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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,417 per month in Vienna vs $2,257 in Ulm, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,660 per month in Vienna vs $3,446 in Ulm, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,902 per month in Vienna vs $4,634 in Ulm, rent included.

Vienna costs about 7% more than Ulm, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Vienna and Ulm sit above the global median – Vienna by 76%, Ulm by 64%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$21.03 €18.08

$17.13 €14.72

22.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$93.7 €80.5

$69.5 €59.8

34.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.99 €12.02

$14.21 €12.21

-1.55%

Cappuccino

$5.44 €4.67

$4.15 €3.57

31.08%

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

$3.87 €3.33

$4.86 €4.18

-20.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.28 €2.82

$2.00 €1.72

64.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.52 €5.60

$4.81 €4.14

35.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.94 €5.10

$4.71 €4.05

26.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.72 €1.48

$1.50 €1.29

14.67%

White Bread (500g)

$2.84 €2.44

$2.12 €1.82

33.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.79 €2.40

$4.10 €3.53

-31.95%

Eggs

$4.98 €4.28

$3.75 €3.23

32.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.94 €14.56

$14.78 €12.71

14.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.79 €12.71

$10.54 €9.06

40.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$24.25 €20.85

$26.62 €22.88

-8.90%

Apples (1kg)

$3.21 €2.76

$3.59 €3.08

-10.58%

Banana (1kg)

$2.37 €2.04

$2.41 €2.07

-1.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.71 €3.19

$2.06 €1.77

80.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.49 €3.86

$4.04 €3.48

11.14%

Potato (1kg)

$2.02 €1.73

$1.08 €0.93

87.04%

Onion (1kg)

$1.91 €1.65

$1.12 €0.96

70.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.11 €1.81

$1.70 €1.46

24.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.94 €0.81

$1.25 €1.07

-24.80%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.93 €6.82

$10.26 €8.82

-22.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.96 €7.70

$5.91 €5.08

51.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.52 €1.31

$1.13 €0.97

34.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.90 €1.63

$1.53 €1.31

24.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.59 €3.09

$3.29 €2.83

9.12%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$59.0 €50.8

$67.9 €58.4

-13.06%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.71 €4.91

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.20 €1.89

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$46.68 €40.13

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.96 €1.68

$2.05 €1.76

-4.39%

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

$31.2K €26.8K

$33.7K €28.9K

-7.45%

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

$30.0K €25.8K

$40.3K €34.7K

-25.57%

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

$325 €280

$394 €339

-17.42%

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

$14.92 €12.83

$34.80 €29.92

-57.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.82 €30.79

$54.9 €47.21

-34.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.65 €34.94

$35.97 €30.93

13.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.07 €24.99

$23.39 €20.11

24.28%

Cinema Ticket

$15.36 €13.20

$13.99 €12.03

9.79%

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

$434 €373

$459 €395

-5.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$30.2K €25.9K

$13.3K €11.5K

125.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$92.6 €79.6

$93.8 €80.7

-1.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.68 €32.40

$58.8 €50.6

-35.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.4 €76.0

$96.1 €82.6

-8.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$142 €122

$157 €135

-9.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,355 €1,165

$976 €839

38.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,005 €864

$774 €666

29.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,585 €2,223

$1,956 €1,681

32.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,656 €1,424

$1,569 €1,349

5.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$14.8K €12.8K

$6,053 €5,204

145.20%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,112 €5,255

$4,122 €3,544

48.26%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,574 €3,073

$3,878 €3,334

-7.83%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.48

3.97

-12.34%

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

Last update for Vienna: August 31, 2026

Last update for Ulm: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,355 in Vienna versus $976 in Ulm. 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 9% 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 $94.0 in Vienna versus $70.0 in Ulm. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $401 vs $353 – 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

Vienna vs Ulm: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Vienna is pricier by about 7%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,626 per month in Vienna and $3,385 in Ulm. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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.

Kindergarten costs $434 per month in Vienna and $459 in Ulm. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 13% 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 $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Ulm, where all-in costs run around $2,257, than in Vienna at $2,417. In Ulm it covers expenses comfortably, while in Vienna it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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.

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 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.