Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Ulm and Vienna

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.

Ulm
🇩🇪 Germany
$2,140
/mo nomad
Vienna
🇦🇹 Austria
$2,315
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Ulm and in Vienna

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
🍽 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.
Accommodation & Living
Ulm
$749
Vienna
$938 25.3% $189
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Ulm
$464
Vienna
$370 20.2% $94
Groceries & Markets
Ulm
$339
Vienna
$365 7.5% $26
Eating Out
Ulm
$279
Vienna
$327 17.5% $49
Clothing & Footwear
Ulm
$172
Vienna
$159 7.4% $13
Getting Around
Ulm
$77 *
Vienna
$87 13.8% $11
Sport & Entertainment
Ulm
$60
Vienna
$68 11.8% $7.1

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.

Good to know
🇩🇪 Ulm
🇦🇹 Vienna
🕒 Local time
22:59 10:59 PM
22:59 10:59 PM
Same time as Ulm
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
121,648
1,920,949 Capital
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 0.889 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Ulm Vienna 470 km
From you
  • Ulm
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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.

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