Cost of Living Comparison Between Munich and Oberhausen Cost of Living Comparison Between Munich and Oberhausen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,866 per month in Munich vs $2,078 in Oberhausen, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,298 per month in Munich vs $2,982 in Oberhausen, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,731 per month in Munich vs $3,885 in Oberhausen, rent included.

Munich costs about 38% more than Oberhausen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Munich and Oberhausen sit above the global median – Munich by 114%, Oberhausen by 56%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.61 €18.01

$18.53 €16.19

11.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$92.3 €80.6

$69.3 €60.6

33.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.00 €12.23

$14.01 €12.24

-0.07%

Cappuccino

$4.42 €3.86

$4.05 €3.54

9.14%

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

$4.15 €3.63

$3.32 €2.90

25.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.82 €3.34

$2.99 €2.61

27.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.94 €5.19

$4.75 €4.15

25.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 €5.02

$4.73 €4.13

21.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.48 €1.29

$1.34 €1.17

10.45%

White Bread (500g)

$2.19 €1.91

$2.15 €1.88

1.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.31 €2.89

$3.56 €3.11

-7.02%

Eggs

$4.02 €3.51

$3.79 €3.31

6.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.73 €15.49

$14.53 €12.70

22.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.92 €9.54

$14.26 €12.46

-23.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.37 €16.93

$21.27 €18.58

-8.93%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 €2.82

$3.07 €2.68

5.21%

Banana (1kg)

$2.15 €1.88

$1.93 €1.69

11.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.63 €2.29

$2.28 €1.99

15.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.08 €3.56

$4.89 €4.27

-16.56%

Potato (1kg)

$1.68 €1.47

$1.55 €1.36

8.39%

Onion (1kg)

$1.58 €1.38

$1.62 €1.42

-2.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.54 €1.35

$1.92 €1.68

-19.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.01 €0.88

$1.09 €0.95

-7.34%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.98 €8.72

$9.62 €8.41

3.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.68 €5.84

$5.73 €5.01

16.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 €1.05

$1.06 €0.93

13.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 €1.46

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.60 €4.02

$3.43 €3.00

34.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$67.7 €59.2

$50.7 €44.32

33.49%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.46 €5.65

$5.21 €4.55

23.99%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.57 €2.25

$2.37 €2.07

8.44%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$43.11 €37.66

$35.16 €30.72

22.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.04 €1.78

$2.02 €1.76

0.99%

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

$31.8K €27.8K

$30.9K €27.0K

3.12%

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

$37.0K €32.3K

$34.6K €30.3K

6.71%

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

$407 €355

$397 €347

2.39%

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

$16.84 €14.71

$24.38 €21.30

-30.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$47.64 €41.63

$49.69 €43.41

-4.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.3 €46.54

$40.43 €35.33

31.76%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.67 €30.29

$23.37 €20.42

48.35%

Cinema Ticket

$15.97 €13.96

$17.22 €15.04

-7.26%

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

$984 €860

$455 €398

116.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.3K €13.4K

$9,916 €8,663

54.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$106 €92.6

$95.8 €83.7

10.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.98 €39.30

$45.82 €40.03

-1.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.8 €87.2

$105 €91.7

-4.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$135 €118

$144 €126

-5.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,743 €1,523

$613 €536

184.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,339 €1,170

$656 €573

104.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,439 €3,005

$765 €668

349.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,553 €2,231

$783 €684

226.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$13.0K €11.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$8,621 €7,532

$2,263 €1,978

280.88%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,146 €3,623

$3,507 €3,064

18.23%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.97

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

Last update for Munich: July 12, 2026

Last update for Oberhausen: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,743 in Munich versus $613 in Oberhausen. 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 18% higher in Munich, 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 $92.0 in Munich versus $69.0 in Oberhausen. Groceries tell a different story – $341 in Munich vs $352 in Oberhausen – so Munich 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

Munich vs Oberhausen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,866 in Munich, $2,078 in Oberhausen – roughly 38% apart. Munich costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,299 per month in Munich and $3,117 in Oberhausen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Oberhausen, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 33% less in Oberhausen. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $984 per month in Munich and $455 in Oberhausen. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Oberhausen, where all-in costs run around $2,078, than in Munich at $2,866. In Oberhausen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Munich it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Munich has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,078 in Oberhausen to $2,866 in Munich. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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