Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Frankfurt and Passau

For one person, living is cheaper in Passau: $1,543 a month against $2,536 in Frankfurt, rent and utilities included – about $11,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Frankfurt
🇩🇪 Germany
$2,536
/mo nomad
Passau
🇩🇪 Germany
$1,543
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Frankfurt and in Passau

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Frankfurt and in Passau actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,536 in Frankfurt versus $1,543 in Passau.

  • Frankfurt $2,536
  • Passau $1,543

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,763 in Frankfurt versus $2,586 in Passau.

  • Frankfurt $3,763
  • Passau $2,586

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,990 in Frankfurt versus $3,630 in Passau.

  • Frankfurt $4,990
  • Passau $3,630

Living in Frankfurt is roughly 64% more expensive than in Passau, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Frankfurt 87% above, Passau 14% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Frankfurt
Passau
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.72 €14.87
$16.62 €14.79
0.60%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$88.2 €78.5
$61.2 €54.4
44.18%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$13.43 €11.95
$11.69 €10.40
14.88%
Cappuccino
$4.45 €3.96
$3.96 €3.52
12.37%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.86 €3.43
$3.74 €3.33
3.21%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.70 €3.29
$3.13 €2.78
18.21%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.64 €5.02
$4.34 €3.86
29.95%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.75 €5.11
$5.08 €4.52
13.19%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Frankfurt
Passau
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.42 €1.27
$1.13 €1.00
25.66%
White Bread (500g)
$2.24 €1.99
$2.10 €1.86
6.67%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.99 €2.66
$3.26 €2.90
-8.28%
Eggs
$3.63 €3.23
$3.77 €3.35
-3.71%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$13.58 €12.08
$14.17 €12.60
-4.16%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$11.64 €10.35
$16.72 €14.87
-30.38%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$22.44 €19.96
$20.75 €18.45
8.14%
Apples (1kg)
$3.16 €2.81
$2.77 €2.46
14.08%
Banana (1kg)
$2.13 €1.89
$1.73 €1.54
23.12%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.99 €1.77
$2.15 €1.91
-7.44%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.84 €3.42
$4.54 €4.04
-15.42%
Potato (1kg)
$1.74 €1.54
$1.51 €1.34
15.23%
Onion (1kg)
$1.87 €1.66
$1.60 €1.43
16.88%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.57 €1.40
$1.74 €1.55
-9.77%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.00 €0.89
$1.06 €0.94
-5.66%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$10.00 €8.90
$8.94 €7.95
11.86%
Wine (Bottle)
$5.56 €4.95
$5.54 €4.93
0.36%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.16 €1.03
$0.99 €0.88
17.17%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.40 €1.24
$1.75 €1.56
-20.00%
🚌 Getting Around
Frankfurt
Passau
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$4.20 €3.73
$2.82 €2.50
48.94%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$71.2 €63.3
$65.6 €58.3
8.54%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.44 €3.95
$4.49 €3.99
-1.11%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.27 €2.02
$2.40 €2.14
-5.42%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$23.30 €20.73
$40.07 €35.65
-41.85%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.30 €2.04
$1.94 €1.73
18.56%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$33.6K €29.9K
$32.8K €29.1K
2.57%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$38.2K €34.0K
-
-
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Frankfurt
Passau
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$390 €347
$271 €241
43.77%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$19.63 €17.46
$16.65 €14.81
17.90%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$47.45 €42.21
$53.6 €47.71
-11.52%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Frankfurt
Passau
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$67.0 €59.6
-
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$29.11 €25.89
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$16.96 €15.08
$12.39 €11.02
36.88%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Frankfurt
Passau
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,096 €975
$675 €601
62.31%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$23.0K €20.5K
$19.4K €17.3K
18.58%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Frankfurt
Passau
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$85.5 €76.1
-
-
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$33.20 €29.53
-
-
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$84.5 €75.1
-
-
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$107 €94.9
-
-
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Frankfurt
Passau
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,316 €1,171
$669 €595
96.76%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,105 €983
$457 €407
141.79%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,677 €2,381
$1,714 €1,525
56.15%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,935 €1,721
$1,340 €1,192
44.38%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$7,920 €7,045
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$4,273 €3,801
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Frankfurt
Passau
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$4,027 €3,582
$3,524 €3,135
14.28%
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: October 19, 2026

Last update for Passau: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Frankfurt
$1.1K
Passau
$457 58.6% $648
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Frankfurt
$457
Passau
$342 25.3% $116
Groceries & Markets
Frankfurt
$332
Passau
$351 5.8% $19
Eating Out
Frankfurt
$297
Passau
$275 7.6% $22
Clothing & Footwear
Frankfurt
$139
Passau
- * 100%
Getting Around
Frankfurt
$104
Passau
$93 10.1% $10
Sport & Entertainment
Frankfurt
$101
Passau
$25 * 75.4% $76

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,316 in Frankfurt and $669 in Passau. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Frankfurt pays 14% 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: $88.0 in Frankfurt vs $61.0 in Passau. Groceries flip the comparison at $332 vs $351, with Frankfurt cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know
🇩🇪 Frankfurt
🇩🇪 Passau
🕒 Local time
16:23 4:23 PM
16:23 4:23 PM
Same time as Frankfurt
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
701,350
54,401
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 0.889 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Frankfurt Passau 390 km
From you
  • Frankfurt
  • Passau

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Is Passau cheaper than Frankfurt?
Passau is cheaper overall, especially in eating out, clothing, and transport. The 64% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Frankfurt or Passau?
Average pay runs 14% higher in Frankfurt, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
What is the rent difference between Frankfurt and Passau?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,316 in Frankfurt versus $669 in Passau. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Is eating out cheaper in Frankfurt or in Passau?
Dining out is cheaper in Passau – a meal for two runs $61.0 versus $88.0 in Frankfurt. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
What are total monthly expenses in Frankfurt and in Passau?
All in, you'll spend $2,536 per month in Frankfurt versus $1,543 in Passau – a 64% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Is $2,000 a realistic budget for living in Frankfurt or in Passau?
At $1,543 in Passau versus $2,536 in Frankfurt, a $2,000 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.
Is Frankfurt or Passau more family-friendly?
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.
Which city is safer, Frankfurt or Passau?
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.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Passau gentler on the wallet – expenses run 64% less than in Frankfurt. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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