Cost of Living Comparison Between Vienna and Lübeck Cost of Living Comparison Between Vienna and Lübeck

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,258 per month in Vienna vs $2,224 in Lübeck, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,522 per month in Vienna vs $3,304 in Lübeck, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,786 per month in Vienna vs $4,385 in Lübeck, rent included.

Vienna costs about 2% more than Lübeck, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Vienna and Lübeck sit above the global median – Vienna by 69%, Lübeck by 66%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.47 €15.04

$17.63 €15.18

-0.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.9 €73.1

$64.4 €55.5

31.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.71 €10.08

$12.98 €11.17

-9.78%

Cappuccino

$4.91 €4.22

$4.38 €3.77

12.10%

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

$3.42 €2.95

$3.00 €2.58

14.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.12 €2.69

$2.65 €2.28

17.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.82 €5.01

$5.85 €5.04

-0.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.18 €4.46

$5.06 €4.36

2.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 €1.50

$1.28 €1.10

35.94%

White Bread (500g)

$2.87 €2.47

$2.27 €1.95

26.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.76 €2.38

$3.55 €3.06

-22.25%

Eggs

$4.73 €4.07

$4.12 €3.55

14.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.23 €14.84

$15.14 €13.04

13.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.96 €12.88

$16.04 €13.81

-6.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.96 €20.63

$19.59 €16.87

22.31%

Apples (1kg)

$2.96 €2.55

$3.35 €2.88

-11.64%

Banana (1kg)

$2.47 €2.13

$1.78 €1.53

38.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.34 €2.87

$2.25 €1.94

48.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.07 €3.50

$5.02 €4.32

-18.92%

Potato (1kg)

$2.18 €1.87

$1.49 €1.28

46.31%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 €1.71

$1.42 €1.23

40.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.05 €1.76

$1.88 €1.62

9.04%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.94 €0.81

$0.91 €0.78

3.30%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.57 €6.52

$9.88 €8.51

-23.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.65 €7.45

$6.80 €5.86

27.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.49 €1.28

$1.10 €0.95

35.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.93 €1.66

$1.70 €1.46

13.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.73 €2.35

$3.48 €3.00

-21.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.81 €34.28

$57.5 €49.48

-30.72%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.72 €4.06

$4.12 €3.55

14.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.12 €1.82

$2.37 €2.04

-10.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$38.61 €33.24

$17.67 €15.21

118.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.81 €1.56

$1.96 €1.68

-7.65%

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

$31.7K €27.3K

$31.4K €27.1K

0.78%

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

$33.4K €28.7K

$36.5K €31.4K

-8.59%

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

$336 €289

$376 €324

-10.69%

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

$16.54 €14.24

$36.73 €31.63

-54.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$41.43 €35.67

$56.1 €48.28

-26.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.55 €41.81

$33.11 €28.51

46.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.32 €22.66

$29.03 €24.99

-9.34%

Cinema Ticket

$13.66 €11.77

$13.84 €11.91

-1.30%

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

$328 €282

$470 €404

-30.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.3K €20.1K

$11.4K €9,829

104.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$98.2 €84.5

$89.8 €77.3

9.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.22 €38.94

$45.79 €39.43

-1.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 €88.0

$130 €112

-21.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$156 €134

$131 €113

19.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,232 €1,061

$797 €686

54.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$905 €780

$790 €681

14.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,293 €1,974

$1,905 €1,640

20.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,662 €1,431

$1,434 €1,235

15.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$15.3K €13.2K

$4,093 €3,525

274.25%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,823 €5,876

$4,443 €3,826

53.56%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,409 €2,935

$3,567 €3,072

-4.45%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.6

3.98

-9.55%

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

Last update for Vienna: June 1, 2026

Last update for Lübeck: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,232 in Vienna versus $797 in Lübeck. 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 Lübeck, 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 $85.0 in Vienna versus $64.0 in Lübeck. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $396 vs $360 – making Lübeck 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 Lübeck: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Vienna is pricier by about 2%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,387 per month in Vienna and $3,336 in Lübeck. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 10% more in Vienna, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $85.0 in Vienna and $64.0 in Lübeck. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Lübeck, where all-in costs run around $2,224, than in Vienna at $2,258. In Lübeck it covers expenses comfortably, while in Vienna it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Lübeck – 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 Lübeck. 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.