Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Munich and Kaufbeuren

For one person, living is cheaper in Kaufbeuren: $1,961 a month against $2,717 in Munich, rent and utilities included – about $9,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Munich, Germany
Kaufbeuren, Germany
Munich
🇩🇪 Germany
$2,717
/mo nomad
Kaufbeuren
🇩🇪 Germany
$1,961
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Munich and in Kaufbeuren

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 Kaufbeuren actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,717 per month in Munich vs $1,961 in Kaufbeuren, rent included.

  • Munich $2,717
  • Kaufbeuren $1,961

A couple spends around $4,106 per month in Munich vs $2,964 in Kaufbeuren, rent included.

  • Munich $4,106
  • Kaufbeuren $2,964

A family of three spends $5,495 per month in Munich vs $3,967 in Kaufbeuren, rent included.

  • Munich $5,495
  • Kaufbeuren $3,967

Munich costs about 39% more than Kaufbeuren, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Munich and Kaufbeuren sit above the global median – Munich by 101%, Kaufbeuren by 45%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Munich
Kaufbeuren
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$18.97 €16.92
$16.62 €14.82
14.14%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$87.8 €78.3
$66.9 €59.7
31.11%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$13.24 €11.81
$10.95 €9.77
20.91%
Cappuccino
$4.50 €4.01
$3.86 €3.44
16.58%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.98 €3.55
$2.81 €2.50
41.64%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.32 €2.96
$2.41 €2.15
37.76%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.29 €4.72
$4.44 €3.96
19.14%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.72 €5.10
$4.43 €3.95
29.12%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Munich
Kaufbeuren
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.31 €1.17
$1.31 €1.17
-
White Bread (500g)
$2.51 €2.24
$1.99 €1.78
26.13%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.64 €2.35
$4.07 €3.63
-35.14%
Eggs
$4.52 €4.03
$4.01 €3.58
12.72%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$19.21 €17.14
$14.27 €12.73
34.62%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$13.43 €11.98
$10.37 €9.25
29.51%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$21.68 €19.34
$24.64 €21.98
-12.01%
Apples (1kg)
$3.16 €2.81
$3.16 €2.82
-
Banana (1kg)
$2.07 €1.85
$2.11 €1.89
-1.90%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.92 €2.60
$2.10 €1.88
39.05%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.34 €3.87
$4.40 €3.92
-1.36%
Potato (1kg)
$2.04 €1.82
$1.26 €1.12
61.90%
Onion (1kg)
$1.91 €1.70
$1.27 €1.13
50.39%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.50 €1.34
$1.51 €1.35
-0.66%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.88 €0.79
$1.02 €0.91
-13.73%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$11.07 €9.87
$9.18 €8.19
20.59%
Wine (Bottle)
$6.53 €5.82
$6.31 €5.63
3.49%
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
$1.65 €1.47
0.61%
🚌 Getting Around
Munich
Kaufbeuren
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$4.64 €4.13
$3.41 €3.04
36.07%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$70.2 €62.7
$70.1 €62.5
0.24%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$6.66 €5.94
$3.88 €3.46
71.65%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$3.10 €2.77
$2.29 €2.04
35.37%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$44.03 €39.28
$28.33 €25.27
55.42%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.25 €2.01
$2.06 €1.83
9.22%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$32.7K €29.2K
$33.1K €29.5K
-1.18%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$38.4K €34.3K
$38.4K €34.3K
0.01%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Munich
Kaufbeuren
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$346 €309
$266 €237
30.30%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$16.99 €15.16
$33.57 €29.94
-49.39%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$40.11 €35.78
$49.37 €44.04
-18.76%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Munich
Kaufbeuren
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$51.3 €45.77
$38.33 €34.19
33.86%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$34.01 €30.34
$26.54 €23.68
28.15%
Cinema Ticket
$15.61 €13.92
$15.97 €14.24
-2.25%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Munich
Kaufbeuren
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$882 €786
$342 €305
158.15%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$22.3K €19.9K
$9,557 €8,524
133.81%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Munich
Kaufbeuren
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$92.4 €82.4
$91.8 €81.9
0.65%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$44.32 €39.53
$59.6 €53.2
-25.69%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$102 €91.0
$79.5 €70.9
28.34%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$116 €104
$173 €155
-33.00%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Munich
Kaufbeuren
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,685 €1,503
$807 €720
108.76%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,281 €1,142
$658 €587
94.50%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,040 €2,712
$1,497 €1,335
103.08%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,349 €2,096
$1,136 €1,014
106.75%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$12.8K €11.4K
$4,614 €4,115
177.53%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$8,800 €7,850
$3,299 €2,943
166.72%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Munich
Kaufbeuren
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$4,095 €3,653
$2,826 €2,520
44.92%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.85
3.95
-2.53%

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

Last update for Munich: November 2, 2026

Last update for Kaufbeuren: November 3, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Munich
$1.3K
Kaufbeuren
$658 48.6% $622
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Munich
$403
Kaufbeuren
$349 13.6% $55
Groceries & Markets
Munich
$367
Kaufbeuren
$339 7.7% $28
Eating Out
Munich
$313
Kaufbeuren
$264 15.5% $49
Clothing & Footwear
Munich
$160
Kaufbeuren
$182 13.9% $22
Getting Around
Munich
$111
Kaufbeuren
$99 10.8% $12
Sport & Entertainment
Munich
$83
Kaufbeuren
$70 14.9% $12

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,685 in Munich versus $807 in Kaufbeuren. 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 45% higher in Munich. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $88 in Munich versus $67 in Kaufbeuren. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $367 vs $339 – making Kaufbeuren the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇩🇪 Munich
🇩🇪 Kaufbeuren
🕒 Local time
03:01 3:01 AM
03:01 3:01 AM
Same time as Munich
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
1,484,226
41,759
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of November 4, 2026: 1 USD = 0.892 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Munich Kaufbeuren 76 km
From you
  • Munich
  • Kaufbeuren

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
Munich vs Kaufbeuren: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Munich and in Kaufbeuren compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $2,717 in Munich, $1,961 in Kaufbeuren – Kaufbeuren comes out roughly 28% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.
What salary covers living expenses in Munich compared to Kaufbeuren?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,076 per month in Munich and $2,942 in Kaufbeuren. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Munich and Kaufbeuren?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Kaufbeuren, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $807 there versus $1,685 in Munich.
Which city is more expensive overall: Munich or Kaufbeuren?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,717 in Munich and $1,961 in Kaufbeuren. That makes Kaufbeuren about 28% cheaper.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Munich and Kaufbeuren?
Kindergarten costs $882 per month in Munich and $342 in Kaufbeuren. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
How far does $3,000 go in Munich compared to Kaufbeuren?
$3,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $2,717 in Munich and $1,961 in Kaufbeuren, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.
Where should families live: Munich or Kaufbeuren?
Families tend to lean toward Kaufbeuren – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Is Munich or Kaufbeuren safer for residents?
Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.
How do I decide between Munich and Kaufbeuren?
If budget matters most, go with Kaufbeuren. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Munich makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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