Cost of Living Comparison Between Ulm and Vienna Cost of Living Comparison Between Ulm and Vienna

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,393 per month in Ulm vs $2,258 in Vienna, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,491 per month in Ulm vs $3,522 in Vienna, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,590 per month in Ulm vs $4,786 in Vienna, rent included.

Ulm costs about 6% more than Vienna, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Ulm and Vienna sit above the global median – Ulm by 79%, Vienna by 69%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.45 €15.03

$17.47 €15.04

-0.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.3 €58.8

$84.9 €73.1

-19.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.94 €11.14

$11.71 €10.08

10.50%

Cappuccino

$3.80 €3.27

$4.91 €4.22

-22.61%

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

$3.75 €3.23

$3.42 €2.95

9.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.64 €2.28

$3.12 €2.69

-15.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.81 €4.14

$5.82 €5.01

-17.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.67 €4.02

$5.18 €4.46

-9.85%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.23 €1.06

$1.74 €1.50

-29.31%

White Bread (500g)

$2.23 €1.92

$2.87 €2.47

-22.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.53 €3.04

$2.76 €2.38

27.90%

Eggs

$4.03 €3.47

$4.73 €4.07

-14.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.59 €12.56

$17.23 €14.84

-15.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.20 €13.09

$14.96 €12.88

1.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$21.21 €18.27

$23.96 €20.63

-11.48%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 €2.78

$2.96 €2.55

9.12%

Banana (1kg)

$1.88 €1.62

$2.47 €2.13

-23.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.29 €1.97

$3.34 €2.87

-31.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.39 €4.64

$4.07 €3.50

32.43%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 €1.32

$2.18 €1.87

-29.82%

Onion (1kg)

$1.62 €1.39

$1.99 €1.71

-18.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.88 €1.62

$2.05 €1.76

-8.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.22 €1.05

$0.94 €0.81

29.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.88 €8.51

$7.57 €6.52

30.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.83 €5.02

$8.65 €7.45

-32.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 €0.96

$1.49 €1.28

-24.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.73 €1.49

$1.93 €1.66

-10.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.33 €2.87

$2.73 €2.35

21.98%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$62.7 €54.0

$39.81 €34.28

57.55%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.74 €3.22

$4.72 €4.06

-20.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.02 €2.60

$2.12 €1.82

42.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.39 €23.59

$38.61 €33.24

-29.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.97 €1.70

$1.81 €1.56

8.84%

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

$31.9K €27.5K

$31.7K €27.3K

0.66%

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

$37.1K €31.9K

$33.4K €28.7K

11.12%

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

$388 €334

$336 €289

15.56%

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

$41.64 €35.86

$16.54 €14.24

151.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$55.6 €47.87

$41.43 €35.67

34.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.84 €31.72

$48.55 €41.81

-24.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.79 €10.16

$26.32 €22.66

-55.21%

Cinema Ticket

$13.92 €11.99

$13.66 €11.77

1.90%

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

$464 €399

$328 €282

41.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.1K €11.3K

$23.3K €20.1K

-43.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$104 €89.2

$98.2 €84.5

5.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.6 €50.5

$45.22 €38.94

29.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.1 €80.2

$102 €88.0

-8.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$141 €122

$156 €134

-9.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,146 €987

$1,232 €1,061

-7.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$957 €824

$905 €780

5.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,965 €1,692

$2,293 €1,974

-14.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,478 €1,273

$1,662 €1,431

-11.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,088 €5,243

$15.3K €13.2K

-60.26%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,067 €3,502

$6,823 €5,876

-40.39%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,151 €3,574

$3,409 €2,935

21.77%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.99

3.6

10.83%

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

Last update for Ulm: May 31, 2026

Last update for Vienna: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,146 in Ulm versus $1,232 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 22% higher in Ulm, 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 $68.0 in Ulm versus $85.0 in Vienna. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $363 vs $396 – making Ulm the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Yes – Ulm is pricier by about 6%, and the gap shows up most in Monthly Utilities & Internet. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,589 per month in Ulm and $3,387 in Vienna. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $464 per month in Ulm and $328 in Vienna. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 9% cheaper in Ulm – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Vienna, where all-in costs run around $2,258, than in Ulm at $2,393. In Vienna it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ulm it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Vienna – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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