Cost of Living Comparison Between Hamburg and Wilhelmshaven Cost of Living Comparison Between Hamburg and Wilhelmshaven

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,396 per month in Hamburg vs $1,694 in Wilhelmshaven, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,758 per month in Hamburg vs $2,832 in Wilhelmshaven, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,120 per month in Hamburg vs $3,969 in Wilhelmshaven, rent included.

Hamburg costs about 41% more than Wilhelmshaven, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Hamburg and Wilhelmshaven sit above the global median – Hamburg by 79%, Wilhelmshaven by 26%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.30 €16.62

$13.97 €12.03

38.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$92.8 €79.9

$79.1 €68.1

17.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.15 €12.19

$12.67 €10.91

11.68%

Cappuccino

$4.79 €4.12

$3.93 €3.38

21.88%

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

$3.52 €3.03

$2.85 €2.45

23.51%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.19 €2.74

$2.24 €1.93

42.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.72 €4.93

$5.11 €4.40

11.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.52 €4.75

$5.12 €4.41

7.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.42 €1.22

$1.17 €1.01

21.37%

White Bread (500g)

$2.16 €1.86

$2.24 €1.93

-3.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.48 €3.00

$3.39 €2.92

2.65%

Eggs

$3.67 €3.16

$3.82 €3.29

-3.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.43 €12.43

$14.64 €12.61

-1.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.30 €11.45

$15.26 €13.14

-12.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$21.38 €18.41

$19.75 €17.01

8.25%

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 €2.83

$2.48 €2.13

32.26%

Banana (1kg)

$2.20 €1.89

$1.74 €1.50

26.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.40 €2.07

$2.16 €1.86

11.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.56 €3.93

$5.32 €4.58

-14.29%

Potato (1kg)

$1.58 €1.36

$1.56 €1.35

1.28%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 €1.27

$1.55 €1.33

-4.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.08 €1.79

$2.06 €1.77

0.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 €0.94

$1.03 €0.89

5.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.01 €8.62

$9.91 €8.53

1.01%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.49 €5.59

$5.66 €4.88

14.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 €0.99

$1.12 €0.96

2.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.60 €1.38

$1.68 €1.45

-4.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.02 €3.46

$2.91 €2.50

38.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$67.7 €58.3

$57.4 €49.42

18.02%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.86 €5.91

$7.49 €6.45

-8.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.74 €2.36

$1.94 €1.67

41.24%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$44.13 €38.00

$50.8 €43.76

-13.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.04 €1.75

$2.04 €1.76

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

$32.0K €27.5K

$31.4K €27.1K

1.74%

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

$40.2K €34.6K

$37.3K €32.1K

7.96%

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

$365 €315

$303 €261

20.42%

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

$21.53 €18.54

$11.37 €9.79

89.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.94 €32.67

$50.3 €43.33

-24.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.22 €40.66

$28.73 €24.74

64.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.24 €20.87

$22.96 €19.77

5.57%

Cinema Ticket

$16.08 €13.84

$15.13 €13.03

6.28%

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

$266 €229

$690 €594

-61.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$27.2K €23.4K

$10.3K €8,901

163.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$93.7 €80.7

$82.1 €70.7

14.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.6 €50.5

$34.87 €30.03

68.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$121 €104

$58.0 €49.98

108.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$181 €156

$148 €127

22.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,377 €1,186

$579 €499

137.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$941 €810

$409 €352

130.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,366 €2,038

$764 €658

209.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,766 €1,520

$1,245 €1,072

41.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$10.4K €8,930

$5,082 €4,376

104.07%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,260 €4,530

$2,293 €1,974

129.42%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,661 €3,152

$3,680 €3,169

-0.53%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Wilhelmshaven: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,377 in Hamburg versus $579 in Wilhelmshaven. 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 1% higher in Wilhelmshaven, 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 $79.0 in Wilhelmshaven. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $351 vs $349 – making Wilhelmshaven 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 Wilhelmshaven: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Hamburg costs about 41% more than Wilhelmshaven, 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 $3,595 per month in Hamburg and $2,541 in Wilhelmshaven. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Wilhelmshaven, 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 $2,396 in Hamburg and $1,694 in Wilhelmshaven. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 18% less in Wilhelmshaven. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Wilhelmshaven, where all-in costs run around $1,694, than in Hamburg at $2,396. In Wilhelmshaven it covers expenses comfortably, while in Hamburg it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Wilhelmshaven costs $1,694 versus $2,396 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 Wilhelmshaven. 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.