Cost of Living Comparison Between Jena and Best Cost of Living Comparison Between Jena and Best

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,749 per month in Jena vs $2,269 in Best, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,661 per month in Jena vs $3,161 in Best, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,573 per month in Jena vs $4,053 in Best, rent included.

Jena is about 23% cheaper than Best, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Jena and Best sit above the global median – Jena by 31%, Best by 69%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.66 €9.96

$21.00 €17.93

-44.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$59.0 €50.4

$92.3 €78.8

-36.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.91 €9.32

$11.77 €10.05

-7.31%

Cappuccino

$4.16 €3.55

$3.50 €2.99

18.86%

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

$3.15 €2.69

$3.16 €2.70

-0.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.48 €2.97

$2.78 €2.37

25.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.23 €4.46

$5.11 €4.36

2.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.55 €3.88

$5.92 €5.05

-23.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.28 €1.09

$1.14 €0.97

12.28%

White Bread (500g)

$2.24 €1.91

$2.02 €1.73

10.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.12 €2.67

$3.30 €2.82

-5.45%

Eggs

$3.79 €3.24

$4.62 €3.95

-17.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.92 €12.74

$13.33 €11.39

11.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.60 €11.62

$16.34 €13.96

-16.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.21 €16.41

$16.78 €14.33

14.48%

Apples (1kg)

$3.27 €2.79

$2.16 €1.85

51.39%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 €1.46

$2.60 €2.22

-34.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.28 €1.94

$1.95 €1.67

16.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.69 €4.00

$3.82 €3.26

22.77%

Potato (1kg)

$1.50 €1.28

$2.12 €1.81

-29.25%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 €1.26

$2.03 €1.74

-27.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.77 €1.51

$1.24 €1.06

42.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 €0.92

$0.53 €0.45

103.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.10 €8.63

$10.31 €8.80

-2.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.91 €5.05

$5.99 €5.11

-1.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 €0.91

$1.55 €1.32

-30.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.56 €1.33

$2.70 €2.31

-42.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.05 €2.61

$2.56 €2.19

19.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$67.6 €57.8

$72.6 €62.0

-6.82%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.49 €3.84

$3.42 €2.92

31.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.04 €2.60

$2.10 €1.79

44.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.83 €29.74

$28.85 €24.64

20.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.93 €1.64

$2.27 €1.94

-14.98%

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

$31.1K €26.6K

$25.6K €21.9K

21.42%

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

$37.2K €31.7K

$27.3K €23.3K

36.22%

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

$332 €284

$168 €144

97.33%

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

$31.72 €27.09

$22.43 €19.15

41.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$50.5 €43.14

$46.39 €39.62

8.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.08 €29.11

$29.78 €25.43

14.44%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.19 €19.81

$21.45 €18.32

8.11%

Cinema Ticket

$10.44 €8.91

$14.90 €12.72

-29.93%

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

$345 €295

$1,157 €988

-70.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.4K €12.3K

$5,044 €4,307

185.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.4 €74.6

$64.2 €54.9

36.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$23.10 €19.73

$30.90 €26.39

-25.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$123 €105

$86.3 €73.7

42.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$118 €101

$67.7 €57.8

74.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$776 €662

$1,830 €1,563

-57.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$466 €398

$1,111 €949

-58.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,268 €1,083

$2,585 €2,208

-50.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$888 €759

$1,425 €1,217

-37.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,423 €4,631

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,935 €2,507

$4,559 €3,894

-35.62%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,403 €2,906

$4,325 €3,693

-21.32%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.98

3.5

13.71%

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

Last update for Jena: April 26, 2026

Last update for Best: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $776 in Jena versus $1,830 in Best. 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 27% higher in Best, 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 $59.0 in Jena versus $92.0 in Best. Groceries tell a different story – $340 in Jena vs $336 in Best – so Best 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

Jena vs Best: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Best is pricier by about 30%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,624 per month in Jena and $3,403 in Best. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Jena, 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 $1,749 in Jena and $2,269 in Best. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 7% less in Jena. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Jena, where all-in costs run around $1,749, than in Best at $2,269. In Jena it covers expenses comfortably, while in Best it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Jena – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Jena. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Best makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.