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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,448 per month in Hamburg vs $2,017 in Oldenburg, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,772 per month in Hamburg vs $2,917 in Oldenburg, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,097 per month in Hamburg vs $3,817 in Oldenburg, rent included.

Hamburg costs about 21% more than Oldenburg, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Hamburg and Oldenburg sit above the global median – Hamburg by 83%, Oldenburg by 51%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.60 €16.78

$11.18 €9.57

75.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$93.1 €79.7

$78.6 €67.3

18.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.11 €12.08

$11.47 €9.82

23.02%

Cappuccino

$4.74 €4.05

$3.84 €3.29

23.44%

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

$3.61 €3.09

$4.13 €3.53

-12.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.12 €2.67

$3.51 €3.00

-11.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.73 €4.91

$5.20 €4.45

10.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.66 €4.84

$4.27 €3.66

32.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.41 €1.20

$1.31 €1.12

7.63%

White Bread (500g)

$2.22 €1.90

$2.21 €1.89

0.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.34 €2.86

$3.48 €2.97

-4.02%

Eggs

$3.85 €3.30

$4.10 €3.51

-6.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.26 €12.21

$15.34 €13.13

-7.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.82 €10.97

$15.30 €13.10

-16.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$21.71 €18.59

$19.60 €16.78

10.77%

Apples (1kg)

$3.43 €2.93

$3.18 €2.72

7.86%

Banana (1kg)

$2.18 €1.86

$1.74 €1.49

25.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.32 €1.98

$2.21 €1.89

4.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.55 €3.89

$4.68 €4.01

-2.78%

Potato (1kg)

$1.62 €1.39

$1.52 €1.30

6.58%

Onion (1kg)

$1.56 €1.33

$1.61 €1.38

-3.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.07 €1.78

$2.03 €1.74

1.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 €0.93

$1.03 €0.88

5.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.71 €8.31

$9.26 €7.92

4.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.23 €6.19

$7.21 €6.17

0.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 €0.98

$1.07 €0.92

6.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.60 €1.37

$1.76 €1.50

-9.09%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.18 €3.58

$3.41 €2.92

22.58%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$67.6 €57.8

$67.9 €58.2

-0.57%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.82 €5.84

$5.22 €4.47

30.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.73 €2.34

$2.02 €1.73

35.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$44.25 €37.88

$51.1 €43.74

-13.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.04 €1.75

$2.05 €1.75

-0.49%

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

$31.3K €26.8K

$31.9K €27.3K

-2.10%

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

$40.9K €35.0K

$34.3K €29.4K

19.09%

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

$366 €313

$292 €250

25.38%

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

$21.33 €18.26

$39.92 €34.17

-46.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$38.43 €32.90

$54.4 €46.60

-29.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.14 €40.35

$36.89 €31.58

27.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.38 €20.87

$7.94 €6.79

207.05%

Cinema Ticket

$15.93 €13.63

$13.97 €11.96

14.03%

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

$264 €226

$678 €581

-61.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$26.9K €23.0K

$10.5K €9,030

154.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$94.4 €80.8

$141 €120

-32.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.9 €50.5

$34.26 €29.33

72.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$120 €103

$117 €101

2.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$180 €154

$115 €98.4

56.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,411 €1,208

$976 €836

44.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$949 €813

$695 €595

36.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,381 €2,038

$1,286 €1,101

85.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,765 €1,511

$945 €809

86.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,726 €8,326

$4,405 €3,771

120.78%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,757 €4,928

$3,220 €2,756

78.79%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,924 €3,359

$3,732 €3,194

5.15%

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: April 28, 2026

Last update for Oldenburg: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,411 in Hamburg versus $976 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 5% 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 $93.0 in Hamburg versus $79.0 in Oldenburg. Groceries tell a different story – $352 in Hamburg vs $357 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 21% 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 $3,672 per month in Hamburg and $3,025 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 $2,448 in Hamburg and $2,017 in Oldenburg. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 1% 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 $2,017, than in Hamburg at $2,448. 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 $2,017 versus $2,448 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.