Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Wollongong and Wilhelmshaven

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.

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

How much you'll spend in Wollongong and in Wilhelmshaven

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Living in Wollongong is roughly 35% more expensive than in Wilhelmshaven, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

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

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Wollongong
Wilhelmshaven
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.38 A$24.62
$17.56 €15.74
-1.03%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$83.8 A$119
$74.1 €66.4
13.05%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.66 A$15.10
$13.49 €12.09
-20.98%
Cappuccino
$3.47 A$4.92
$4.67 €4.18
-25.70%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.03 A$4.30
$4.17 €3.74
-27.34%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.28 A$3.23
$3.34 €2.99
-31.74%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$7.17 A$10.16
$5.77 €5.17
24.26%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$7.05 A$9.99
$4.96 €4.44
42.14%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Wollongong
Wilhelmshaven
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.19 A$1.68
$1.08 €0.97
10.19%
White Bread (500g)
$2.97 A$4.21
$2.53 €2.26
17.39%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.21 A$3.13
$2.78 €2.49
-20.50%
Eggs
$3.96 A$5.61
$4.20 €3.77
-5.71%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.35 A$14.66
$12.14 €10.88
-14.74%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.43 A$13.36
$12.16 €10.89
-22.45%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$15.68 A$22.22
$18.82 €16.87
-16.68%
Apples (1kg)
$2.91 A$4.12
$2.52 €2.26
15.48%
Banana (1kg)
$2.54 A$3.60
$1.85 €1.65
37.30%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.34 A$4.73
$2.07 €1.86
61.35%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.71 A$6.67
$4.03 €3.61
16.87%
Potato (1kg)
$2.31 A$3.28
$1.88 €1.68
22.87%
Onion (1kg)
$2.58 A$3.66
$1.59 €1.42
62.26%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.54 A$3.59
$1.77 €1.59
43.50%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.34 A$1.90
$1.13 €1.02
18.58%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$45.34 A$64.2
$9.56 €8.56
374.27%
Wine (Bottle)
$13.90 A$19.70
$5.65 €5.06
146.02%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$4.48 A$6.35
$1.14 €1.03
292.98%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.87 A$6.90
$1.51 €1.36
222.52%
🚌 Getting Around
Wollongong
Wilhelmshaven
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.35 A$3.32
$2.78 €2.49
-15.47%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$138 A$196
$53.8 €48.22
156.90%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.98 A$5.64
$6.69 €5.99
-40.51%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.56 A$2.21
$2.95 €2.64
-47.12%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$43.53 A$61.7
$41.90 €37.54
3.89%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.33 A$1.89
$2.01 €1.80
-33.83%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.5K A$40.4K
$31.8K €28.5K
-10.27%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$24.8K A$35.1K
$38.0K €34.0K
-34.71%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Wollongong
Wilhelmshaven
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$186 A$263
$292 €262
-36.46%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$26.37 A$37.36
$11.01 €9.86
139.51%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$49.87 A$70.7
$39.01 €34.95
27.84%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Wollongong
Wilhelmshaven
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$61.3 A$86.9
$28.11 €25.19
118.18%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$13.78 A$19.52
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$13.51 A$19.14
$15.88 €14.23
-14.92%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Wollongong
Wilhelmshaven
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$2,193 A$3,107
$500 €448
338.36%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$20.3K A$28.7K
$13.6K €12.2K
49.07%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Wollongong
Wilhelmshaven
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$70.8 A$100
$86.3 €77.3
-18.02%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$55.8 A$79.0
$36.65 €32.84
52.17%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$106 A$151
$55.6 €49.80
91.42%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$110 A$156
$117 €105
-5.54%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Wollongong
Wilhelmshaven
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,400 A$1,984
$778 €697
79.94%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,162 A$1,646
$580 €520
100.30%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,398 A$3,397
$1,026 €920
133.66%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,833 A$2,597
$1,009 €904
81.61%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,469 A$6,330
$3,966 €3,554
12.66%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,568 A$5,055
$2,273 €2,036
57.01%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Wollongong
Wilhelmshaven
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$5,107 A$7,234
$3,163 €2,834
61.46%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.23
3.69
41.73%

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

Last update for Wollongong: October 25, 2026

Last update for Wilhelmshaven: October 24, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Wollongong
$1.2K
Wilhelmshaven
$580 50.1% $582
Groceries & Markets
Wollongong
$357
Wilhelmshaven
$319 10.4% $37
Eating Out
Wollongong
$284
Wilhelmshaven
$306 7.7% $22
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Wollongong
$262
Wilhelmshaven
$342 30.7% $80
Getting Around
Wollongong
$159
Wilhelmshaven
$86 45.8% $73
Clothing & Footwear
Wollongong
$155
Wilhelmshaven
$133 14% $22
Sport & Entertainment
Wollongong
$88
Wilhelmshaven
$60 32.2% $28

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,400 in Wollongong and $778 in Wilhelmshaven. 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: $84 in Wollongong vs $74 in Wilhelmshaven for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $357 vs $319 per month, with Wilhelmshaven cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇦🇺 Wollongong
🇩🇪 Wilhelmshaven
🕒 Local time
22:58 10:58 PM
12:58 12:58 PM
10 h behind Wollongong
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
280,153
75,728
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR, USD to AUD – Australian Dollar Converter

Australian Dollar exchange rates as of October 29, 2026: 1 USD = 1.42 AUD (1 AUD = 0.706 USD). 1 EUR = 1.58 AUD (1 AUD = 0.633 EUR).

Euro exchange rates as of October 29, 2026: 1 USD = 0.896 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

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

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
Wollongong vs Wilhelmshaven: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Wollongong and in Wilhelmshaven?
Total monthly costs including rent come to $2,467 in Wollongong and $1,827 in Wilhelmshaven, so Wilhelmshaven is about 26% cheaper – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city pays better: Wollongong or Wilhelmshaven?
Average pay runs 61% higher in Wollongong, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How do apartment prices compare in Wollongong and in Wilhelmshaven?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,400 in Wollongong versus $778 in Wilhelmshaven. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Wollongong and Wilhelmshaven?
Childcare runs $2,193 in Wollongong versus $500 in Wilhelmshaven. 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 Wollongong compared to Wilhelmshaven?
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 Wollongong and Wilhelmshaven?
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: Wollongong or Wilhelmshaven?
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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