Cost of Living Comparison Between Frankfurt and Soest Cost of Living Comparison Between Frankfurt and Soest

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,642 in Frankfurt versus $1,956 in Soest.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,909 in Frankfurt versus $2,890 in Soest.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,176 in Frankfurt versus $3,825 in Soest.

Living in Frankfurt is roughly 35% more expensive than in Soest, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Frankfurt 92% above, Soest 42% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.19 €14.82

$13.99 €12.06

22.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$91.7 €79.0

$70.7 €60.9

29.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.99 €12.06

$13.12 €11.31

6.63%

Cappuccino

$4.84 €4.18

$3.09 €2.66

56.63%

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

$3.80 €3.28

$3.29 €2.83

15.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.62 €3.12

$2.26 €1.95

60.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.95 €5.13

$3.81 €3.29

56.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.78 €4.99

$2.37 €2.04

143.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 €1.21

$1.34 €1.15

4.48%

White Bread (500g)

$2.22 €1.91

$1.78 €1.53

24.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.21 €2.77

$3.73 €3.22

-13.94%

Eggs

$4.18 €3.60

$3.56 €3.07

17.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.39 €12.41

$15.21 €13.11

-5.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.83 €11.06

$11.97 €10.32

7.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.99 €19.82

$19.61 €16.90

17.24%

Apples (1kg)

$3.30 €2.85

$2.84 €2.44

16.20%

Banana (1kg)

$2.24 €1.93

$2.11 €1.82

6.16%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.02 €1.74

$2.17 €1.87

-6.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.02 €3.46

$2.37 €2.04

69.62%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 €1.54

$1.35 €1.16

32.59%

Onion (1kg)

$1.93 €1.66

$1.25 €1.08

54.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.67 €1.44

$1.58 €1.36

5.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 €0.94

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.07 €8.68

$9.38 €8.09

7.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.54 €5.63

$5.65 €4.87

15.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 €1.03

$1.03 €0.89

15.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 €1.36

$1.61 €1.38

-2.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.49 €3.87

$3.58 €3.08

25.42%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.2 €62.3

$63.1 €54.4

14.47%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.53 €3.90

$4.03 €3.47

12.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.35 €2.02

$2.72 €2.34

-13.60%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.40 €21.03

$37.96 €32.72

-35.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.13 €1.84

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

$33.8K €29.1K

$34.2K €29.5K

-1.29%

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

$40.1K €34.5K

$40.3K €34.7K

-0.47%

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

$389 €336

$315 €272

23.46%

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

$20.76 €17.90

$17.21 €14.83

20.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$48.61 €41.90

$44.96 €38.75

8.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$71.0 €61.2

$29.49 €25.42

140.66%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$30.38 €26.19

$26.20 €22.59

15.95%

Cinema Ticket

$17.60 €15.17

$15.03 €12.95

17.10%

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

$1,110 €957

$479 €413

132.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.4K €20.2K

$16.4K €14.1K

42.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$91.1 €78.6

$94.2 €81.2

-3.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.44 €29.69

$34.97 €30.15

-1.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.4 €76.2

$123 €106

-28.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$127 €110

$141 €121

-9.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,361 €1,173

$1,148 €990

18.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,160 €1,000

$684 €589

69.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,793 €2,408

$1,519 €1,310

83.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,977 €1,705

$1,170 €1,008

69.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,151 €7,026

$5,330 €4,594

52.92%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,430 €3,818

$3,475 €2,995

27.47%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,290 €3,698

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: September 7, 2026

Last update for Soest: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,361 in Frankfurt and $1,148 in Soest. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $92.0 in Frankfurt vs $71.0 in Soest for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $351 vs $318 per month, with Soest 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 Soest: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Soest is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 35% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $3,963 in Frankfurt and $2,933 in Soest 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: $1,361 in Frankfurt versus $1,148 in Soest. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Soest – a meal for two runs $71.0 versus $92.0 in Frankfurt. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,642 per month in Frankfurt versus $1,956 in Soest – a 35% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,956 in Soest versus $2,642 in Frankfurt, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Soest but tight or insufficient in Frankfurt. The gap between the two cities makes Soest the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Soest 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 Soest 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 Soest 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.