Cost of Living Comparison Between Lübeck and Frankfurt Cost of Living Comparison Between Lübeck and Frankfurt

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,224 in Lübeck versus $2,667 in Frankfurt.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,304 in Lübeck versus $4,020 in Frankfurt.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,385 in Lübeck versus $5,373 in Frankfurt.

Living in Lübeck costs roughly 17% less than in Frankfurt, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lübeck 66% above, Frankfurt 99% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.63 €15.17

$19.30 €16.60

-8.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.4 €55.4

$92.3 €79.4

-30.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.98 €11.16

$13.94 €11.99

-6.89%

Cappuccino

$4.38 €3.76

$4.44 €3.82

-1.35%

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

$3.00 €2.58

$3.62 €3.11

-17.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.65 €2.28

$3.23 €2.78

-17.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.85 €5.03

$5.95 €5.12

-1.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.06 €4.36

$5.06 €4.35

Milk (1 liter)

$1.28 €1.10

$1.59 €1.37

-19.50%

White Bread (500g)

$2.27 €1.95

$2.31 €1.99

-1.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.55 €3.06

$3.42 €2.94

3.80%

Eggs

$4.12 €3.55

$3.97 €3.42

3.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.14 €13.03

$15.05 €12.94

0.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.04 €13.80

$13.77 €11.85

16.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.59 €16.85

$22.26 €19.15

-11.99%

Apples (1kg)

$3.35 €2.88

$3.51 €3.02

-4.56%

Banana (1kg)

$1.78 €1.53

$2.13 €1.83

-16.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 €1.93

$2.26 €1.94

-0.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.02 €4.32

$4.94 €4.25

1.62%

Potato (1kg)

$1.49 €1.28

$1.75 €1.51

-14.86%

Onion (1kg)

$1.42 €1.22

$1.67 €1.44

-14.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.88 €1.62

$1.95 €1.68

-3.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 €0.78

$1.16 €1.00

-21.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.88 €8.50

$9.72 €8.36

1.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.80 €5.85

$6.36 €5.47

6.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.10 €0.95

$1.05 €0.90

4.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.70 €1.46

$1.51 €1.30

12.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.48 €3.00

$4.34 €3.73

-19.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$57.5 €49.43

$67.3 €57.9

-14.63%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.12 €3.54

$5.76 €4.95

-28.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.37 €2.04

$2.68 €2.30

-11.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.67 €15.20

$38.47 €33.09

-54.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.96 €1.68

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

$31.4K €27.0K

$31.2K €26.9K

0.65%

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

$36.5K €31.4K

$35.1K €30.2K

3.89%

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

$376 €324

$371 €319

1.41%

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

$36.73 €31.59

$24.10 €20.73

52.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$56.1 €48.23

$42.74 €36.76

31.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.11 €28.49

$65.6 €56.4

-49.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.03 €24.97

$29.20 €25.11

-0.58%

Cinema Ticket

$13.84 €11.90

$15.92 €13.70

-13.07%

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

$470 €404

$604 €520

-22.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.4K €9,819

$16.3K €14.0K

-30.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.8 €77.2

$92.0 €79.1

-2.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.79 €39.38

$38.75 €33.33

18.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$130 €112

$97.1 €83.5

34.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$131 €112

$147 €127

-11.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$797 €686

$1,514 €1,302

-47.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$790 €680

$1,199 €1,031

-34.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,905 €1,639

$2,750 €2,365

-30.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,434 €1,233

$2,061 €1,773

-30.43%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,093 €3,521

$8,507 €7,318

-51.88%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,443 €3,822

$4,442 €3,821

0.03%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,567 €3,069

$4,257 €3,662

-16.20%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.98

3.99

-0.25%

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

Last update for Lübeck: June 1, 2026

Last update for Frankfurt: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $797 in Lübeck and $1,514 in Frankfurt. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Frankfurt pays 19% 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: $64.0 in Lübeck vs $92.0 in Frankfurt for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $360 vs $365 per month, with Lübeck 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

Lübeck vs Frankfurt: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lübeck is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 20% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Frankfurt earns 19% 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: $797 in Lübeck 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 Lübeck – a meal for two runs $64.0 versus $92.0 in Frankfurt. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,224 per month in Lübeck versus $2,667 in Frankfurt – a 20% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,224 in Lübeck versus $2,667 in Frankfurt, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Lübeck but tight or insufficient in Frankfurt. The gap between the two cities makes Lübeck the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Lübeck 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, Lübeck 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 Lübeck gentler on the wallet – expenses run 20% less than in Frankfurt. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.