Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Wilhelmshaven and Wollongong

For one person, living is cheaper in Wilhelmshaven: $1,827 a month against $2,467 in Wollongong, rent and utilities included – about $7,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Wilhelmshaven, Germany
Wollongong, Australia
Wilhelmshaven
🇩🇪 Germany
$1,827
/mo nomad
Wollongong
🇦🇺 Australia
$2,467
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Wilhelmshaven and in Wollongong

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Wilhelmshaven and in Wollongong actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,827 in Wilhelmshaven versus $2,467 in Wollongong.

  • Wilhelmshaven $1,827
  • Wollongong $2,467

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,758 in Wilhelmshaven versus $3,619 in Wollongong.

  • Wilhelmshaven $2,758
  • Wollongong $3,619

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,690 in Wilhelmshaven versus $4,772 in Wollongong.

  • Wilhelmshaven $3,690
  • Wollongong $4,772

Living in Wilhelmshaven costs roughly 26% less than in Wollongong, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Wilhelmshaven 34% above, Wollongong 81% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Wilhelmshaven
Wollongong
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.56 €15.76
$17.38 A$24.72
1.04%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$74.1 €66.5
$83.8 A$119
-11.55%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$13.49 €12.10
$10.66 A$15.16
26.55%
Cappuccino
$4.67 €4.19
$3.47 A$4.93
34.58%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.17 €3.74
$3.03 A$4.31
37.62%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.34 €3.00
$2.28 A$3.24
46.49%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.77 €5.18
$7.17 A$10.20
-19.53%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.96 €4.45
$7.05 A$10.03
-29.65%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Wilhelmshaven
Wollongong
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.08 €0.97
$1.19 A$1.69
-9.24%
White Bread (500g)
$2.53 €2.27
$2.97 A$4.23
-14.81%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.78 €2.49
$2.21 A$3.14
25.79%
Eggs
$4.20 €3.77
$3.96 A$5.63
6.06%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.14 €10.90
$10.35 A$14.72
17.29%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$12.16 €10.91
$9.43 A$13.41
28.95%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$18.82 €16.89
$15.68 A$22.30
20.03%
Apples (1kg)
$2.52 €2.26
$2.91 A$4.14
-13.40%
Banana (1kg)
$1.85 €1.66
$2.54 A$3.61
-27.17%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.07 €1.86
$3.34 A$4.75
-38.02%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.03 €3.61
$4.71 A$6.69
-14.44%
Potato (1kg)
$1.88 €1.69
$2.31 A$3.29
-18.61%
Onion (1kg)
$1.59 €1.42
$2.58 A$3.67
-38.37%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.77 €1.59
$2.54 A$3.61
-30.31%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.13 €1.02
$1.34 A$1.91
-15.67%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$9.56 €8.57
$45.34 A$64.5
-78.91%
Wine (Bottle)
$5.65 €5.07
$13.90 A$19.77
-59.35%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.14 €1.03
$4.48 A$6.37
-74.55%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.51 €1.36
$4.87 A$6.92
-68.99%
🚌 Getting Around
Wilhelmshaven
Wollongong
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.78 €2.50
$2.35 A$3.34
18.30%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$53.8 €48.28
$138 A$197
-61.07%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$6.69 €6.00
$3.98 A$5.66
68.09%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.95 €2.65
$1.56 A$2.22
89.10%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$41.90 €37.59
$43.53 A$61.9
-3.74%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.01 €1.81
$1.33 A$1.90
51.13%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$31.8K €28.5K
$28.5K A$40.6K
11.44%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$38.0K €34.1K
$24.8K A$35.2K
53.15%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Wilhelmshaven
Wollongong
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$292 €262
$186 A$264
57.39%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.01 €9.88
$26.37 A$37.49
-58.25%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$39.01 €35.00
$49.87 A$70.9
-21.78%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Wilhelmshaven
Wollongong
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$28.11 €25.22
$61.3 A$87.2
-54.17%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$13.78 A$19.59
-
Cinema Ticket
$15.88 €14.25
$13.51 A$19.21
17.54%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Wilhelmshaven
Wollongong
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$500 €449
$2,193 A$3,119
-77.19%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$13.6K €12.2K
$20.3K A$28.8K
-32.92%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Wilhelmshaven
Wollongong
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$86.3 €77.4
$70.8 A$101
21.98%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$36.65 €32.88
$55.8 A$79.3
-34.28%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$55.6 €49.87
$106 A$151
-47.76%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$117 €105
$110 A$157
5.87%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Wilhelmshaven
Wollongong
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$778 €698
$1,400 A$1,991
-44.43%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$580 €521
$1,162 A$1,652
-50.07%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,026 €921
$2,398 A$3,410
-57.20%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,009 €906
$1,833 A$2,606
-44.94%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,966 €3,559
$4,469 A$6,353
-11.24%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,273 €2,039
$3,568 A$5,073
-36.31%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Wilhelmshaven
Wollongong
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,163 €2,838
$5,107 A$7,261
-38.07%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.69
5.23
-29.45%

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

Last update for Wilhelmshaven: October 24, 2026

Last update for Wollongong: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Wilhelmshaven
$580
Wollongong
$1.2K 100% $582
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Wilhelmshaven
$342
Wollongong
$262 23.5% $80
Groceries & Markets
Wilhelmshaven
$319
Wollongong
$357 11.6% $37
Eating Out
Wilhelmshaven
$306
Wollongong
$284 7.2% $22
Clothing & Footwear
Wilhelmshaven
$133
Wollongong
$155 16.2% $22
Getting Around
Wilhelmshaven
$86
Wollongong
$159 84.5% $73
Sport & Entertainment
Wilhelmshaven
$60
Wollongong
$88 47.6% $28

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $778 in Wilhelmshaven and $1,400 in Wollongong. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Wollongong pays 61% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $74 in Wilhelmshaven vs $84 in Wollongong for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $319 vs $357 per month, with Wilhelmshaven cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇩🇪 Wilhelmshaven
🇦🇺 Wollongong
🕒 Local time
14:05 2:05 PM
00:05 12:05 AM
10 h ahead of Wilhelmshaven
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
75,728
280,153
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

AUD, USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of October 29, 2026: 1 USD = 0.897 EUR (1 EUR = 1.11 USD).

Australian Dollar exchange rates as of October 29, 2026: 1 USD = 1.42 AUD (1 AUD = 0.703 USD). 1 EUR = 1.59 AUD (1 AUD = 0.63 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Wilhelmshaven Wollongong 16,420 km ≈ 21 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Wilhelmshaven
  • Wollongong

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
Wilhelmshaven vs Wollongong: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Wilhelmshaven and in Wollongong?
Total monthly costs including rent come to $1,827 in Wilhelmshaven and $2,467 in Wollongong, so Wilhelmshaven is about 26% cheaper – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city has better-paying jobs?
On paper, salaries run 38% lower in Wilhelmshaven. That’s worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How do apartment prices compare in Wilhelmshaven and in Wollongong?
Rent for a central apartment: $778 in Wilhelmshaven versus $1,400 in Wollongong. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Wilhelmshaven and Wollongong?
Childcare runs $500 in Wilhelmshaven versus $2,193 in Wollongong. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Supermarket bills run roughly 12% higher in Wollongong. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
How far does $3,000 go in Wilhelmshaven compared to Wollongong?
Either city works on $3,000 a month, though Wilhelmshaven gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.
How does quality of life compare between Wilhelmshaven and Wollongong?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.
Where should expats move: Wilhelmshaven or Wollongong?
Expats usually find Wilhelmshaven gentler on the wallet – expenses run 26% less than in Wollongong. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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