Cost of Living Comparison Between Hamburg and Kaufbeuren Cost of Living Comparison Between Hamburg and Kaufbeuren

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,429 per month in Hamburg vs $1,948 in Kaufbeuren, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,787 per month in Hamburg vs $2,952 in Kaufbeuren, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,145 per month in Hamburg vs $3,955 in Kaufbeuren, rent included.

Hamburg costs about 25% more than Kaufbeuren, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Hamburg and Kaufbeuren sit above the global median – Hamburg by 82%, Kaufbeuren by 46%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.51 €16.80

$17.17 €14.79

13.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$91.4 €78.7

$67.4 €58.0

35.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.97 €12.03

$11.37 €9.79

22.87%

Cappuccino

$4.80 €4.13

$4.09 €3.52

17.36%

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

$3.53 €3.04

$2.77 €2.39

27.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.24 €2.79

$2.54 €2.19

27.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.88 €5.06

$4.67 €4.02

25.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.51 €4.74

$4.52 €3.89

21.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.37 €1.18

$1.33 €1.14

3.01%

White Bread (500g)

$2.14 €1.84

$2.11 €1.82

1.42%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.35 €2.88

$3.36 €2.90

-0.30%

Eggs

$3.74 €3.22

$3.65 €3.14

2.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.61 €12.58

$14.62 €12.59

-0.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.22 €11.38

$13.15 €11.32

0.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$21.41 €18.43

$20.29 €17.47

5.52%

Apples (1kg)

$3.36 €2.89

$3.18 €2.74

5.66%

Banana (1kg)

$2.18 €1.88

$1.84 €1.58

18.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.33 €2.00

$2.46 €2.12

-5.28%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.72 €4.07

$5.15 €4.44

-8.35%

Potato (1kg)

$1.66 €1.43

$1.76 €1.52

-5.68%

Onion (1kg)

$1.55 €1.33

$1.77 €1.53

-12.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.04 €1.75

$1.88 €1.62

8.51%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 €0.93

$1.33 €1.15

-18.80%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.85 €8.48

$9.51 €8.19

3.58%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.55 €5.64

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 €0.98

$1.11 €0.96

1.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.54 €1.32

$1.77 €1.53

-12.99%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.13 €3.56

$3.47 €2.99

19.02%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$67.1 €57.8

$61.2 €52.7

9.59%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.02 €6.05

$4.06 €3.50

72.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.87 €2.48

$2.12 €1.82

35.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$43.40 €37.37

$28.44 €24.49

52.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.00 €1.72

$1.96 €1.69

2.04%

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

$31.9K €27.5K

$33.0K €28.4K

-3.43%

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

$40.1K €34.5K

$35.7K €30.7K

12.35%

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

$376 €323

$270 €233

38.86%

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

$21.89 €18.85

$34.02 €29.30

-35.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.34 €33.88

$53.6 €46.19

-26.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.18 €40.63

$39.00 €33.58

20.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.00 €20.66

$23.35 €20.11

2.78%

Cinema Ticket

$16.31 €14.04

$17.14 €14.76

-4.84%

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

$258 €223

$352 €303

-26.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$26.8K €23.0K

$11.8K €10.1K

127.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$92.4 €79.6

$76.7 €66.1

20.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$60.3 €51.9

$48.95 €42.15

23.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$123 €106

$74.3 €64.0

65.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$185 €159

$101 €87.3

82.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,412 €1,216

$828 €713

70.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$935 €805

$668 €575

39.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,437 €2,098

$1,525 €1,313

59.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,825 €1,571

$1,210 €1,042

50.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$10.5K €9,057

$5,192 €4,471

102.60%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,386 €4,638

$3,411 €2,938

57.88%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,748 €3,228

$2,871 €2,472

30.56%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.9

3.97

-1.76%

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

Last update for Hamburg: June 15, 2026

Last update for Kaufbeuren: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,412 in Hamburg versus $828 in Kaufbeuren. 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 31% higher in Hamburg, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $91.0 in Hamburg versus $67.0 in Kaufbeuren. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $351 vs $350 – making Kaufbeuren the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Hamburg vs Kaufbeuren: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Hamburg costs about 25% more than Kaufbeuren, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,643 per month in Hamburg and $2,922 in Kaufbeuren. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Kaufbeuren, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,429 in Hamburg and $1,948 in Kaufbeuren. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 10% less in Kaufbeuren. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Kaufbeuren, where all-in costs run around $1,948, than in Hamburg at $2,429. In Kaufbeuren it covers expenses comfortably, while in Hamburg it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Kaufbeuren costs $1,948 versus $2,429 in Hamburg. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Kaufbeuren. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Hamburg makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.