €2.97

$3.81 €3.32

-10.50%

Eggs

$3.94 €3.43

$3.91 €3.41

0.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.00 €13.08

$15.18 €13.24

-1.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.75 €11.98

$14.81 €12.91

-7.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.15 €19.31

$19.09 €16.64

16.03%

Apples (1kg)

$3.40 €2.96

$3.31 €2.89

2.72%

Banana (1kg)

$2.17 €1.89

$1.67 €1.46

29.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.33 €2.03

Tomato (1kg)

$5.04 €4.40

$4.92 €4.29

2.44%

Potato (1kg)

$1.73 €1.51

$1.57 €1.37

10.19%

Onion (1kg)

$1.64 €1.43

$1.65 €1.44

-0.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.94 €1.69

$1.95 €1.70

-0.51%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 €1.01

$1.24 €1.08

-6.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.97 €8.70

$10.25 €8.93

-2.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.39 €5.57

$5.59 €4.87

14.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.05 €0.91

$1.04 €0.91

0.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 €1.31

$1.59 €1.39

-5.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.11 €3.58

$3.35 €2.92

22.69%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$67.0 €58.4

$54.9 €47.83

22.06%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.75 €5.02

$4.99 €4.35

15.23%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.69 €2.34

$2.12 €1.84

26.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$38.63 €33.67

$27.49 €23.97

40.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.07 €1.80

$1.97 €1.72

5.08%

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

$31.3K €27.2K

$31.2K €27.2K

0.20%

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

$35.2K €30.7K

$40.7K €35.5K

-13.60%

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

$378 €330

$235 €205

61.23%

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

$25.02 €21.81

$46.35 €40.40

-46.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$43.02 €37.50

$55.9 €48.75

-23.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$66.5 €58.0

$34.91 €30.43

90.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.34 €25.58

$26.50 €23.11

10.72%

Cinema Ticket

$16.04 €13.99

$13.91 €12.13

15.31%

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

$619 €540

$252 €220

145.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.0K €13.9K

$11.5K €10.0K

38.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$91.8 €80.0

$99.8 €87.0

-7.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.05 €34.05

$76.9 €67.0

-49.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.2 €86.5

$99.9 €87.1

-0.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$143 €125

$135 €118

6.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,551 €1,352

$716 €624

116.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,202 €1,048

$514 €448

134.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,820 €2,459

$1,511 €1,317

86.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,014 €1,756

$1,199 €1,045

68.00%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,255 €7,197

$3,995 €3,483

106.66%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,311 €3,758

$3,347 €2,918

28.81%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,094 €3,569

$1,742 €1,519

135.04%

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 26, 2026

Last update for Osnabruck: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,551 in Frankfurt and $716 in Osnabruck. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Frankfurt pays 135% 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 $69.0 in Osnabruck for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $364 vs $354 per month, with Osnabruck 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 Osnabruck: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

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

Average pay runs 135% 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: $1,551 in Frankfurt versus $716 in Osnabruck. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Osnabruck – a meal for two runs $69.0 versus $92.0 in Frankfurt. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,659 per month in Frankfurt versus $1,754 in Osnabruck – a 52% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,754 in Osnabruck versus $2,659 in Frankfurt, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Osnabruck but tight or insufficient in Frankfurt. The gap between the two cities makes Osnabruck the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Osnabruck 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 Osnabruck 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 Osnabruck 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.