Cost of Living Comparison Between Hamburg and Oldenburg Cost of Living Comparison Between Hamburg and Oldenburg

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,453 per month in Hamburg vs $1,968 in Oldenburg, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,776 per month in Hamburg vs $2,917 in Oldenburg, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,099 per month in Hamburg vs $3,865 in Oldenburg, rent included.

Hamburg costs about 25% more than Oldenburg, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Hamburg and Oldenburg sit above the global median – Hamburg by 84%, Oldenburg by 48%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.89 €17.34

$11.21 €9.77

77.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$93.0 €81.1

$78.0 €68.0

19.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.12 €12.31

$11.48 €10.01

23.00%

Cappuccino

$4.64 €4.04

$3.85 €3.35

20.52%

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

$3.58 €3.12

$3.94 €3.44

-9.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 €2.70

$3.56 €3.10

-12.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.92 €5.16

$5.18 €4.52

14.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.55 €4.84

$4.20 €3.66

32.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.42 €1.24

$1.27 €1.11

11.81%

White Bread (500g)

$2.17 €1.89

$2.24 €1.96

-3.13%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.42 €2.98

$3.38 €2.95

1.18%

Eggs

$3.72 €3.24

$4.07 €3.55

-8.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.25 €12.42

$15.27 €13.32

-6.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.26 €11.56

$15.14 €13.20

-12.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$21.35 €18.61

$18.97 €16.54

12.55%

Apples (1kg)

$3.37 €2.94

$3.22 €2.80

4.66%

Banana (1kg)

$2.15 €1.87

$1.71 €1.49

25.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.32 €2.02

$2.22 €1.93

4.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.63 €4.04

$4.62 €4.03

0.22%

Potato (1kg)

$1.63 €1.42

$1.51 €1.32

7.95%

Onion (1kg)

$1.56 €1.36

$1.65 €1.44

-5.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.06 €1.80

$1.97 €1.72

4.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.05 €0.91

$1.05 €0.92

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.59 €8.36

$9.64 €8.40

-0.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.36 €5.55

$6.87 €5.99

-7.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 €0.95

$1.07 €0.93

1.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.59 €1.39

$1.68 €1.47

-5.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.02 €3.51

$3.28 €2.86

22.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$66.4 €57.9

0.12%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.98 €6.08

$5.16 €4.50

35.27%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.78 €2.42

$1.98 €1.73

40.40%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$43.41 €37.85

$50.1 €43.68

-13.35%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.04 €1.78

$2.07 €1.80

-1.45%

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

$31.6K €27.6K

$30.9K €26.9K

2.41%

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

$39.4K €34.4K

$34.8K €30.4K

13.20%

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

$374 €326

$290 €253

28.89%

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

$21.63 €18.85

$39.59 €34.52

-45.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$38.40 €33.48

$54.5 €47.52

-29.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.20 €41.15

$36.18 €31.54

30.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.12 €21.03

$8.24 €7.19

192.72%

Cinema Ticket

$15.99 €13.94

$14.11 €12.30

13.32%

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

$260 €227

$698 €608

-62.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$26.9K €23.5K

$10.6K €9,222

154.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$92.7 €80.8

$141 €123

-34.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.7 €51.2

$35.16 €30.65

66.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$123 €107

$116 €101

5.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$185 €161

$118 €103

57.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,397 €1,218

$1,000 €872

39.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$957 €834

$707 €616

35.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,392 €2,086

$1,267 €1,105

88.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,806 €1,574

$951 €829

89.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,932 €8,659

$4,252 €3,707

133.57%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,263 €4,589

$3,059 €2,667

72.08%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,514 €3,064

$3,515 €3,064

-0.01%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.9

3.96

-1.52%

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

Last update for Hamburg: July 26, 2026

Last update for Oldenburg: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,397 in Hamburg versus $1,000 in Oldenburg. 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 0% higher in Oldenburg, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $93.0 in Hamburg versus $78.0 in Oldenburg. Groceries tell a different story – $350 in Hamburg vs $352 in Oldenburg – so Hamburg wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Oldenburg: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

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

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,679 per month in Hamburg and $2,952 in Oldenburg. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Oldenburg, 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 $2,453 in Hamburg and $1,968 in Oldenburg. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 0% less in Oldenburg. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Oldenburg, where all-in costs run around $1,968, than in Hamburg at $2,453. In Oldenburg it covers expenses comfortably, while in Hamburg it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Oldenburg costs $1,968 versus $2,453 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 Oldenburg. 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.