Cost of Living Comparison Between Frankfurt and Siegen Cost of Living Comparison Between Frankfurt and Siegen

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,667 in Frankfurt versus $1,836 in Siegen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,960 in Frankfurt versus $2,698 in Siegen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,253 in Frankfurt versus $3,560 in Siegen.

Living in Frankfurt is roughly 45% more expensive than Siegen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Frankfurt 98% above, Siegen 36% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.95 €16.97

$14.00 €11.92

42.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$93.2 €79.3

$54.9 €46.73

69.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.73 €11.68

$10.53 €8.96

30.39%

Cappuccino

$4.55 €3.87

$3.74 €3.18

21.66%

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

$3.59 €3.06

$3.70 €3.14

-2.97%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 €2.81

$3.08 €2.62

7.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.69 €4.84

$4.57 €3.89

24.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.35 €4.55

$4.29 €3.65

24.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.52 €1.30

$1.20 €1.02

26.67%

White Bread (500g)

$2.26 €1.92

$2.14 €1.82

5.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.38 €2.88

$2.96 €2.52

14.19%

Eggs

$4.03 €3.43

$3.71 €3.16

8.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.08 €12.84

$14.51 €12.35

3.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.57 €11.55

$14.50 €12.34

-6.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$21.55 €18.34

$21.02 €17.89

2.52%

Apples (1kg)

$3.36 €2.86

$3.43 €2.92

-2.04%

Banana (1kg)

$2.14 €1.82

$1.86 €1.58

15.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.34 €1.99

$2.19 €1.86

6.85%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.87 €4.14

$4.74 €4.03

2.74%

Potato (1kg)

$1.68 €1.43

$1.43 €1.22

17.48%

Onion (1kg)

$1.73 €1.48

$1.54 €1.31

12.34%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.93 €1.64

$1.80 €1.53

7.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.11 €0.94

$0.77 €0.66

44.16%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.66 €8.22

$9.95 €8.47

-2.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.25 €6.17

$5.76 €4.91

25.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 €0.92

$1.06 €0.90

2.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 €1.33

$1.67 €1.42

-5.99%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.13 €3.51

$4.09 €3.48

0.98%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$65.8 €56.0

$65.9 €56.1

-0.12%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.94 €5.06

$3.77 €3.21

57.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.61 €2.23

$1.96 €1.66

33.16%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$38.26 €32.56

$41.09 €34.97

-6.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.99 €1.69

$1.98 €1.68

0.51%

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

$31.8K €27.1K

$31.0K €26.3K

2.81%

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

$34.6K €29.4K

$35.6K €30.3K

-2.97%

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

$376 €320

$352 €299

6.93%

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

$24.54 €20.89

$31.00 €26.38

-20.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$43.65 €37.15

$53.9 €45.86

-19.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$66.7 €56.8

$38.26 €32.56

74.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$30.09 €25.61

$23.24 €19.78

29.48%

Cinema Ticket

$16.39 €13.95

$13.73 €11.68

19.37%

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

$607 €516

$164 €140

269.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.2K €13.8K

$11.6K €9,876

39.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$91.8 €78.2

$95.0 €80.8

-3.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.63 €32.87

$29.24 €24.88

32.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.4 €83.8

$91.7 €78.1

7.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$149 €127

$127 €108

16.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,555 €1,323

$642 €547

142.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,205 €1,025

$528 €449

128.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,760 €2,349

$925 €787

198.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,056 €1,750

$761 €648

170.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,482 €7,218

$2,964 €2,523

186.15%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,750 €4,042

$2,075 €1,766

128.88%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,607 €3,921

$2,702 €2,300

70.51%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.99

3.89

2.57%

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

Last update for Frankfurt: April 12, 2026

Last update for Siegen: April 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,555 in Frankfurt and $642 in Siegen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Frankfurt pays 71% 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: $93 in Frankfurt vs $55 in Siegen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $361 vs $344 per month, with Siegen 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 Siegen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Siegen is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 45% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Frankfurt pays 71% more on average, 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: $1,555 in Frankfurt versus $642 in Siegen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Siegen – a meal for two runs $55.0 versus $93.0 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 $1,836 in Siegen – a 45% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,836 in Siegen versus $2,667 in Frankfurt, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Siegen but tight or insufficient in Frankfurt. The gap between the two cities makes Siegen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Siegen 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 Siegen 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 Siegen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 45% less than in Frankfurt. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.