Cost of Living Comparison Between Frankfurt and Sydney Cost of Living Comparison Between Frankfurt and Sydney

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,663 in Frankfurt versus $3,344 in Sydney.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,912 in Frankfurt versus $4,844 in Sydney.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,161 in Frankfurt versus $6,343 in Sydney.

Living in Frankfurt costs roughly 20% less than in Sydney, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Frankfurt 94% above, Sydney 143% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.46 €15.07

$17.60 A$24.56

-0.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$92.3 €79.7

$94.7 A$132

-2.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.99 €12.07

$12.08 A$16.86

15.81%

Cappuccino

$4.69 €4.05

$4.01 A$5.59

16.96%

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

$3.76 €3.24

$2.87 A$4.00

31.01%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.61 €3.11

$2.28 A$3.18

58.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.75 €4.96

$8.09 A$11.29

-28.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.73 €4.95

$7.15 A$9.97

-19.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.39 €1.20

$1.82 A$2.54

-23.63%

White Bread (500g)

$2.26 €1.95

$2.73 A$3.80

-17.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.26 €2.81

$2.34 A$3.27

39.32%

Eggs

$4.17 €3.60

$5.84 A$8.15

-28.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.50 €12.51

$12.90 A$18.00

12.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.51 €10.80

$9.71 A$13.55

28.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.93 €19.79

$16.78 A$23.41

36.65%

Apples (1kg)

$3.29 €2.84

$3.84 A$5.36

-14.32%

Banana (1kg)

$2.12 €1.83

$3.08 A$4.30

-31.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.10 €1.81

$3.40 A$4.74

-38.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.00 €3.45

$4.58 A$6.39

-12.66%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 €1.54

$3.17 A$4.43

-43.85%

Onion (1kg)

$1.88 €1.62

$2.55 A$3.56

-26.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.71 €1.47

$2.46 A$3.44

-30.49%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.10 €0.95

$1.28 A$1.79

-14.06%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.92 €8.56

$46.08 A$64.3

-78.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.43 €5.55

$14.12 A$19.70

-54.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 €0.98

$4.21 A$5.88

-73.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.64 €1.42

$4.08 A$5.70

-59.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.33 €3.74

$3.34 A$4.66

29.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.1 €63.1

$153 A$213

-52.16%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.63 €3.99

$3.57 A$4.99

29.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.26 €1.95

$1.60 A$2.23

41.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.68 €21.30

$41.39 A$57.8

-40.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.24 €1.93

$1.37 A$1.91

63.50%

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

$33.8K €29.2K

$30.6K A$42.7K

10.49%

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

$39.3K €33.9K

$30.9K A$43.1K

27.33%

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

$398 €344

$230 A$321

73.07%

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

$20.29 €17.51

$27.25 A$38.03

-25.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$49.48 €42.70

$56.8 A$79.2

-12.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$71.1 €61.3

$75.3 A$105

-5.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$30.01 €25.89

$24.26 A$33.86

23.70%

Cinema Ticket

$17.22 €14.86

$17.75 A$24.77

-2.99%

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

$1,112 €959

$2,234 A$3,117

-50.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.0K €20.7K

$29.5K A$41.2K

-18.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.1 €76.9

$79.7 A$111

11.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.12 €29.44

$73.2 A$102

-53.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.4 €76.3

$112 A$156

-20.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$125 €108

$131 A$183

-4.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,335 €1,152

$2,627 A$3,666

-49.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,163 €1,004

$1,809 A$2,524

-35.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,798 €2,414

$5,241 A$7,314

-46.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,973 €1,703

$3,037 A$4,238

-35.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,174 €7,053

$13.7K A$19.1K

-40.34%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,356 €3,759

$8,339 A$11.6K

-47.77%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,268 €3,683

$4,164 A$5,811

2.50%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.61

5.84

-38.18%

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

Last update for Frankfurt: August 30, 2026

Last update for Sydney: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,335 in Frankfurt and $2,627 in Sydney. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Frankfurt pays 3% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $92.0 in Frankfurt vs $95.0 in Sydney for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $350 vs $387 per month, with Frankfurt 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 Sydney: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Frankfurt is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 26% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 3% 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: $1,335 in Frankfurt versus $2,627 in Sydney. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Frankfurt – a meal for two runs $92.0 versus $95.0 in Sydney. 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 $3,344 in Sydney – a 26% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,663 in Frankfurt versus $3,344 in Sydney, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Frankfurt but tight or insufficient in Sydney. The gap between the two cities makes Frankfurt the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Frankfurt is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Sydney, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Frankfurt and Sydney 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 Frankfurt gentler on the wallet – expenses run 26% less than in Sydney. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.