Cost of Living Comparison Between Hamburg and Stuttgart Cost of Living Comparison Between Hamburg and Stuttgart

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,412 per month in Hamburg vs $2,273 in Stuttgart, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,598 per month in Hamburg vs $3,531 in Stuttgart, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,783 per month in Hamburg vs $4,790 in Stuttgart, rent included.

Hamburg costs about 6% more than Stuttgart, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Hamburg and Stuttgart sit above the global median – Hamburg by 76%, Stuttgart by 65%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.36 €14.98

$20.54 €17.72

-15.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.2 €59.7

$82.7 €71.3

-16.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.79 €11.90

$13.85 €11.95

-0.43%

Cappuccino

$4.82 €4.16

$4.30 €3.71

12.09%

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

$4.14 €3.57

$4.27 €3.69

-3.04%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.37 €2.90

$4.50 €3.88

-25.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.90 €5.09

$5.86 €5.05

0.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.84 €4.17

$5.98 €5.16

-19.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.30 €1.12

$1.39 €1.20

-6.47%

White Bread (500g)

$2.55 €2.20

$2.40 €2.07

6.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.15 €2.72

$3.95 €3.41

-20.25%

Eggs

$4.35 €3.75

$4.62 €3.98

-5.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.61 €10.88

$15.67 €13.53

-19.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.52 €10.81

$13.67 €11.80

-8.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.92 €17.19

$22.83 €19.70

-12.75%

Apples (1kg)

$3.33 €2.87

$3.26 €2.82

2.15%

Banana (1kg)

$2.41 €2.08

$2.08 €1.79

15.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.08 €2.66

$2.01 €1.74

53.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.24 €3.66

$4.16 €3.59

1.92%

Potato (1kg)

$2.01 €1.73

$1.28 €1.11

57.03%

Onion (1kg)

$1.82 €1.57

$1.36 €1.17

33.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.86 €1.61

$1.54 €1.32

20.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.22 €1.05

$1.08 €0.93

12.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.26 €8.85

$10.31 €8.89

-0.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.91 €5.10

$5.83 €5.03

1.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.22 €1.06

$1.17 €1.01

4.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.34 €1.16

$1.59 €1.37

-15.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.66 €4.02

$4.08 €3.52

14.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.3 €62.3

$72.0 €62.1

0.36%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.87 €5.93

$4.76 €4.11

44.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.13 €2.70

$2.87 €2.47

9.06%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$43.36 €37.42

$41.81 €36.08

3.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.21 €1.91

$2.29 €1.98

-3.49%

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

$33.6K €29.0K

$34.6K €29.8K

-2.72%

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

$40.1K €34.6K

$39.3K €33.9K

1.99%

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

$398 €343

$315 €272

26.43%

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

$20.79 €17.94

$18.24 €15.74

13.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.60 €35.04

$44.58 €38.47

-8.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.75 €40.34

$58.2 €50.3

-19.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.22 €25.22

$34.59 €29.84

-15.52%

Cinema Ticket

$16.06 €13.86

$13.10 €11.31

22.60%

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

$522 €450

$1,058 €913

-50.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.1K €12.2K

$18.3K €15.8K

-22.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$85.9 €74.1

$94.0 €81.1

-8.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.45 €39.22

$43.21 €37.28

5.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 €87.8

$102 €88.1

-0.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 €104

$146 €126

-17.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,344 €1,160

$1,266 €1,092

6.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$967 €834

$845 €729

14.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,381 €2,055

$1,991 €1,718

19.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,720 €1,484

$1,522 €1,313

12.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,865 €8,513

$7,143 €6,164

38.11%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,176 €4,467

$4,462 €3,850

16.02%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,710 €3,202

$4,146 €3,577

-10.51%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.63

3.78

-3.97%

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

Last update for Hamburg: August 31, 2026

Last update for Stuttgart: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,344 in Hamburg versus $1,266 in Stuttgart. 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 12% higher in Stuttgart, 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 $69.0 in Hamburg versus $83.0 in Stuttgart. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $346 vs $360 – making Hamburg 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 Stuttgart: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Hamburg costs about 6% more than Stuttgart, 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 $3,618 per month in Hamburg and $3,409 in Stuttgart. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Stuttgart, 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 $2,412 in Hamburg and $2,273 in Stuttgart. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

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

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Stuttgart, where all-in costs run around $2,273, than in Hamburg at $2,412. In Stuttgart it covers expenses comfortably, while in Hamburg it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Stuttgart costs $2,273 versus $2,412 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 Stuttgart. 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.