Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Hamburg and Oberhausen

For one person, living is cheaper in Oberhausen: $1,989 a month against $2,332 in Hamburg, rent and utilities included – about $4,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Hamburg, Germany
Oberhausen, Germany
Hamburg
🇩🇪 Germany
$2,332
/mo nomad
Oberhausen
🇩🇪 Germany
$1,989
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Hamburg and in Oberhausen

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

A single person spends $2,332 per month in Hamburg vs $1,989 in Oberhausen, rent included.

  • Hamburg $2,332
  • Oberhausen $1,989

A couple spends around $3,481 per month in Hamburg vs $2,841 in Oberhausen, rent included.

  • Hamburg $3,481
  • Oberhausen $2,841

A family of three spends $4,631 per month in Hamburg vs $3,693 in Oberhausen, rent included.

  • Hamburg $4,631
  • Oberhausen $3,693

Hamburg costs about 17% more than Oberhausen, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Hamburg and Oberhausen sit above the global median – Hamburg by 71%, Oberhausen by 46%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Hamburg
Oberhausen
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.03 €15.29
$16.63 €14.94
2.41%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$73.6 €66.1
$83.2 €74.8
-11.59%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$13.65 €12.27
$13.67 €12.28
-0.15%
Cappuccino
$4.67 €4.20
$4.06 €3.65
15.02%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.18 €3.75
$3.17 €2.84
31.86%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.24 €2.91
$3.15 €2.83
2.86%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.96 €5.36
$5.54 €4.98
7.58%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.98 €4.48
$5.52 €4.95
-9.78%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Hamburg
Oberhausen
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.20 €1.08
$1.25 €1.12
-4.00%
White Bread (500g)
$2.60 €2.33
$2.19 €1.97
18.72%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.79 €2.51
$3.07 €2.75
-9.12%
Eggs
$4.24 €3.81
$3.73 €3.35
13.67%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.36 €11.11
$13.60 €12.22
-9.12%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$12.02 €10.80
$11.83 €10.62
1.61%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$18.94 €17.01
$23.12 €20.77
-18.08%
Apples (1kg)
$3.24 €2.91
$2.97 €2.66
9.09%
Banana (1kg)
$2.33 €2.09
$2.05 €1.84
13.66%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.95 €2.65
$2.18 €1.95
35.32%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.12 €3.70
$3.96 €3.56
4.04%
Potato (1kg)
$1.83 €1.64
$1.37 €1.23
33.58%
Onion (1kg)
$1.75 €1.57
$1.31 €1.17
33.59%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.73 €1.55
$1.57 €1.41
10.19%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.17 €1.05
$1.08 €0.97
8.33%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$10.07 €9.04
$9.43 €8.47
6.79%
Wine (Bottle)
$6.61 €5.94
$5.51 €4.95
19.96%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.13 €1.02
$1.06 €0.95
6.60%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.50 €1.34
$1.66 €1.49
-9.64%
🚌 Getting Around
Hamburg
Oberhausen
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$4.43 €3.98
$3.27 €2.94
35.47%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$69.4 €62.4
$50.6 €45.41
37.31%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$6.79 €6.10
$4.95 €4.45
37.17%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.98 €2.68
$2.95 €2.65
1.02%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$41.72 €37.48
$33.91 €30.46
23.03%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.29 €2.06
$2.25 €2.02
1.78%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$33.0K €29.6K
$33.1K €29.7K
-0.28%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$38.9K €35.0K
$38.6K €34.7K
0.77%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Hamburg
Oberhausen
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$383 €344
$386 €347
-0.86%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$19.47 €17.49
$12.43 €11.17
56.64%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$38.79 €34.84
$36.82 €33.07
5.35%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Hamburg
Oberhausen
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$42.26 €37.96
$38.55 €34.63
9.62%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$28.37 €25.49
$27.31 €24.54
3.88%
Cinema Ticket
$15.46 €13.88
$15.71 €14.11
-1.59%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Hamburg
Oberhausen
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$502 €451
$460 €413
9.16%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$13.8K €12.4K
$9,269 €8,326
48.49%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Hamburg
Oberhausen
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$86.6 €77.8
$90.4 €81.2
-4.22%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$36.18 €32.50
$41.33 €37.12
-12.46%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$101 €90.4
$99.2 €89.1
1.46%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$117 €105
$141 €127
-16.87%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Hamburg
Oberhausen
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,212 €1,088
$597 €536
102.93%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$919 €825
$614 €552
49.60%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,155 €1,935
$725 €651
197.20%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,667 €1,498
$756 €679
120.69%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$9,358 €8,406
$4,012 €3,604
133.26%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$5,163 €4,638
$3,297 €2,962
56.59%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Hamburg
Oberhausen
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,622 €3,253
$3,377 €3,034
7.25%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.69
3.95
-6.58%

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

Last update for Hamburg: October 26, 2026

Last update for Oberhausen: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Hamburg
$919
Oberhausen
$614 33.2% $305
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Hamburg
$441
Oberhausen
$435 1.3% $5.7
Groceries & Markets
Hamburg
$335
Oberhausen
$332 0.7% $2.3
Eating Out
Hamburg
$303
Oberhausen
$287 5.3% $16
Clothing & Footwear
Hamburg
$153
Oberhausen
$167 9.2% $14
Getting Around
Hamburg
$109
Oberhausen
$83 23.4% $25
Sport & Entertainment
Hamburg
$73
Oberhausen
$70 4.4% $3.2

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,212 in Hamburg versus $597 in Oberhausen. 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 7% 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 $74 in Hamburg versus $83 in Oberhausen. Groceries tell a different story – $335 in Hamburg vs $332 in Oberhausen – so Oberhausen wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know
🇩🇪 Hamburg
🇩🇪 Oberhausen
🕒 Local time
01:13 1:13 AM
01:13 1:13 AM
Same time as Hamburg
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
1,812,709
209,292
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of October 29, 2026: 1 USD = 0.898 EUR (1 EUR = 1.11 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Hamburg Oberhausen 310 km
From you
  • Hamburg
  • Oberhausen

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
Hamburg vs Oberhausen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Hamburg or Oberhausen?
Hamburg costs about 17% more than Oberhausen, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from transport. 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 Hamburg and in Oberhausen?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,499 per month in Hamburg and $2,984 in Oberhausen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Hamburg or Oberhausen?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Oberhausen, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $597 there versus $1,212 in Hamburg.
How much does it cost to live in Hamburg compared to Oberhausen?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,332 in Hamburg and $1,989 in Oberhausen. That makes Oberhausen about 15% cheaper.
How do childcare costs compare in Hamburg and in Oberhausen?
Kindergarten costs $502 per month in Hamburg and $460 in Oberhausen. 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 Oberhausen – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
How safe is Hamburg compared to Oberhausen?
Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.
Should I move to Hamburg or to Oberhausen?
If budget matters most, go with Oberhausen. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Hamburg makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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