Cost of Living Comparison Between Ilmenau and Frankfurt Cost of Living Comparison Between Ilmenau and Frankfurt

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,106 in Ilmenau versus $2,667 in Frankfurt.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,141 in Ilmenau versus $4,020 in Frankfurt.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,176 in Ilmenau versus $5,373 in Frankfurt.

Living in Ilmenau costs roughly 21% less than in Frankfurt, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Ilmenau 57% above, Frankfurt 99% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.28 €13.16

$19.30 €16.62

-20.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.5 €60.7

$92.3 €79.5

-23.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.95 €6.85

$13.94 €12.00

-42.97%

Cappuccino

$3.42 €2.94

$4.44 €3.82

-22.97%

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

$3.65 €3.14

$3.62 €3.12

0.83%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.85 €2.45

$3.23 €2.78

-11.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.65 €4.00

$5.95 €5.12

-21.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.50 €3.01

$5.06 €4.36

-30.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 €0.91

$1.59 €1.37

-33.96%

White Bread (500g)

$1.13 €0.98

$2.31 €1.99

-51.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.11 €2.67

$3.42 €2.95

-9.06%

Eggs

$3.73 €3.21

$3.97 €3.42

-6.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.46 €12.45

$15.05 €12.96

-3.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.27 €11.43

$13.77 €11.86

-3.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.33 €15.78

$22.26 €19.17

-17.65%

Apples (1kg)

$2.92 €2.52

$3.51 €3.03

-16.81%

Banana (1kg)

$1.53 €1.32

$2.13 €1.84

-28.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.63 €2.27

$2.26 €1.94

16.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.12 €4.41

$4.94 €4.25

3.64%

Potato (1kg)

$0.85 €0.73

$1.75 €1.51

-51.43%

Onion (1kg)

$1.59 €1.37

$1.67 €1.44

-4.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.82 €1.57

$1.95 €1.68

-6.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 €0.79

$1.16 €1.00

-21.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.41 €8.10

$9.72 €8.37

-3.19%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.37 €5.48

$6.36 €5.48

0.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.96 €0.83

$1.05 €0.90

-8.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.56 €1.34

$1.51 €1.30

3.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.51 €3.02

$4.34 €3.74

-19.12%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$62.0 €53.4

$67.3 €58.0

-7.96%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.58 €4.81

$5.76 €4.96

-3.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.18 €1.88

$2.68 €2.30

-18.66%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$40.21 €34.62

$38.47 €33.12

4.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.03 €1.75

$1.96 €1.68

3.57%

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

$31.2K €26.9K

-0.14%

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

$35.1K €30.2K

$35.1K €30.3K

-0.20%

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

$443 €381

$371 €320

19.35%

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

$30.12 €25.94

$24.10 €20.75

24.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.7 €46.23

$42.74 €36.80

25.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.31 €33.85

$65.6 €56.5

-40.09%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.94 €19.75

$29.20 €25.14

-21.44%

Cinema Ticket

$14.09 €12.13

$15.92 €13.71

-11.49%

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

$455 €392

$604 €520

-24.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.8K €10.1K

$16.3K €14.0K

-27.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$97.2 €83.7

$92.0 €79.2

5.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.92 €28.35

$38.75 €33.37

-15.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$124 €107

$97.1 €83.6

27.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$153 €131

$147 €127

3.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$828 €713

$1,514 €1,304

-45.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$679 €584

$1,199 €1,032

-43.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,559 €1,342

$2,750 €2,368

-43.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,241 €1,069

$2,061 €1,775

-39.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,507 €7,326

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,442 €3,825

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,410 €2,936

$4,257 €3,666

-19.90%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.87

3.99

-3.01%

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

Last update for Ilmenau: June 2, 2026

Last update for Frankfurt: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $828 in Ilmenau and $1,514 in Frankfurt. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Frankfurt pays 25% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $71.0 in Ilmenau vs $92.0 in Frankfurt for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $319 vs $365 per month, with Ilmenau cheaper across the board.

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

Ilmenau vs Frankfurt: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ilmenau is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 27% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Frankfurt earns 25% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $828 in Ilmenau versus $1,514 in Frankfurt. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Ilmenau – a meal for two runs $71.0 versus $92.0 in Frankfurt. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,106 per month in Ilmenau versus $2,667 in Frankfurt – a 27% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,106 in Ilmenau versus $2,667 in Frankfurt, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Ilmenau but tight or insufficient in Frankfurt. The gap between the two cities makes Ilmenau the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Ilmenau is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Frankfurt, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Ilmenau and Frankfurt are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Ilmenau gentler on the wallet – expenses run 27% less than in Frankfurt. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.