For one person, living is cheaper in Ulm: $2,140 a month against $2,315 in Vienna, rent and utilities included – about $2,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.
Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Ulm and in Vienna actually costs, broken down by who's living it.
A single person spends $2,140 per month in Ulm vs $2,315 in Vienna, rent included.
Ulm $2,140
Vienna $2,315
A couple spends around $3,245 per month in Ulm vs $3,432 in Vienna, rent included.
Ulm $3,245
Vienna $3,432
A family of three spends $4,350 per month in Ulm vs $4,549 in Vienna, rent included.
Ulm $4,350
Vienna $4,549
🙂
Ulm is about 8% cheaper than Vienna, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.
📊
Both Ulm and Vienna sit above the global median – Ulm by 59%, Vienna by 71%.
Currency
No currencies found
🍽 Eating Out
Ulm
Vienna
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.80€14.94
$19.32€17.18
-13.04%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$66.6€59.2
$90.3€80.3
-26.23%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$13.31€11.84
$13.64€12.13
-2.42%
Cappuccino
$3.84€3.42
$5.15€4.58
-25.44%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.64€4.13
$3.81€3.39
21.78%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.92€1.71
$3.24€2.89
-40.74%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$4.62€4.11
$6.08€5.41
-24.01%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.41€3.92
$5.74€5.10
-23.17%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Ulm
Vienna
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.47€1.30
$1.56€1.38
-5.77%
White Bread(500g)
$2.05€1.83
$2.10€1.87
-2.38%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$4.14€3.68
$2.62€2.33
58.02%
Eggs
$3.64€3.24
$4.63€4.11
-21.38%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$14.34€12.76
$14.02€12.47
2.28%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$9.83€8.74
$13.78€12.26
-28.66%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$25.54€22.72
$22.77€20.25
12.17%
Apples(1kg)
$3.44€3.06
$2.99€2.66
15.05%
Banana(1kg)
$2.21€1.96
$2.24€1.99
-1.34%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.92€1.71
$3.62€3.22
-46.96%
Tomato(1kg)
$3.91€3.48
$4.15€3.70
-5.78%
Potato(1kg)
$1.08€0.96
$1.99€1.77
-45.73%
Onion(1kg)
$1.12€1.00
$1.85€1.64
-39.46%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.66€1.48
$1.94€1.73
-14.43%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.20€1.06
$0.87€0.77
37.93%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$9.59€8.53
$7.41€6.59
29.42%
Wine(Bottle)
$5.67€5.04
$8.59€7.64
-33.99%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.15€1.02
$1.55€1.37
-25.81%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.52€1.35
$1.88€1.67
-19.15%
🚌 Getting Around
Ulm
Vienna
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$3.10€2.76
$3.31€2.94
-6.34%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$64.4€57.3
$57.9€51.5
11.19%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
-
$5.43€4.83
-
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
-
$2.16€1.92
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
-
$44.43€39.52
-
Gasoline(1 liter)
$2.13€1.89
$2.07€1.84
2.90%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$32.2K€28.6K
$29.3K€26.0K
10.01%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$37.9K€33.7K
$29.4K€26.2K
28.65%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Ulm
Vienna
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$377€336
$322€287
17.02%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$34.04€30.28
$14.36€12.77
137.05%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$52.9€47.05
$33.56€29.85
57.60%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Ulm
Vienna
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$33.61€29.89
$38.08€33.87
-11.74%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$22.70€20.19
$27.96€24.87
-18.81%
Cinema Ticket
$13.44€11.95
$14.77€13.13
-9.00%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Ulm
Vienna
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$441€393
$368€328
19.87%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$13.0K€11.6K
$27.8K€24.7K
-53.09%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Ulm
Vienna
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$90.3€80.3
$87.8€78.1
2.81%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$55.2€49.08
$39.42€35.07
39.98%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$89.4€79.6
$91.5€81.4
-2.22%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$148€131
$136€121
8.95%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Ulm
Vienna
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$931€828
$1,269€1,129
-26.62%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$749€666
$938€835
-20.19%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,830€1,628
$2,450€2,179
-25.29%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,471€1,308
$1,493€1,328
-1.47%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$5,901€5,249
$14.3K€12.7K
-58.69%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$3,961€3,524
$6,061€5,391
-34.64%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Ulm
Vienna
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$3,737€3,324
$3,502€3,115
6.69%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
3.97
3.41
16.42%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Ulm: October 13, 2026
Last update for Vienna: October 10, 2026
Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Share of the monthly basket for a family of three, rent included.
🏠Accommodation & Living
Ulm
$749 35%
Vienna
$938 40.5% ↑ 25.3%$189
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Ulm
$464 21.7%
Vienna
$370 16% ↓ 20.2%$94
🛒Groceries & Markets
Ulm
$339 15.9%
Vienna
$365 15.8% ↑ 7.5%$26
🍽Eating Out
Ulm
$279 13%
Vienna
$327 14.1% ↑ 17.5%$49
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Ulm
$172 8%
Vienna
$159 6.9% ↓ 7.4%$13
🚌Getting Around
Ulm
$77 * 3.6%
Vienna
$87 3.8% ↑ 13.8%$11
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Ulm
$60 2.8%
Vienna
$68 2.9% ↑ 11.8%$7.1
Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.
🏠Accommodation & Living
Ulm
$1.5K 33.8%
Vienna
$1.5K 32.8% ↑ 1.5%$22
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Ulm
$498 11.5%
Vienna
$385 8.5% ↓ 22.8%$114
🛒Groceries & Markets
Ulm
$807 18.5%
Vienna
$867 19.1% ↑ 7.5%$61
🍽Eating Out
Ulm
$888 20.4%
Vienna
$1.1K 24.3% ↑ 24.4%$217
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Ulm
$383 8.8%
Vienna
$354 7.8% ↓ 7.4%$28
🚌Getting Around
Ulm
$160 * 3.7%
Vienna
$181 4% ↑ 13.5%$22
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Ulm
$144 3.3%
Vienna
$163 3.6% ↑ 13.6%$20
Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $931 in Ulm versus $1,269 in Vienna. 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 7% higher in Ulm, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.
🛒A mid-range dinner for two costs $67.0 in Ulm versus $90.0 in Vienna. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $339 vs $365 – making Ulm the more affordable choice for daily food spending.
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
Ulm vs Vienna: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Vienna cheaper than Ulm?
Yes – Vienna is pricier by about 8%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,211 per month in Ulm and $3,473 in Vienna. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Ulm, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $441 per month in Ulm and $368 in Vienna. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
How do food prices compare in Ulm and in Vienna?
Groceries cost about 8% more in Vienna, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Is $2,500 a realistic budget for living in Ulm or in Vienna?
A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Ulm, where all-in costs run around $2,140, than in Vienna at $2,315. In Ulm it covers expenses comfortably, while in Vienna it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Ulm or Vienna more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Ulm – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is safer, Ulm or Vienna?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Ulm. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Vienna makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.