Cost of Living Comparison Between Frankfurt and Passau Cost of Living Comparison Between Frankfurt and Passau

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,692 in Frankfurt versus $1,750 in Passau.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,902 in Frankfurt versus $2,910 in Passau.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,112 in Frankfurt versus $4,069 in Passau.

Living in Frankfurt is roughly 54% more expensive than in Passau, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Frankfurt 96% above, Passau 28% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.26 €14.77

$17.45 €14.92

-1.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$91.7 €78.4

$64.5 €55.1

42.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.03 €12.00

$11.97 €10.24

17.21%

Cappuccino

$4.69 €4.02

$4.43 €3.79

5.87%

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

$3.88 €3.32

$3.93 €3.36

-1.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 €3.24

$3.25 €2.78

16.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.73 €4.90

$4.54 €3.88

26.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.68 €4.86

$4.65 €3.97

22.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.33 €1.14

$1.21 €1.03

9.92%

White Bread (500g)

$2.33 €1.99

$2.22 €1.90

4.95%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.21 €2.75

$3.25 €2.78

-1.23%

Eggs

$3.77 €3.23

$3.86 €3.30

-2.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.07 €12.04

$14.90 €12.74

-5.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.28 €10.51

$17.26 €14.77

-28.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.01 €19.68

$21.90 €18.73

5.07%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 €2.76

$2.99 €2.56

8.03%

Banana (1kg)

$2.19 €1.88

$1.77 €1.52

23.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.19 €1.87

$2.21 €1.89

-0.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.92 €3.36

$4.78 €4.09

-17.99%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 €1.57

$1.54 €1.32

19.48%

Onion (1kg)

$1.91 €1.64

$1.70 €1.45

12.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.61 €1.38

$1.88 €1.61

-14.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.05 €0.90

$1.08 €0.93

-2.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.22 €8.74

$9.33 €7.98

9.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.46 €5.53

$5.68 €4.86

13.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 €0.99

$1.03 €0.88

12.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.63 €1.39

$1.75 €1.49

-6.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.51 €3.86

$2.96 €2.53

52.36%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.3 €63.6

$67.8 €58.0

9.63%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.71 €4.03

$4.40 €3.76

7.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.27 €1.94

$2.60 €2.22

-12.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.16 €20.66

$41.81 €35.76

-42.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.23 €1.90

$1.98 €1.70

12.63%

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

$34.4K €29.4K

$33.6K €28.7K

2.40%

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

$40.2K €34.4K

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

$391 €334

$270 €231

44.63%

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

$19.77 €16.91

$16.73 €14.31

18.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$46.68 €39.93

$54.4 €46.52

-14.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$71.2 €60.9

$35.00 €29.94

103.31%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$30.14 €25.78

Cinema Ticket

$17.28 €14.78

$12.99 €11.11

33.03%

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

$1,116 €955

$720 €616

54.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.0K €20.5K

$20.0K €17.1K

20.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$96.2 €82.3

$105 €89.4

-8.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.23 €29.28

$41.85 €35.80

-18.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.2 €78.9

$92.9 €79.4

-0.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$137 €117

$69.3 €59.3

97.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,401 €1,198

$682 €583

105.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,176 €1,006

$486 €416

141.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,795 €2,391

$1,715 €1,467

63.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,026 €1,733

$1,416 €1,211

43.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,502 €7,273

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,351 €3,722

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,232 €3,620

$2,905 €2,485

45.67%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.61

3.98

-9.30%

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

Last update for Frankfurt: August 16, 2026

Last update for Passau: August 16, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,401 in Frankfurt and $682 in Passau. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Frankfurt pays 46% 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 $64.0 in Passau. Groceries flip the comparison at $345 vs $366, 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 Passau: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Passau is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 54% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 46% 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: $1,401 in Frankfurt versus $682 in Passau. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Passau – a meal for two runs $64.0 versus $92.0 in Frankfurt. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,692 per month in Frankfurt versus $1,750 in Passau – a 54% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,750 in Passau versus $2,692 in Frankfurt, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Passau but tight or insufficient in Frankfurt. The gap between the two cities makes Passau the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Passau 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 Passau 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 Passau gentler on the wallet – expenses run 54% less than in Frankfurt. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.