Cost of Living Comparison Between Frankfurt and Pfaffenhofen an der Ilm Cost of Living Comparison Between Frankfurt and Pfaffenhofen an der Ilm

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,663 in Frankfurt versus $1,991 in Pfaffenhofen an der Ilm.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,912 in Frankfurt versus $3,000 in Pfaffenhofen an der Ilm.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,161 in Frankfurt versus $4,008 in Pfaffenhofen an der Ilm.

Living in Frankfurt is roughly 34% more expensive than in Pfaffenhofen an der Ilm, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Frankfurt 94% above, Pfaffenhofen an der Ilm 45% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.46 €15.01

$16.95 €14.57

3.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$92.3 €79.4

$70.4 €60.5

31.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.99 €12.03

$12.55 €10.79

11.47%

Cappuccino

$4.69 €4.03

$4.10 €3.53

14.39%

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

$3.76 €3.23

$2.83 €2.43

32.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.61 €3.10

$2.15 €1.85

67.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.75 €4.94

$4.39 €3.77

30.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.73 €4.93

$4.71 €4.05

21.66%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.39 €1.20

$1.50 €1.29

-7.33%

White Bread (500g)

$2.26 €1.94

$1.98 €1.70

14.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.26 €2.80

$3.93 €3.38

-17.05%

Eggs

$4.17 €3.58

$3.43 €2.95

21.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.50 €12.46

$14.81 €12.74

-2.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.51 €10.76

$9.34 €8.03

33.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.93 €19.72

$25.49 €21.91

-10.04%

Apples (1kg)

$3.29 €2.82

$3.36 €2.88

-2.08%

Banana (1kg)

$2.12 €1.82

$2.15 €1.85

-1.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.10 €1.80

$1.91 €1.64

9.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.00 €3.44

$3.62 €3.11

10.50%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 €1.53

$1.12 €0.96

58.93%

Onion (1kg)

$1.88 €1.62

$1.31 €1.12

43.51%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.71 €1.47

$1.45 €1.25

17.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.10 €0.95

$1.04 €0.90

5.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.92 €8.53

$10.26 €8.82

-3.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.43 €5.53

$6.22 €5.35

3.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 €0.97

$1.15 €0.99

-1.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.64 €1.41

$1.65 €1.42

-0.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.33 €3.72

$3.35 €2.88

29.25%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.1 €62.8

$61.2 €52.6

19.50%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.63 €3.98

$4.05 €3.48

14.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.26 €1.94

$2.27 €1.95

-0.44%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.68 €21.22

$28.88 €24.83

-14.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.24 €1.92

$2.00 €1.72

12.00%

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

$33.8K €29.1K

0.01%

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

$39.3K €33.8K

$39.7K €34.1K

-0.93%

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

$398 €343

$278 €239

43.29%

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

$20.29 €17.44

$33.72 €28.99

-39.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$49.48 €42.54

$48.62 €41.80

1.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$71.1 €61.1

$41.26 €35.47

72.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$30.01 €25.80

$28.83 €24.78

4.09%

Cinema Ticket

$17.22 €14.80

$16.49 €14.18

4.43%

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

$1,112 €956

$260 €223

328.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.0K €20.6K

$7,857 €6,754

204.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.1 €76.6

$79.7 €68.5

11.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.12 €29.33

$61.1 €52.5

-44.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.4 €76.0

$81.4 €70.0

8.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$125 €108

$122 €105

2.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,335 €1,148

$829 €713

61.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,163 €1,000

$632 €543

84.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,798 €2,405

$1,725 €1,483

62.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,973 €1,696

$1,191 €1,024

65.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,174 €7,027

$5,365 €4,613

52.34%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,356 €3,745

$3,784 €3,253

15.12%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,268 €3,669

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.61

3.95

-8.61%

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

Last update for Frankfurt: August 30, 2026

Last update for Pfaffenhofen an der Ilm: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,335 in Frankfurt and $829 in Pfaffenhofen an der Ilm. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $92.0 in Frankfurt vs $70.0 in Pfaffenhofen an der Ilm for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $350 vs $333 per month, with Pfaffenhofen an der Ilm 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 Pfaffenhofen an der Ilm: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Pfaffenhofen an der Ilm is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 34% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $3,994 in Frankfurt and $2,987 in Pfaffenhofen an der Ilm to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,335 in Frankfurt versus $829 in Pfaffenhofen an der Ilm. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Pfaffenhofen an der Ilm – a meal for two runs $70.0 versus $92.0 in Frankfurt. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,663 per month in Frankfurt versus $1,991 in Pfaffenhofen an der Ilm – a 34% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,991 in Pfaffenhofen an der Ilm versus $2,663 in Frankfurt, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Pfaffenhofen an der Ilm but tight or insufficient in Frankfurt. The gap between the two cities makes Pfaffenhofen an der Ilm the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Pfaffenhofen an der Ilm 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 Pfaffenhofen an der Ilm 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 Pfaffenhofen an der Ilm gentler on the wallet – expenses run 34% less than in Frankfurt. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.