Cost of Living Comparison Between Frankfurt and Wiesbaden Cost of Living Comparison Between Frankfurt and Wiesbaden

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,667 in Frankfurt versus $2,341 in Wiesbaden.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,020 in Frankfurt versus $3,612 in Wiesbaden.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,373 in Frankfurt versus $4,883 in Wiesbaden.

Living in Frankfurt is roughly 14% more expensive than Wiesbaden, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Frankfurt 99% above, Wiesbaden 75% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.30 €16.62

$21.71 €18.70

-11.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$92.3 €79.5

$93.7 €80.7

-1.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.94 €12.00

$13.91 €11.98

0.22%

Cappuccino

$4.44 €3.82

$4.16 €3.58

6.73%

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

$3.62 €3.12

$3.12 €2.68

16.03%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 €2.78

$2.69 €2.32

20.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.95 €5.12

$4.52 €3.89

31.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.06 €4.36

$4.42 €3.81

14.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.59 €1.37

$1.28 €1.10

24.22%

White Bread (500g)

$2.31 €1.99

$2.21 €1.91

4.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.42 €2.95

$3.43 €2.95

-0.29%

Eggs

$3.97 €3.42

$3.86 €3.33

2.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.05 €12.96

$14.97 €12.89

0.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.77 €11.86

$14.16 €12.19

-2.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.26 €19.17

$20.55 €17.70

8.32%

Apples (1kg)

$3.51 €3.03

$3.11 €2.68

12.86%

Banana (1kg)

$2.13 €1.84

$1.89 €1.63

12.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.26 €1.94

$2.30 €1.98

-1.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.94 €4.25

$5.12 €4.41

-3.52%

Potato (1kg)

$1.75 €1.51

$1.61 €1.39

8.70%

Onion (1kg)

$1.67 €1.44

$1.60 €1.38

4.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.95 €1.68

$2.08 €1.80

-6.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 €1.00

$1.17 €1.01

-0.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.72 €8.37

$9.36 €8.06

3.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.36 €5.48

$6.94 €5.98

-8.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.05 €0.90

$1.04 €0.90

0.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 €1.30

$1.74 €1.49

-13.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.34 €3.74

$3.98 €3.42

9.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$67.3 €58.0

$61.8 €53.3

8.85%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.76 €4.96

$4.62 €3.98

24.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.68 €2.30

$2.50 €2.15

7.20%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$38.47 €33.12

$46.48 €40.03

-17.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.96 €1.68

$1.92 €1.65

2.08%

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

$31.2K €26.9K

$31.4K €27.0K

-0.53%

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

$35.1K €30.3K

$38.1K €32.8K

-7.69%

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

$371 €320

$399 €344

-7.00%

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

$24.10 €20.75

$32.88 €28.31

-26.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.74 €36.80

$52.1 €44.89

-18.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$65.6 €56.5

$38.54 €33.18

70.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.20 €25.14

$18.46 €15.90

58.18%

Cinema Ticket

$15.92 €13.71

$10.94 €9.42

45.52%

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

$604 €520

$434 €374

39.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.3K €14.0K

$7,165 €6,170

127.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$92.0 €79.2

$87.6 €75.5

4.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.75 €33.37

$36.72 €31.62

5.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.1 €83.6

$115 €99.1

-15.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$147 €127

$171 €147

-13.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,514 €1,304

$1,030 €887

46.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,199 €1,032

$886 €763

35.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,750 €2,368

$1,743 €1,501

57.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,061 €1,775

$1,581 €1,361

30.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,507 €7,326

$7,190 €6,191

18.32%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,442 €3,825

$3,733 €3,214

18.99%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,257 €3,666

$3,299 €2,841

29.03%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.99

3.98

0.25%

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

Last update for Frankfurt: May 31, 2026

Last update for Wiesbaden: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,514 in Frankfurt and $1,030 in Wiesbaden. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Frankfurt pays 29% 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 $94.0 in Wiesbaden. Groceries flip the comparison at $365 vs $356, with Wiesbaden cheaper for home cooking.

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 Wiesbaden: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Wiesbaden is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 14% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Frankfurt pays 29% 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 $1,030 in Wiesbaden. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Wiesbaden – a meal for two runs $94.0 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 $2,341 in Wiesbaden – a 14% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,341 in Wiesbaden versus $2,667 in Frankfurt, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Wiesbaden but tight or insufficient in Frankfurt. The gap between the two cities makes Wiesbaden the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Wiesbaden 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 Wiesbaden 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 Wiesbaden gentler on the wallet – expenses run 14% less than in Frankfurt. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.