Cost of Living Comparison Between Frankfurt and Schwerin Cost of Living Comparison Between Frankfurt and Schwerin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,731 in Frankfurt versus $1,570 in Schwerin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,966 in Frankfurt versus $2,489 in Schwerin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,202 in Frankfurt versus $3,408 in Schwerin.

Living in Frankfurt is roughly 74% more expensive than in Schwerin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Frankfurt 105% above, Schwerin 18% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.50 €17.02

$13.68 €11.94

42.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$91.5 €79.9

$79.2 €69.1

15.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.76 €12.00

$12.57 €10.97

9.47%

Cappuccino

$4.41 €3.85

$3.78 €3.30

16.67%

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

$3.60 €3.14

$2.87 €2.50

25.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.25 €2.84

$2.35 €2.05

38.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.67 €4.95

$4.77 €4.16

18.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.06 €4.41

$5.10 €4.45

-0.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.52 €1.33

$1.26 €1.10

20.63%

White Bread (500g)

$2.24 €1.95

$2.17 €1.90

3.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.47 €3.03

$3.40 €2.97

2.06%

Eggs

$4.01 €3.50

$3.92 €3.42

2.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.96 €13.05

$14.69 €12.81

1.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.92 €12.14

$15.34 €13.38

-9.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.16 €19.33

$19.95 €17.41

11.08%

Apples (1kg)

$3.48 €3.04

$3.19 €2.79

9.09%

Banana (1kg)

$2.16 €1.88

$1.78 €1.55

21.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.22 €1.93

$2.29 €2.00

-3.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.08 €4.43

$5.13 €4.47

-0.97%

Potato (1kg)

$1.74 €1.52

$1.41 €1.23

23.40%

Onion (1kg)

$1.67 €1.45

$1.56 €1.36

7.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.91 €1.66

$2.09 €1.82

-8.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.11 €0.97

$0.68 €0.59

63.24%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.67 €8.43

$10.08 €8.80

-4.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.43 €5.61

$5.67 €4.95

13.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 €0.94

$1.10 €0.96

-2.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.56 €1.36

$1.29 €1.12

20.93%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.24 €3.70

$2.84 €2.48

49.30%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$67.4 €58.8

$61.1 €53.3

10.32%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.84 €5.10

$7.51 €6.55

-22.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.57 €2.25

$2.09 €1.83

22.97%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$38.49 €33.59

$51.1 €44.59

-24.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.06 €1.80

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

$31.1K €27.1K

$31.9K €27.8K

-2.50%

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

$35.4K €30.9K

$36.3K €31.6K

-2.45%

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

$375 €328

$195 €170

92.30%

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

$24.96 €21.78

$36.61 €31.94

-31.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$43.64 €38.08

$46.42 €40.50

-5.99%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$65.8 €57.4

$30.76 €26.84

113.82%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$30.19 €26.34

$22.86 €19.94

32.06%

Cinema Ticket

$16.48 €14.38

$15.21 €13.27

8.35%

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

$609 €531

$676 €590

-9.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.4K €14.3K

$3,870 €3,377

324.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.4 €78.0

$82.7 €72.2

8.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.63 €33.70

$35.20 €30.71

9.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.6 €86.0

$78.8 €68.7

25.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$145 €126

$102 €89.1

41.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,535 €1,339

$453 €395

238.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,210 €1,056

$400 €349

202.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,784 €2,429

$923 €806

201.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,032 €1,773

$694 €606

192.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,360 €7,294

$4,304 €3,755

94.25%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,513 €3,938

$3,200 €2,792

41.05%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,287 €3,740

$2,811 €2,453

52.50%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.99

3.96

0.76%

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

Last update for Frankfurt: June 15, 2026

Last update for Schwerin: June 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,535 in Frankfurt and $453 in Schwerin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Frankfurt pays 53% 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 $79.0 in Schwerin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $364 vs $349 per month, with Schwerin 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 Schwerin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Schwerin is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 74% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 53% 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: $1,535 in Frankfurt versus $453 in Schwerin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Schwerin – a meal for two runs $79.0 versus $92.0 in Frankfurt. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,731 per month in Frankfurt versus $1,570 in Schwerin – a 74% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,570 in Schwerin versus $2,731 in Frankfurt, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Schwerin but tight or insufficient in Frankfurt. The gap between the two cities makes Schwerin the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Schwerin 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 Schwerin 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 Schwerin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 74% less than in Frankfurt. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.