Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Kassel and Hamburg

For one person, living is cheaper in Kassel: $1,912 a month against $2,332 in Hamburg, rent and utilities included – about $5,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Kassel, Germany
Hamburg, Germany
Kassel
🇩🇪 Germany
$1,912
/mo nomad
Hamburg
🇩🇪 Germany
$2,332
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Kassel and in Hamburg

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Kassel and in Hamburg actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,912 per month in Kassel vs $2,332 in Hamburg, rent included.

  • Kassel $1,912
  • Hamburg $2,332

A couple spends around $2,822 per month in Kassel vs $3,481 in Hamburg, rent included.

  • Kassel $2,822
  • Hamburg $3,481

A family of three spends $3,732 per month in Kassel vs $4,631 in Hamburg, rent included.

  • Kassel $3,732
  • Hamburg $4,631

Kassel is about 18% cheaper than Hamburg, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Kassel and Hamburg sit above the global median – Kassel by 40%, Hamburg by 71%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Kassel
Hamburg
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$14.62 €13.04
$17.03 €15.19
-14.15%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$55.4 €49.45
$73.6 €65.7
-24.68%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$12.14 €10.84
$13.65 €12.18
-11.06%
Cappuccino
$3.82 €3.41
$4.67 €4.17
-18.20%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.93 €3.51
$4.18 €3.73
-5.98%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.48 €2.21
$3.24 €2.89
-23.46%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.56 €4.96
$5.96 €5.32
-6.71%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.54 €4.05
$4.98 €4.45
-8.84%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Kassel
Hamburg
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.28 €1.14
$1.20 €1.07
6.67%
White Bread (500g)
$2.07 €1.84
$2.60 €2.32
-20.38%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.30 €2.94
$2.79 €2.49
18.28%
Eggs
$3.55 €3.17
$4.24 €3.78
-16.27%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$13.44 €11.99
$12.36 €11.03
8.74%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.85 €9.68
$12.02 €10.73
-9.73%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$24.96 €22.27
$18.94 €16.90
31.78%
Apples (1kg)
$3.29 €2.94
$3.24 €2.89
1.54%
Banana (1kg)
$2.15 €1.92
$2.33 €2.08
-7.73%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.32 €2.07
$2.95 €2.63
-21.36%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.97 €4.44
$4.12 €3.67
20.63%
Potato (1kg)
$1.52 €1.35
$1.83 €1.63
-16.94%
Onion (1kg)
$1.30 €1.16
$1.75 €1.56
-25.71%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.76 €1.57
$1.73 €1.54
1.73%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.92 €0.82
$1.17 €1.05
-21.37%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$9.36 €8.35
$10.07 €8.98
-7.05%
Wine (Bottle)
$6.07 €5.42
$6.61 €5.90
-8.17%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$0.95 €0.84
$1.13 €1.01
-15.93%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.53 €1.36
$1.50 €1.34
2.00%
🚌 Getting Around
Kassel
Hamburg
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$3.71 €3.31
$4.43 €3.95
-16.25%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$69.0 €61.6
$69.4 €61.9
-0.53%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.21 €3.76
$6.79 €6.05
-38.00%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.51 €2.24
$2.98 €2.66
-15.77%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$39.65 €35.38
$41.72 €37.23
-4.96%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.11 €1.88
$2.29 €2.04
-7.86%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$32.5K €29.0K
$33.0K €29.4K
-1.59%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$37.9K €33.9K
$38.9K €34.7K
-2.56%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Kassel
Hamburg
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$402 €359
$383 €342
4.98%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$41.28 €36.83
$19.47 €17.37
112.02%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$51.5 €45.96
$38.79 €34.61
32.79%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Kassel
Hamburg
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$35.64 €31.79
$42.26 €37.70
-15.66%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$11.15 €9.95
$28.37 €25.32
-60.70%
Cinema Ticket
$13.36 €11.92
$15.46 €13.79
-13.58%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Kassel
Hamburg
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$364 €325
$502 €448
-27.59%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$16.1K €14.3K
$13.8K €12.3K
16.63%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Kassel
Hamburg
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$92.4 €82.5
$86.6 €77.2
6.81%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$44.16 €39.40
$36.18 €32.28
22.06%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$86.2 €76.9
$101 €89.8
-14.31%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$111 €99.3
$117 €105
-5.19%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Kassel
Hamburg
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$649 €579
$1,212 €1,081
-46.48%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$503 €449
$919 €820
-45.23%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,083 €966
$2,155 €1,922
-49.72%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$915 €816
$1,667 €1,488
-45.15%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,725 €4,216
$9,358 €8,349
-49.51%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,801 €2,499
$5,163 €4,607
-45.75%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Kassel
Hamburg
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$2,574 €2,297
$3,622 €3,231
-28.93%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.95
3.69
7.05%

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

Last update for Kassel: October 26, 2026

Last update for Hamburg: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Kassel
$503
Hamburg
$919 82.6% $416
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Kassel
$495
Hamburg
$441 10.8% $54
Groceries & Markets
Kassel
$339
Hamburg
$335 1.3% $4.5
Eating Out
Kassel
$262
Hamburg
$303 15.6% $41
Clothing & Footwear
Kassel
$150
Hamburg
$153 2% $3
Getting Around
Kassel
$101
Hamburg
$109 8.2% $8.2
Sport & Entertainment
Kassel
$62
Hamburg
$73 17.4% $11

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $649 in Kassel versus $1,212 in Hamburg. 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 41% higher in Hamburg. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $55 in Kassel versus $74 in Hamburg. Groceries tell a different story – $339 in Kassel vs $335 in Hamburg – so Hamburg wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know
🇩🇪 Kassel
🇩🇪 Hamburg
🕒 Local time
03:16 3:16 AM
03:16 3:16 AM
Same time as Kassel
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
204,021
1,812,709
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of November 3, 2026: 1 USD = 0.892 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
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  • Kassel Hamburg 250 km
From you
  • Kassel
  • Hamburg

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Kassel vs Hamburg: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Kassel or Hamburg?
Hamburg costs about 22% more than Kassel, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from eating out. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Kassel and in Hamburg?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,868 per month in Kassel and $3,499 in Hamburg. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Kassel or Hamburg?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Kassel, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $649 there versus $1,212 in Hamburg.
How much does it cost to live in Kassel compared to Hamburg?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,912 in Kassel and $2,332 in Hamburg. That makes Kassel about 18% cheaper.
How do dining costs compare in Kassel and in Hamburg?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $55 in Kassel and $74 in Hamburg. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Which city is better for families?
Families tend to lean toward Kassel – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
How safe is Kassel compared to Hamburg?
Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.
Should I move to Kassel or to Hamburg?
If budget matters most, go with Kassel. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Hamburg makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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