Cost of Living Comparison Between Frankfurt and Tubingen Cost of Living Comparison Between Frankfurt and Tubingen

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,667 in Frankfurt versus $2,426 in Tubingen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,020 in Frankfurt versus $3,503 in Tubingen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,373 in Frankfurt versus $4,579 in Tubingen.

Living in Frankfurt is roughly 10% more expensive than Tubingen, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Frankfurt 99% above, Tubingen 81% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.30 €16.60

$17.31 €14.89

11.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$92.3 €79.4

$70.1 €60.3

31.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.94 €11.99

$13.26 €11.41

5.13%

Cappuccino

$4.44 €3.82

$4.13 €3.55

7.51%

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

$3.62 €3.11

$3.98 €3.43

-9.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 €2.78

$3.71 €3.20

-12.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.95 €5.12

$5.37 €4.62

10.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.06 €4.35

$4.39 €3.78

15.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.59 €1.37

$1.17 €1.00

35.90%

White Bread (500g)

$2.31 €1.99

$2.23 €1.92

3.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.42 €2.94

$3.50 €3.01

-2.29%

Eggs

$3.97 €3.42

$3.76 €3.23

5.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.05 €12.94

$16.98 €14.61

-11.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.77 €11.85

$14.17 €12.19

-2.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.26 €19.15

$19.36 €16.65

14.98%

Apples (1kg)

$3.51 €3.02

$3.29 €2.83

6.69%

Banana (1kg)

$2.13 €1.83

$1.82 €1.57

17.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.26 €1.94

$2.26 €1.95

Tomato (1kg)

$4.94 €4.25

$5.46 €4.69

-9.52%

Potato (1kg)

$1.75 €1.51

$1.46 €1.26

19.86%

Onion (1kg)

$1.67 €1.44

$1.57 €1.35

6.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.95 €1.68

$1.78 €1.53

9.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 €1.00

$0.83 €0.71

39.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.72 €8.36

$10.25 €8.81

-5.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.36 €5.47

$6.79 €5.84

-6.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.05 €0.90

$1.12 €0.97

-6.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 €1.30

$1.63 €1.40

-7.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.34 €3.73

$4.04 €3.48

7.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$67.3 €57.9

$39.44 €33.92

70.66%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.76 €4.95

$5.44 €4.68

5.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.68 €2.30

$2.44 €2.10

9.84%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$38.47 €33.09

$43.24 €37.19

-11.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.96 €1.68

$1.91 €1.65

2.62%

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

$31.2K €26.9K

$31.9K €27.4K

-2.03%

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

$35.1K €30.2K

$35.0K €30.1K

0.39%

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

$371 €319

$403 €347

-7.97%

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

$24.10 €20.73

$34.10 €29.33

-29.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.74 €36.76

$55.4 €47.62

-22.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$65.6 €56.4

$38.24 €32.90

71.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.20 €25.11

$32.22 €27.71

-9.37%

Cinema Ticket

$15.92 €13.70

$12.68 €10.91

25.55%

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

$604 €520

$324 €279

86.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.3K €14.0K

$14.2K €12.2K

14.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$92.0 €79.1

$123 €106

-25.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.75 €33.33

$38.18 €32.84

1.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.1 €83.5

$125 €108

-22.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$147 €127

$188 €162

-21.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,514 €1,302

$1,194 €1,027

26.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,199 €1,031

$963 €828

24.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,750 €2,365

$1,947 €1,674

41.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,061 €1,773

$1,533 €1,318

34.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,507 €7,318

$6,367 €5,477

33.61%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,442 €3,821

$5,176 €4,452

-14.18%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,257 €3,662

$3,477 €2,991

22.42%

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 Tubingen: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,514 in Frankfurt and $1,194 in Tubingen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Frankfurt pays 22% 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 $70.0 in Tubingen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $365 vs $354 per month, with Tubingen 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 Tubingen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Tubingen is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 10% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Frankfurt pays 22% 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: $1,514 in Frankfurt versus $1,194 in Tubingen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Tubingen – a meal for two runs $70.0 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 $2,426 in Tubingen – a 10% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,426 in Tubingen versus $2,667 in Frankfurt, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Tubingen but tight or insufficient in Frankfurt. The gap between the two cities makes Tubingen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Tubingen 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 Tubingen 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 Tubingen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 10% less than in Frankfurt. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.