Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Munich and Bensheim

For one person, living is cheaper in Bensheim: $2,036 a month against $2,717 in Munich, rent and utilities included – about $8,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

129

Cost of Living Index in Munich
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Munich Living Index
97

Cost of Living Index in Bensheim
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Bensheim Living Index

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Munich

🇩🇪 Germany

$2,717

/mo nomad

Bensheim

🇩🇪 Germany

$2,036

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Munich and in Bensheim

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,717 in Munich versus $2,036 in Bensheim.

Munich $2,717
Bensheim $2,036

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,106 in Munich versus $3,068 in Bensheim.

Munich $4,106
Bensheim $3,068

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,495 in Munich versus $4,101 in Bensheim.

Munich $5,495
Bensheim $4,101

Living in Munich is roughly 33% more expensive than in Bensheim, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Munich 101% above, Bensheim 51% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.97 €16.97

$16.62 €14.86

14.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$87.8 €78.5

$80.0 €71.5

9.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.24 €11.84

$13.63 €12.19

-2.86%

Cappuccino

$4.50 €4.02

$3.98 €3.56

13.07%

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

$3.98 €3.56

$3.55 €3.17

12.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.32 €2.97

$3.38 €3.02

-1.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.29 €4.73

$5.16 €4.62

2.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.72 €5.11

$4.24 €3.79

34.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.31 €1.17

$1.45 €1.30

-9.66%

White Bread (500g)

$2.51 €2.24

$2.18 €1.95

15.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.64 €2.36

$3.91 €3.50

-32.48%

Eggs

$4.52 €4.04

$3.83 €3.42

18.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.21 €17.18

$13.59 €12.15

41.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.43 €12.01

$10.42 €9.32

28.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$21.68 €19.39

$26.61 €23.79

-18.53%

Apples (1kg)

$3.16 €2.82

$3.36 €3.00

-5.95%

Banana (1kg)

$2.07 €1.85

$2.23 €2.00

-7.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.92 €2.61

$1.92 €1.72

52.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.34 €3.88

$3.67 €3.28

18.26%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 €1.83

$1.21 €1.09

68.60%

Onion (1kg)

$1.91 €1.70

$1.27 €1.13

50.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.50 €1.34

$1.53 €1.37

-1.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.88 €0.79

$1.14 €1.02

-22.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.07 €9.90

$9.87 €8.83

12.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.53 €5.84

$5.45 €4.87

19.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.26 €1.13

$1.11 €0.99

13.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.66 €1.48

$1.53 €1.37

8.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.64 €4.15

$3.41 €3.05

36.07%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$70.2 €62.8

$69.3 €62.0

1.30%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.66 €5.95

$4.13 €3.69

61.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.10 €2.78

$2.21 €1.97

40.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$44.03 €39.37

$36.56 €32.69

20.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.25 €2.01

$2.12 €1.89

6.13%

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

$32.7K €29.2K

$33.6K €30.1K

-2.72%

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

$38.4K €34.4K

$38.9K €34.8K

-1.19%

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

$346 €310

$358 €320

-3.15%

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

$16.99 €15.20

$26.78 €23.95

-36.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.11 €35.87

$49.57 €44.33

-19.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.3 €45.88

$39.58 €35.40

29.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.01 €30.41

$26.74 €23.91

27.19%

Cinema Ticket

$15.61 €13.96

$14.14 €12.65

10.40%

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

$882 €788

$534 €477

65.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$22.3K €20.0K

$18.3K €16.3K

22.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$92.4 €82.6

$83.3 €74.5

10.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.32 €39.63

$34.71 €31.04

27.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 €91.2

$98.8 €88.3

3.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$116 €104

$134 €120

-13.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,685 €1,507

$786 €702

114.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,281 €1,145

$653 €584

96.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,040 €2,718

$1,495 €1,337

103.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,349 €2,101

$1,146 €1,024

105.07%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$12.8K €11.4K

$4,741 €4,240

170.04%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$8,800 €7,869

$3,372 €3,015

160.97%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,095 €3,662

$4,507 €4,030

-9.14%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.85

3.62

6.35%

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

Last update for Munich: November 2, 2026

Last update for Bensheim: November 1, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Munich

$1.3K 47.1%

Bensheim

$653 32.1% 49% $628

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Munich

$403 14.9%

Bensheim

$434 21.3% 7.6% $31

Groceries & Markets

Munich

$367 13.5%

Bensheim

$342 16.8% 7% $26

Eating Out

Munich

$313 11.5%

Bensheim

$284 13.9% 9.2% $29

Clothing & Footwear

Munich

$160 5.9%

Bensheim

$158 7.8% 1% $1.7

Getting Around

Munich

$111 4.1%

Bensheim

$98 4.8% 11.6% $13

Sport & Entertainment

Munich

$83 3%

Bensheim

$68 3.3% 17.8% $15

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,685 in Munich and $786 in Bensheim. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bensheim pays 10% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $88 in Munich vs $80 in Bensheim for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $367 vs $342 per month, with Bensheim cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇩🇪 Munich

🇩🇪 Bensheim

🕒 Local time

02:21 2:21 AM

Same time as Munich

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,484,226

41,124

💱 Currency

Euro EUR €

📈 Exchange rate

1 EUR = 1.12 USD

Exchange rates and currency converter

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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

Munich vs Bensheim: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Total monthly costs including rent come to $2,717 in Munich and $2,036 in Bensheim, so Bensheim is about 25% cheaper – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 9% lower in Munich. 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: $1,685 in Munich versus $786 in Bensheim. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 8% higher in Munich. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you’ll spend $2,717 per month in Munich versus $2,036 in Bensheim – Bensheim is about 25% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.

Either city works on $3,000 a month, though Bensheim gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Munich and Bensheim are both considered safe, so it’s unlikely to be the deciding factor between them.