Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Gelsenkirchen and Nottingham

For one person, living is cheaper in Gelsenkirchen: $1,884 a month against $2,329 in Nottingham, rent and utilities included – about $5,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Gelsenkirchen, Germany
Nottingham, United Kingdom
Gelsenkirchen
🇩🇪 Germany
$1,884
/mo nomad
Nottingham
🇬🇧 United Kingdom
$2,329
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Gelsenkirchen and in Nottingham

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Gelsenkirchen and in Nottingham actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,884 per month in Gelsenkirchen vs $2,329 in Nottingham, rent included.

  • Gelsenkirchen $1,884
  • Nottingham $2,329

A couple spends around $2,779 per month in Gelsenkirchen vs $3,296 in Nottingham, rent included.

  • Gelsenkirchen $2,779
  • Nottingham $3,296

A family of three spends $3,674 per month in Gelsenkirchen vs $4,262 in Nottingham, rent included.

  • Gelsenkirchen $3,674
  • Nottingham $4,262

Gelsenkirchen is about 19% cheaper than Nottingham, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Gelsenkirchen and Nottingham sit above the global median – Gelsenkirchen by 38%, Nottingham by 71%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Gelsenkirchen
Nottingham
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$13.25 €11.90
$20.37 £15.33
-34.95%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$76.7 €68.9
$77.3 £58.2
-0.81%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.53 €9.46
$10.64 £8.01
-1.03%
Cappuccino
$4.29 €3.85
$4.65 £3.50
-7.74%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.83 €3.44
$2.35 £1.77
62.98%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.21 €2.88
$1.75 £1.32
83.43%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.34 €4.79
$6.76 £5.09
-21.01%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.01 €3.60
$6.80 £5.12
-41.03%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Gelsenkirchen
Nottingham
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.27 €1.14
$1.89 £1.42
-32.80%
White Bread (500g)
$2.16 €1.94
$1.50 £1.13
44.00%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.79 €3.41
$2.34 £1.76
61.97%
Eggs
$3.43 €3.08
$5.15 £3.88
-33.40%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$14.57 €13.09
$8.10 £6.10
79.88%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.73 €9.64
$9.02 £6.79
18.96%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$24.51 €22.02
$15.39 £11.58
59.26%
Apples (1kg)
$3.48 €3.13
$2.82 £2.12
23.40%
Banana (1kg)
$2.01 €1.81
$1.87 £1.40
7.49%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.15 €1.93
$3.62 £2.73
-40.61%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.18 €3.75
$3.61 £2.72
15.79%
Potato (1kg)
$1.48 €1.33
$2.03 £1.53
-27.09%
Onion (1kg)
$1.16 €1.04
$2.07 £1.56
-43.96%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.72 €1.54
$1.35 £1.01
27.41%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.85 €0.76
$1.80 £1.35
-52.78%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$9.77 €8.78
$22.43 £16.88
-56.44%
Wine (Bottle)
$5.55 €4.98
$13.12 £9.88
-57.70%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.08 €0.97
$3.31 £2.49
-67.37%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.50 €1.35
$5.28 £3.97
-71.59%
🚌 Getting Around
Gelsenkirchen
Nottingham
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$3.73 €3.35
$3.93 £2.96
-5.09%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$69.8 €62.7
$107 £80.2
-34.45%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.93 €4.43
$2.74 £2.06
79.93%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.21 €1.99
$1.52 £1.14
45.39%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$33.93 €30.48
$25.75 £19.38
31.77%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.19 €1.97
$2.05 £1.55
6.83%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$30.0K €26.9K
$39.0K £29.4K
-23.12%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$37.6K €33.7K
$40.1K £30.2K
-6.33%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Gelsenkirchen
Nottingham
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$384 €345
$295 £222
30.45%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$25.83 €23.20
$19.87 £14.95
29.99%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$40.13 €36.05
$42.13 £31.70
-4.75%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Gelsenkirchen
Nottingham
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$31.23 €28.05
$38.55 £29.01
-18.99%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$28.05 €25.20
$21.15 £15.92
32.62%
Cinema Ticket
$8.97 €8.06
$15.87 £11.94
-43.48%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Gelsenkirchen
Nottingham
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$224 €202
$1,802 £1,356
-87.54%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$19.2K €17.2K
$28.0K £21.1K
-31.52%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Gelsenkirchen
Nottingham
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$97.3 €87.4
$86.3 £64.9
12.75%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$38.35 €34.45
$60.5 £45.51
-36.59%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$98.7 €88.7
$108 £81.1
-8.32%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$105 €94.3
$104 £78.5
0.65%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Gelsenkirchen
Nottingham
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$586 €527
$1,209 £910
-51.51%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$542 €487
$965 £727
-43.83%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,007 €905
$1,868 £1,406
-46.08%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$844 €758
$1,318 £992
-35.99%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,687 €1,516
$4,392 £3,306
-61.59%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,335 €1,199
$4,721 £3,553
-71.73%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Gelsenkirchen
Nottingham
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$2,226 €2,000
$3,223 £2,426
-30.94%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.96
5.09
-22.20%

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

Last update for Gelsenkirchen: October 25, 2026

Last update for Nottingham: October 27, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Gelsenkirchen
$542
Nottingham
$965 78% $423
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Gelsenkirchen
$450
Nottingham
$357 20.8% $94
Groceries & Markets
Gelsenkirchen
$336
Nottingham
$328 2.6% $8.6
Eating Out
Gelsenkirchen
$252
Nottingham
$314 24.8% $63
Clothing & Footwear
Gelsenkirchen
$153
Nottingham
$161 5.7% $8.7
Getting Around
Gelsenkirchen
$101
Nottingham
$133 31.6% $32
Sport & Entertainment
Gelsenkirchen
$49
Nottingham
$70 42.9% $21

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $586 in Gelsenkirchen versus $1,209 in Nottingham. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 45% higher in Nottingham. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $77 in Gelsenkirchen versus $77 in Nottingham. Groceries tell a different story – $336 in Gelsenkirchen vs $328 in Nottingham – so Nottingham wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know
🇩🇪 Gelsenkirchen
🇬🇧 Nottingham
🕒 Local time
15:55 3:55 PM
14:55 2:55 PM
1 h behind Gelsenkirchen
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
270,107
305,700
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

GBP, USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 0.898 EUR (1 EUR = 1.11 USD).

British Pound exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 0.753 GBP (1 GBP = 1.33 USD). 1 EUR = 0.838 GBP (1 GBP = 1.19 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Gelsenkirchen Nottingham 580 km ≈ 1 h 15 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Gelsenkirchen
  • Nottingham

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Gelsenkirchen vs Nottingham: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Gelsenkirchen or Nottingham?
Nottingham costs about 24% more than Gelsenkirchen, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from eating out. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Gelsenkirchen and in Nottingham?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,826 per month in Gelsenkirchen and $3,493 in Nottingham. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Gelsenkirchen or Nottingham?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Gelsenkirchen, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $586 there versus $1,209 in Nottingham.
How much does it cost to live in Gelsenkirchen compared to Nottingham?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,884 in Gelsenkirchen and $2,329 in Nottingham. That’s a gap of about 24%.
How do childcare costs compare in Gelsenkirchen and in Nottingham?
Kindergarten costs $224 per month in Gelsenkirchen and $1,802 in Nottingham. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Which city is better for families?
Families tend to lean toward Gelsenkirchen – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Should I move to Gelsenkirchen or to Nottingham?
If budget matters most, go with Gelsenkirchen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Nottingham makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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