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: $2,667 in Frankfurt versus $1,970 in Pfaffenhofen an der Ilm.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,020 in Frankfurt versus $2,968 in Pfaffenhofen an der Ilm.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,373 in Frankfurt versus $3,966 in Pfaffenhofen an der Ilm.

Living in Frankfurt is roughly 35% more expensive than Pfaffenhofen an der Ilm, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Frankfurt 99% above, Pfaffenhofen an der Ilm 47% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.30 €16.60

$14.93 €12.84

29.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$92.3 €79.4

$66.3 €57.0

39.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.94 €11.99

$11.69 €10.05

19.25%

Cappuccino

$4.44 €3.82

$4.12 €3.55

7.77%

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

$3.62 €3.11

$2.91 €2.51

24.40%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 €2.78

$2.18 €1.88

48.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.95 €5.12

$4.50 €3.87

32.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.06 €4.35

$4.67 €4.02

8.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.59 €1.37

$1.28 €1.10

24.22%

White Bread (500g)

$2.31 €1.99

$2.14 €1.84

7.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.42 €2.94

$3.38 €2.91

1.18%

Eggs

$3.97 €3.42

$3.79 €3.26

4.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.05 €12.94

$14.88 €12.80

1.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.77 €11.85

$13.22 €11.37

4.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.26 €19.15

$20.24 €17.41

9.98%

Apples (1kg)

$3.51 €3.02

$3.36 €2.89

4.46%

Banana (1kg)

$2.13 €1.83

$1.73 €1.49

23.12%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.26 €1.94

$2.20 €1.89

2.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.94 €4.25

$4.97 €4.28

-0.60%

Potato (1kg)

$1.75 €1.51

$1.75 €1.50

Onion (1kg)

$1.67 €1.44

$1.71 €1.47

-2.34%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.95 €1.68

$1.88 €1.61

3.72%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 €1.00

$0.93 €0.80

24.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.72 €8.36

$9.47 €8.15

2.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.36 €5.47

$6.47 €5.56

-1.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.05 €0.90

$1.06 €0.91

-0.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 €1.30

$1.82 €1.56

-17.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.34 €3.73

$3.47 €2.99

25.07%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$67.3 €57.9

$61.2 €52.7

9.95%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.76 €4.95

$4.02 €3.46

43.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.68 €2.30

$1.93 €1.66

38.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$38.47 €33.09

$28.63 €24.63

34.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.96 €1.68

$1.97 €1.69

-0.51%

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

$31.2K €26.9K

$31.4K €27.1K

-0.67%

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

$35.1K €30.2K

$36.4K €31.3K

-3.34%

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

$371 €319

$277 €238

33.88%

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

$24.10 €20.73

$32.50 €27.95

-25.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.74 €36.76

$53.0 €45.58

-19.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$65.6 €56.4

$38.66 €33.26

69.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.20 €25.11

$23.11 €19.88

26.35%

Cinema Ticket

$15.92 €13.70

$17.09 €14.70

-6.85%

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

$604 €520

$332 €285

82.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.3K €14.0K

$8,275 €7,118

97.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$92.0 €79.1

$88.4 €76.0

4.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.75 €33.33

$67.7 €58.2

-42.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.1 €83.5

$85.3 €73.4

13.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$147 €127

$148 €127

-0.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,514 €1,302

$848 €729

78.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,199 €1,031

$657 €565

82.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,750 €2,365

$1,541 €1,326

78.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,061 €1,773

$1,229 €1,057

67.75%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,507 €7,318

$4,666 €4,014

82.33%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,442 €3,821

$3,357 €2,887

32.33%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,257 €3,662

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: May 31, 2026

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

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,514 in Frankfurt and $848 in Pfaffenhofen an der Ilm. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $92.0 in Frankfurt vs $66.0 in Pfaffenhofen an der Ilm for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $365 vs $344 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 35% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $4,000 in Frankfurt and $2,956 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: $1,514 in Frankfurt versus $848 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 $66.0 versus $92.0 in Frankfurt. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,667 per month in Frankfurt versus $1,970 in Pfaffenhofen an der Ilm – a 35% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,970 in Pfaffenhofen an der Ilm versus $2,667 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 35% less than in Frankfurt. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.