Cost of Living in Germany

Updated On January 22, 2023

How Much Does It Cost to Live In Germany?

It is good to start your meeting with Germany with Berlin since the capital city depicts the state of things in the rest of the country.

The country is very diverse even if you hear your friends or relatives telling you about how life is in Germany, you should go and check yourself.

It has lots of accommodation options from cheap hostels to luxurious hotels.

Numerous shopping malls open their doors to offer you the best outfit.

Baltic seashore invites you to get a beautiful suntan.

Let us check the prices for Germany.

Cost of Living Index:
62.9
* Based on Research & User Data
Restaurants

RESTAURANTS

Germany has a great variety of cafes, pubs, bars, and restaurants to meet the requirements and budgets of the most demanding residents and guests.

You can try a combo meal in the nearest fast food restaurant and pay $13.05 for this, or go to a mid-range cozy eatery and pay $54.39 for the three-course meal for two.

Markets

MARKETS

Every city and town in Germany has at least one or two covered or open-air street markets.

The rows of stalls are full of farmer products, beverages, meat, and cheese.

The prices in the markets are very low.

The cheapest are milk, domestic beer, water, and lettuce.

Transportation

TRANSPORTATION

Germany is known for its strict and punctual people who host Oktoberfests and drink a lot of beer.

The other good thing Germany can be proud of is transportation.

There are buses, trams, subways, and high-speed trams, as well as city trains to serve people are guests.

The prices are $3.10 to go one way so it’s better to purchase a monthly pass for just $76.14.

Utilities

UTILITIES (MONTHLY)

Compared to the other European countries, the monthly utilities in Germany are rather big.

You will have to pay nearly 10% of your monthly income to pay for some basic amenities we all use every day.

The cheap is the mobile connection which costs about $0.12 for a minute of speaking on the phone.

Sports and leisure

SPORTS & LEISURE

Germany is famous for skiing resorts and bicycle routes.

A lot of German residents spend their time outside the house and really love it.

Basic sports like fitness clubs offer monthly subscriptions to adults for $35.04.

This is more profitable than going to the cinema or the tennis court.

Germans are the best in swimming, hockey, biathlon, football, and athletics.

Clothing and shoes

CLOTHING & SHOES

By no means, Germany cannot be put in one row with such fashion destinations as France or Italy.

Nevertheless, shopping here is fun and money-saving.

If you buy things in Germany, be sure they will serve you for half a life.

To save money for other cool things, the Germans buy clothes and shoes during summer and winter sales.

Rent per month

RENT PER MONTH

Germany is filled with immigrants, ex-pats, tourists, and students which are in search of somewhere to live.

Finding accommodation in Germany is like a riddle that you have to solve.

There are a lot of websites to look at, and the owners rent out their flats on social media or at the realtors.

Cost of Living Averages Table for Germany

*Note: All prices are indicated in USD.
Average Restaurant Prices
Meal (Inexpensive Restaurant)$13.05
Domestic Beer (0.5 Liter)$4.35
Water (0.33 Liter)$2.44
Average Market Prices
Milk (1 Liter)$1.11
Loaf Bread (500g)$1.89
Eggs (12)$2.93
Average Transport Prices
One Way Ticket$3.10
Monthly Pass$76.14
Gasoline$0.2
Average Utilities Prices
Basic (Water, Electricity, Garbage, Heating, Cooling)$272.22
1 min. of Prepaid Mobile Tariff Local$0.12
Internet (Unlimited Data, Cable/ADSL)$37.93
Average Leisure Prices
Fitness Club, Monthly Fee for 1 Adult$35.04
Tennis Court Rent (1 Hour)$22.85
Cinema, 1 Seat, International Release$13.05
Average Clothing Prices
1 Pair of Jeans (Levis 501 Or Comparable)$86.4
1 Summer Dress in a Chain Store (Zara, etc...)$39.73
1 Pair of Adidas Walking Shoes (Mid-Range)$89.50
Average Rent Prices
Apartment (1 bedroom) in City Center$930.57
Apartment (1 bedroom) Outside of Center$684.88
Apartment (3 bedrooms) in City Center$1728.70

How Does the Average Person Spend Their Money in Germany?

Rent per month takes a good deal of a budget of an average family in Germany.

They have to pay 27.6% of their income for having the chance to live and study or work here in this country.

Food requires even more effort and we say so because according to the statistics Germans spend 28.3% on markets.

They definitely spend a lot on restaurants and bars too.

This is a part of the German culture to go out, eat out, meet with business partners, etc.

To get around the country, travel from one city to another, or choose some destinations abroad, there are several airports in the territory of Germany.

Public transportation in most of the cities is limited to buses, trams, metro, and taxis, and as much as 13.7% of the income is paid to the developed transport system.

Average Costs Breakdown

13.9%
28.3%
13.7%
8.3%
5.4%
2.8%
27.6%

Germany: Average Salary, Minimum Wage & Mortgages

The national minimum wage in Germany has been increasing yearly.

As of today, the minimal sum that a worker in Germany can receive for doing his job is $1,868.4 per month.

At that, the average remuneration for work in Germany is $2,967.92.

These sums exclude taxes so you can see the net salary that every citizen receives.

An interesting fact is that according to the statistics, 13% of married women in Germany make more than their husbands.

They are busy with pharmaceutics, telecommunications, medicine, and insurance.

Along with these jobs, the highest salaries are paid to bank officers, the automobile industry, and the chemical, and machine-building industries.

The lowest salaries are paid in the hospitality sphere, education, and tourism.

Average Salary$2967.92
Minimum Wage$1868.4
Mortgage Interest Rate2.22%

Germany Safety Overview

READ THE FULL REPORT: Germany Safety Review

Safety Index:
85
  • OVERALL RISK: LOW
  • TRANSPORT & TAXIS RISK: LOW
  • PICKPOCKETS RISK: MEDIUM
  • NATURAL DISASTERS RISK: LOW
  • MUGGING RISK: LOW
  • TERRORISM RISK: MEDIUM
  • SCAMS RISK: LOW
  • WOMEN TRAVELERS RISK: LOW

Cost of Living by City in Germany

CityCost of Living Index
Aachen67.33
Berlin67.75
Bonn69.14
Bremen68.93
Cologne67.36
Dresden65.92
Dusseldorf73
Frankfurt71.64
Hamburg72.15
Hanover64.57
Heidelberg70.82
Karlsruhe69.26
Leipzig66.04
Mannheim68.35
Munich73.79
Nuremberg66.44
Stuttgart67.46

Where to Next?

See these related locations:

Or, browse the country/city indexes:

Cost of Living - Country Index Cost of Living - City Index

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