Cost of Living in Hamburg, Germany

Updated On May 10, 2022

How Much Does It Cost to Live In Hamburg?

Those who are scheduling a meeting on the Elbe should consider a Hamburg city as the best place for this.

Not only is it one of the largest ports in Germany, but also a multimillion, multicultural megapolis.

The Northern Germans go shopping in Hamburg and families with kids go to the zoo without cages in Hamburg.

People love posting photos on social media, for instance, those taken under the beautiful streetlights at night.

Hamburg is just perfect for this, and what is more, Hamburg is a record breaker in the number of bridges (2,300 ones in all).

Cost of Living Index:
72.15
* Based on Research & User Data
Restaurants

RESTAURANTS

The number of restaurants in Hamburg goes far beyond the number of bridges there.

Here you are the cuisines that you can try in this German city: Italian, American, French, Mexican, Japanese, Indian, Middle East, Indian and Spanish.

Meat-eaters, vegetarians, and budget food seekers will definitely find what they are looking for.

Markets

MARKETS

Hamburg is very convenient in terms of Sunday shopping.

When most of the European shops close their doors on the weekend, Hamburg offers Sunday afternoon shopping for all.

As for the farmers’ markets, the weekly open-air stalls are available in every district of the city, so you can reach them from wherever you stay in Hamburg.

Transportation

TRANSPORTATION

Trains, buses, ferries, and underground trams are ways to travel around the city.

It is highly recommended that you buy a monthly pass or a special Hamburg card (many employers provide ones for their staff) to travel on a budget and with comfort on any means of transport.

At the weekend, you can also use night buses on the main routes and round-the-clock high-speed city trains.

Utilities

UTILITIES (MONTHLY)

Utilities are always something we are obliged to talk about.

This is part of our life so it’s better knowing what to expect when you are not just a tourist, but a future resident of the city or a permanent employee.

Basic comforts do not exceed the figure $398 monthly.

Sports and leisure

SPORTS & LEISURE

Leisure time in Hamburg can be special if you are not that person who loves staying at home all the time.

There are the educating picture galleries, a maritime museum, the miniature model city inside the city, and so on.

Active lifestyle in Hamburg means swimming, cycling, ice-skating, and water sports.

Clothing and shoes

CLOTHING & SHOES

There are a few huge shopping malls in Hamburg where you can spend the entire day and buy or at least try on everything you like.

All the budgets will find their clothes and shoes here, either you are looking for a popular chain store, a luxury boutique, or a no-name brand.

Rent per month

RENT PER MONTH

Monthly rent depends a lot on the district where you are going to or have already rented accommodation.

The calm suburbs would be perfect for families with kids since Hamburg has been one of the greenest cities in Europe and offers fresh air out of the urban area.

You should also remember to save some money to buy furniture for your new home in Hamburg.

Cost of Living Averages Table for Hamburg

*Note: All prices are indicated in USD.
Average Restaurant Prices
Meal (Inexpensive Restaurant)$11.20
Domestic Beer (0.5 Liter)$4.48
Water (0.33 Liter)$2.11
Average Market Prices
Milk (1 Liter)$0.88
Loaf Bread (500g)$1.52
Eggs (12)$2.30
Average Transport Prices
One Way Ticket$3.58
Monthly Pass$92.97
Gasoline$1.61
Average Utilities Prices
Basic (Water, Electricity, Garbage, Heating, Cooling)$281.29
1 min. of Prepaid Mobile Tariff Local$0.11
Internet (Unlimited Data, Cable/ADSL)$35.30
Average Leisure Prices
Fitness Club, Monthly Fee for 1 Adult$40.01
Tennis Court Rent (1 Hour)$22.40
Cinema, 1 Seat, International Release$13.44
Average Clothing Prices
1 Pair of Jeans (Levis 501 Or Comparable)$85.80
1 Summer Dress in a Chain Store (Zara, etc...)$36.87
1 Pair of Adidas Walking Shoes (Mid-Range)$94.87
Average Rent Prices
Apartment (1 bedroom) in City Center$994.35
Apartment (1 bedroom) Outside of Center$723.85
Apartment (3 bedrooms) in City Center$2026.95

How Does the Average Person Spend Their Money in Hamburg?

The largest sums of money usually go on either markets or monthly rent.

Hamburg is the second option this time.

The city is great in terms of climate, work conditions, traveling, and shopping.

People enjoy staying here so the apartments and houses for rent are quite popular.

Then fresh food, vegetables. fish, meat and dairy products do not leave anyone indifferent.

That is why as much as %26.5 of the income is usually spent on markets.

Bikes and walking do their work so less and less money is spent on transportation.

Clothing and shoes are at the bottom of the table.

The Northern Germans prefer paying bills, doing sports and driving to destinations.

Average Costs Breakdown

13%
26.5%
12.9%
8.4%
5.7%
2.8%
30.6%

Hamburg: Average Salary, Minimum Wage & Mortgages

With the net minimum salary wage of $1782.8, an average citizen of Hamburg can live well in case they plan well ahead and do not spend on odd things.

The average monthly salary is way better than that, almost $3000 per month.

This city has the highest GDP in Germany, and young workers are almost always employed.

Those residents who cannot afford themselves to buy a house and they are not willing to pay much to a babysitter, can apply for a mortgage with the interest rate of 1.89% per month.

The mortgage can be taken for 20 years and in terms of the average salary is not big at all.

Average Salary$2746.71
Minimum Wage$1782.8
Mortgage Interest Rate1.89%

Hamburg Safety Overview

READ THE FULL REPORT: Hamburg Safety Review

Safety Index:
82
  • OVERALL RISK: MEDIUM
  • TRANSPORT & TAXIS RISK: LOW
  • PICKPOCKETS RISK: MEDIUM
  • NATURAL DISASTERS RISK: LOW
  • MUGGING RISK: MEDIUM
  • TERRORISM RISK: MEDIUM
  • SCAMS RISK: MEDIUM
  • WOMEN TRAVELERS RISK: LOW

Cost of Living by City in Hamburg

CityCost of Living Index
Aachen67.33
Berlin67.75
Bonn69.14
Bremen68.93
Cologne67.36
Dresden65.92
Dusseldorf73
Frankfurt71.64
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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