Cost of Living Comparison Between Solingen and Frankfurt Cost of Living Comparison Between Solingen and Frankfurt

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,138 in Solingen versus $2,667 in Frankfurt.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,163 in Solingen versus $4,020 in Frankfurt.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,188 in Solingen versus $5,373 in Frankfurt.

Living in Solingen costs roughly 20% less than in Frankfurt, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Solingen 60% above, Frankfurt 99% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.34 €14.94

$19.30 €16.62

-10.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$82.2 €70.8

$92.3 €79.5

-11.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.64 €10.02

$13.94 €12.00

-16.50%

Cappuccino

$3.35 €2.88

$4.44 €3.82

-24.55%

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

$2.91 €2.51

$3.62 €3.12

-19.61%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 €2.47

$3.23 €2.78

-11.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.28 €4.55

$5.95 €5.12

-11.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.59 €3.95

$5.06 €4.36

-9.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.28 €1.11

$1.59 €1.37

-19.50%

White Bread (500g)

$2.26 €1.94

$2.31 €1.99

-2.16%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.46 €2.98

$3.42 €2.95

1.17%

Eggs

$4.08 €3.52

$3.97 €3.42

2.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.68 €12.64

$15.05 €12.96

-2.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.45 €14.17

$13.77 €11.86

19.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.01 €17.23

$22.26 €19.17

-10.11%

Apples (1kg)

$3.14 €2.70

$3.51 €3.03

-10.54%

Banana (1kg)

$1.82 €1.56

$2.13 €1.84

-14.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.34 €2.02

$2.26 €1.94

3.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.22 €4.50

$4.94 €4.25

5.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.59 €1.37

$1.75 €1.51

-9.14%

Onion (1kg)

$1.60 €1.37

$1.67 €1.44

-4.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.07 €1.78

$1.95 €1.68

6.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 €1.04

$1.16 €1.00

3.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.72 €8.37

Wine (Bottle)

$5.97 €5.14

$6.36 €5.48

-6.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 €0.92

$1.05 €0.90

1.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.75 €1.50

$1.51 €1.30

15.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.29 €2.83

$4.34 €3.74

-24.19%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$62.5 €53.8

$67.3 €58.0

-7.13%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.61 €3.97

$5.76 €4.96

-19.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.87 €1.61

$2.68 €2.30

-30.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.62 €23.78

$38.47 €33.12

-28.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.06 €1.77

$1.96 €1.68

5.10%

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

$31.8K €27.4K

$31.2K €26.9K

1.79%

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

$36.2K €31.2K

$35.1K €30.3K

2.99%

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

$361 €311

$371 €320

-2.60%

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

$28.77 €24.78

$24.10 €20.75

19.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$49.33 €42.48

$42.74 €36.80

15.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.7 €48.81

$65.6 €56.5

-13.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.18 €19.96

$29.20 €25.14

-20.62%

Cinema Ticket

$14.11 €12.15

$15.92 €13.71

-11.37%

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

$562 €484

$604 €520

-7.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K €12.6K

$16.3K €14.0K

-10.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$119 €102

$92.0 €79.2

29.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.31 €40.74

$38.75 €33.37

22.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 €119

$97.1 €83.6

42.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$166 €143

$147 €127

12.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$943 €812

$1,514 €1,304

-37.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$695 €599

$1,199 €1,032

-42.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,515 €1,304

$2,750 €2,368

-44.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,121 €965

$2,061 €1,775

-45.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,449 €3,831

$8,507 €7,326

-47.71%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,586 €3,949

$4,442 €3,825

3.25%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,616 €4,836

$4,257 €3,666

31.92%

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 Solingen: June 2, 2026

Last update for Frankfurt: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $943 in Solingen and $1,514 in Frankfurt. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Solingen pays 32% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $82.0 in Solingen vs $92.0 in Frankfurt for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $365 vs $365 per month, with Solingen 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

Solingen vs Frankfurt: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Solingen is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 25% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Solingen pays 32% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $943 in Solingen 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 Solingen – a meal for two runs $82.0 versus $92.0 in Frankfurt. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,138 per month in Solingen versus $2,667 in Frankfurt – a 25% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,138 in Solingen versus $2,667 in Frankfurt, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Solingen but tight or insufficient in Frankfurt. The gap between the two cities makes Solingen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Solingen 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, Solingen 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 Solingen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 25% less than in Frankfurt. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.