Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Recklinghausen and Belleville, IL

For one person, living is cheaper in Recklinghausen: $1,980 a month against $2,249 in Belleville, IL, rent and utilities included – about $3,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Recklinghausen, Germany
Belleville, IL, United States
Recklinghausen
🇩🇪 Germany
$1,980
/mo nomad
Belleville, IL
🇺🇸 United States
$2,249
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Recklinghausen and in Belleville, IL

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

A single person spends $1,980 per month in Recklinghausen vs $2,249 in Belleville, IL, rent included.

  • Recklinghausen $1,980
  • Belleville, IL $2,249

A couple spends around $2,932 per month in Recklinghausen vs $3,369 in Belleville, IL, rent included.

  • Recklinghausen $2,932
  • Belleville, IL $3,369

A family of three spends $3,885 per month in Recklinghausen vs $4,489 in Belleville, IL, rent included.

  • Recklinghausen $3,885
  • Belleville, IL $4,489

Recklinghausen is about 12% cheaper than Belleville, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in utilities.

Both Recklinghausen and Belleville, IL sit above the global median – Recklinghausen by 45%, Belleville, IL by 65%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Recklinghausen
Belleville, IL
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$20.39 €18.32
$17.71 $17.71
15.13%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$83.3 €74.9
$69.0 $69.0
20.74%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$12.20 €10.96
$9.33 $9.33
30.76%
Cappuccino
$3.38 €3.04
$4.48 $4.48
-24.55%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.86 €2.57
$2.06 $2.06
38.83%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.22 €1.99
$1.75 $1.75
26.86%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.54 €4.97
$4.55 $4.55
21.76%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.37 €3.03
$5.97 $5.97
-43.55%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Recklinghausen
Belleville, IL
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.23 €1.10
$1.02 $1.02
20.59%
White Bread (500g)
$2.11 €1.89
$2.33 $2.33
-9.44%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.19 €2.87
$3.77 $3.77
-15.38%
Eggs
$3.50 €3.15
$3.97 $3.97
-11.84%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$16.68 €14.99
$12.27 $12.27
35.94%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$11.51 €10.35
$15.24 $15.24
-24.48%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$24.02 €21.58
$12.64 $12.64
90.03%
Apples (1kg)
$3.22 €2.89
$5.83 $5.83
-44.77%
Banana (1kg)
$2.01 €1.81
$1.76 $1.76
14.20%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.26 €2.04
$3.37 $3.37
-32.94%
Tomato (1kg)
$5.06 €4.54
$3.51 $3.51
44.16%
Potato (1kg)
$1.36 €1.22
$2.18 $2.18
-37.61%
Onion (1kg)
$1.26 €1.14
$2.03 $2.03
-37.93%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.80 €1.62
$1.59 $1.59
13.21%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.14 €1.02
$1.87 $1.87
-39.04%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$9.66 €8.68
$12.21 $12.21
-20.88%
Wine (Bottle)
$6.83 €6.14
$14.94 $14.94
-54.28%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.03 €0.93
$2.07 $2.07
-50.24%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.58 €1.42
$2.74 $2.74
-42.34%
🚌 Getting Around
Recklinghausen
Belleville, IL
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$3.66 €3.29
$0.98 $0.98
273.47%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$65.7 €59.1
$78.6 $78.6
-16.37%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.31 €2.97
$3.45 $3.45
-4.06%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.99 €0.89
$2.46 $2.46
-59.76%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$33.17 €29.80
$17.39 $17.39
90.74%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.25 €2.02
$0.96 $0.96
134.38%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$30.9K €27.7K
$28.8K $28.8K
7.15%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$37.8K €34.0K
$26.2K $26.2K
44.27%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Recklinghausen
Belleville, IL
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$374 €336
$241 $241
54.97%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$34.22 €30.75
$69.8 $69.8
-50.98%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$53.2 €47.79
$65.8 $65.8
-19.19%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Recklinghausen
Belleville, IL
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$22.44 €20.16
$31.06 $31.06
-27.75%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$15.88 €14.26
$29.60 $29.60
-46.35%
Cinema Ticket
$10.75 €9.66
$14.06 $14.06
-23.54%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Recklinghausen
Belleville, IL
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$459 €412
$1,040 $1,040
-55.87%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$9,410 €8,455
$12.8K $12.8K
-26.48%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Recklinghausen
Belleville, IL
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$95.1 €85.4
$55.6 $55.6
71.02%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$33.80 €30.37
$32.16 $32.16
5.10%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$111 €99.9
$86.9 $86.9
27.88%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$143 €129
$103 $103
38.98%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Recklinghausen
Belleville, IL
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$639 €574
$1,202 $1,202
-46.84%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$566 €509
$945 $945
-40.05%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$950 €854
$1,990 $1,990
-52.26%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$869 €781
$1,667 $1,667
-47.87%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
-
$2,141 $2,141
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
-
$1,753 $1,753
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Recklinghausen
Belleville, IL
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$2,801 €2,517
$6,255 $6,255
-55.22%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.96
6.72
-41.07%

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

Last update for Recklinghausen: October 24, 2026

Last update for Belleville, IL: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Recklinghausen
$566
Belleville, IL
$945 66.8% $378
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Recklinghausen
$462
Belleville, IL
$377 18.3% $85
Groceries & Markets
Recklinghausen
$352
Belleville, IL
$371 5.5% $19
Eating Out
Recklinghausen
$295
Belleville, IL
$273 7.4% $22
Clothing & Footwear
Recklinghausen
$172
Belleville, IL
$125 27.5% $47
Getting Around
Recklinghausen
$89
Belleville, IL
$98 10.8% $9.6
Sport & Entertainment
Recklinghausen
$44
Belleville, IL
$59 34.7% $15

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $639 in Recklinghausen versus $1,202 in Belleville, IL. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries in Belleville, IL are about 2.2 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $83 in Recklinghausen versus $69 in Belleville, IL. Groceries tell a different story – $352 in Recklinghausen vs $371 in Belleville, IL – so Recklinghausen wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know
🇩🇪 Recklinghausen
🇺🇸 Belleville, IL
🕒 Local time
19:45 7:45 PM
13:45 1:45 PM
6 h behind Recklinghausen
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
115,320
42,404
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 0.898 EUR (1 EUR = 1.11 USD).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.11 USD (1 USD = 0.898 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Recklinghausen Belleville, IL 7,190 km ≈ 9 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Recklinghausen
  • Belleville, IL

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
Recklinghausen vs Belleville, IL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Recklinghausen or Belleville, IL?
Belleville, IL costs about 14% more than Recklinghausen, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from utilities. 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 Recklinghausen and in Belleville, IL?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,970 per month in Recklinghausen and $3,373 in Belleville, IL. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Recklinghausen or Belleville, IL?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Recklinghausen, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $639 there versus $1,202 in Belleville, IL.
How do childcare costs compare in Recklinghausen and in Belleville, IL?
Kindergarten costs $459 per month in Recklinghausen and $1,040 in Belleville, IL. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Are groceries more expensive in Recklinghausen or in Belleville, IL?
Groceries cost about 6% more in Belleville, IL, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Can you live on $2,500/month in Recklinghausen or in Belleville, IL?
$2,500 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $1,980 in Recklinghausen and $2,249 in Belleville, IL, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.
Which city is better for families?
Families tend to lean toward Recklinghausen – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
How safe is Recklinghausen compared to Belleville, IL?
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.
Should I move to Recklinghausen or to Belleville, IL?
If budget matters most, go with Recklinghausen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Belleville, IL makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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