Cost of Living Comparison Between Vienna and Essen Cost of Living Comparison Between Vienna and Essen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,258 per month in Vienna vs $2,096 in Essen, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,522 per month in Vienna vs $3,145 in Essen, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,786 per month in Vienna vs $4,193 in Essen, rent included.

Vienna costs about 8% more than Essen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Vienna and Essen sit above the global median – Vienna by 69%, Essen by 56%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.47 €15.03

$18.37 €15.80

-4.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.9 €73.1

$69.7 €60.0

21.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.71 €10.07

$13.93 €11.98

-15.94%

Cappuccino

$4.91 €4.22

$3.67 €3.15

33.79%

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

$3.42 €2.95

$2.43 €2.09

40.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.12 €2.69

$2.37 €2.04

31.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.82 €5.01

$4.79 €4.12

21.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.18 €4.46

$4.75 €4.09

9.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 €1.50

$1.30 €1.12

33.85%

White Bread (500g)

$2.87 €2.47

$2.13 €1.83

34.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.76 €2.37

$3.27 €2.81

-15.60%

Eggs

$4.73 €4.07

$3.59 €3.09

31.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.23 €14.82

$14.96 €12.87

15.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.96 €12.87

$14.27 €12.27

4.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.96 €20.61

$22.36 €19.23

7.16%

Apples (1kg)

$2.96 €2.55

$3.27 €2.81

-9.48%

Banana (1kg)

$2.47 €2.13

$1.88 €1.62

31.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.34 €2.87

$2.34 €2.01

42.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.07 €3.50

$4.84 €4.16

-15.91%

Potato (1kg)

$2.18 €1.87

$1.66 €1.43

31.33%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 €1.71

$1.71 €1.47

16.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.05 €1.76

$1.94 €1.67

5.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.94 €0.80

$1.11 €0.95

-15.32%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.57 €6.51

$9.62 €8.27

-21.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.65 €7.44

$5.87 €5.05

47.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.49 €1.28

$1.10 €0.94

35.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.93 €1.66

$1.72 €1.48

12.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.73 €2.35

$3.97 €3.42

-31.23%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.81 €34.24

$61.9 €53.2

-35.63%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.72 €4.06

$5.13 €4.41

-7.99%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.12 €1.82

$2.73 €2.35

-22.34%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$38.61 €33.21

$40.78 €35.08

-5.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.81 €1.55

$2.06 €1.77

-12.14%

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

$31.7K €27.3K

$31.1K €26.7K

1.91%

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

$33.4K €28.7K

$38.5K €33.2K

-13.42%

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

$336 €289

$388 €333

-13.27%

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

$16.54 €14.23

$34.23 €29.44

-51.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$41.43 €35.64

$53.1 €45.71

-22.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.55 €41.76

$37.03 €31.86

31.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.32 €22.64

$34.86 €29.98

-24.50%

Cinema Ticket

$13.66 €11.75

$17.61 €15.15

-22.43%

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

$328 €282

$468 €402

-29.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.3K €20.1K

$9,827 €8,453

137.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$98.2 €84.4

$95.5 €82.2

2.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.22 €38.90

$73.7 €63.4

-38.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 €87.9

$105 €90.0

-2.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$156 €134

$137 €118

13.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,232 €1,060

$744 €640

65.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$905 €779

$605 €520

49.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,293 €1,972

$1,505 €1,295

52.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,662 €1,430

$1,082 €931

53.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$15.3K €13.2K

$4,898 €4,213

212.77%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,823 €5,869

$3,042 €2,617

124.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,409 €2,932

$3,244 €2,790

5.08%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.6

3.97

-9.32%

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

Last update for Vienna: June 1, 2026

Last update for Essen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,232 in Vienna versus $744 in Essen. 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 5% higher in Vienna, 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 $85.0 in Vienna versus $70.0 in Essen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $396 vs $356 – making Essen 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

Vienna vs Essen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,258 in Vienna, $2,096 in Essen – roughly 8% apart. Vienna costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,387 per month in Vienna and $3,144 in Essen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 55% less in Essen. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $328 per month in Vienna and $468 in Essen. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Essen, where all-in costs run around $2,096, than in Vienna at $2,258. In Essen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Vienna it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Essen – 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 Essen. 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.