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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,474 per month in Hamburg vs $2,462 in Stuttgart, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,751 per month in Hamburg vs $3,617 in Stuttgart, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,027 per month in Hamburg vs $4,773 in Stuttgart, rent included.

Hamburg costs about 1% more than Stuttgart, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Hamburg and Stuttgart sit above the global median – Hamburg by 85%, Stuttgart by 84%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.33 €16.91

$17.46 €15.27

10.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$93.1 €81.4

$80.6 €70.5

15.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.88 €12.14

$13.71 €11.99

1.24%

Cappuccino

$4.83 €4.22

$4.41 €3.86

9.52%

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

$3.58 €3.13

$4.01 €3.51

-10.72%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.21 €2.81

$3.48 €3.04

-7.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.82 €5.09

$5.54 €4.85

5.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.67 €4.96

$4.64 €4.06

22.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.36 €1.19

$1.38 €1.20

-1.45%

White Bread (500g)

$2.16 €1.89

$2.34 €2.05

-7.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.34 €2.92

Eggs

$3.86 €3.37

$4.19 €3.67

-7.88%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.34 €12.55

$15.06 €13.18

-4.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.81 €11.21

$15.34 €13.42

-16.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$21.33 €18.66

$20.94 €18.32

1.86%

Apples (1kg)

$3.34 €2.92

$3.30 €2.89

1.21%

Banana (1kg)

$2.17 €1.90

$1.80 €1.57

20.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.37 €2.07

$2.26 €1.98

4.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.79 €4.19

$4.87 €4.26

-1.64%

Potato (1kg)

$1.60 €1.40

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 €1.29

$1.67 €1.46

-11.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.07 €1.81

$1.80 €1.57

15.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 €0.95

$1.05 €0.92

3.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.85 €8.62

$9.75 €8.53

1.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.24 €5.46

$5.53 €4.83

12.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 €1.00

$1.08 €0.94

5.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.59 €1.39

$1.64 €1.43

-3.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.13 €3.61

$3.68 €3.22

12.23%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$67.7 €59.2

$67.3 €58.9

0.53%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.73 €5.89

$4.72 €4.13

42.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.72 €2.38

$2.59 €2.26

5.02%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$44.27 €38.73

$43.25 €37.84

2.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.05 €1.79

$2.00 €1.75

2.50%

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

$31.4K €27.5K

$32.5K €28.5K

-3.44%

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

$40.3K €35.2K

$37.7K €33.0K

6.88%

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

$368 €322

$337 €295

9.06%

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

$21.44 €18.76

$26.23 €22.95

-18.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$38.48 €33.66

$49.57 €43.36

-22.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.65 €40.81

$49.16 €43.01

-5.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.06 €21.05

$20.59 €18.01

16.85%

Cinema Ticket

$15.98 €13.98

$11.95 €10.46

33.72%

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

$260 €228

$607 €531

-57.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$26.7K €23.4K

$17.9K €15.6K

49.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$92.8 €81.2

$108 €94.8

-14.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.4 €52.0

$51.8 €45.29

14.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$122 €107

$111 €96.7

10.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$184 €161

$150 €131

22.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,390 €1,216

$1,363 €1,192

1.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$931 €815

$1,090 €953

-14.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,394 €2,095

$2,139 €1,871

11.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,821 €1,594

$1,724 €1,508

5.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,955 €8,710

$7,033 €6,153

41.54%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,203 €4,552

$4,465 €3,907

16.53%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,563 €3,117

$4,137 €3,620

-13.89%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.9

3.98

-2.01%

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

Last update for Hamburg: July 11, 2026

Last update for Stuttgart: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,390 in Hamburg versus $1,363 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 16% 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 $93.0 in Hamburg versus $81.0 in Stuttgart. Groceries tell a different story – $349 in Hamburg vs $360 in Stuttgart – 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 Stuttgart: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Hamburg costs about 1% 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 $3,711 per month in Hamburg and $3,692 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 $2,474 in Hamburg and $2,462 in Stuttgart. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 1% 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 $2,462, than in Hamburg at $2,474. 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 $2,462 versus $2,474 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.