Cologne vs Berlin Cost of Living
Cologne (Germany) · Overall index 55.9 — Berlin (Germany) · Overall index 60.5
Summary
- Overall, Berlin is 8% more expensive than Cologne.
- Transport in Berlin is 12% more expensive than in Cologne.
- Rent in Berlin is 11% more expensive than in Cologne.
| Item | Cologne | Berlin | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rent | +11% | ||
| 1-bedroom apartment, city centre (monthly) | $1,510 | $1,809 | +20% |
| 1-bedroom apartment, outside centre (monthly) | $1,059 | $1,061 | 0% |
| 3-bedroom apartment, city centre (monthly) | $2,908 | $3,318 | +14% |
| 3-bedroom apartment, outside centre (monthly) | $1,793 | $1,981 | +10% |
| Groceries | +9% | ||
| Milk (1L) | $0.92 | $1.08 | +17% |
| White bread (500g) | $2.89 | $2.73 | -6% |
| Rice (1kg) | $3.59 | $4.17 | +16% |
| Eggs (12) | $3.82 | $3.78 | -1% |
| Local cheese (1kg) | $9.26 | $10.7 | +16% |
| Chicken fillets (1kg) | $9.63 | $10.3 | +7% |
| Beef round (1kg) | $14.5 | $16 | +10% |
| Apples (1kg) | $3.8 | $3.81 | 0% |
| Bananas (1kg) | $1.46 | $1.58 | +8% |
| Oranges (1kg) | $2.95 | $3.71 | +26% |
| Tomatoes (1kg) | $3.75 | $4.02 | +7% |
| Potatoes (1kg) | $2.16 | $2.23 | +3% |
| Onions (1kg) | $1.86 | $2.26 | +22% |
| Lettuce (1 head) | $1.88 | $2 | +6% |
| Water (1.5L bottle) | $1.63 | $2 | +23% |
| Bottle of wine (mid-range) | $10.8 | $11.1 | +3% |
| Transport | +12% | ||
| Public transport, one-way ticket | $1.62 | $1.87 | +15% |
| Public transport, monthly pass | $80.4 | $84.3 | +5% |
| Taxi, base fare | $2.3 | $2.71 | +18% |
| Taxi, per km | $1.24 | $1.27 | +2% |
| Gasoline (1L) | $0.63 | $0.74 | +17% |
| New compact car (e.g., VW Golf) | $18,256 | $21,143 | +16% |
| Dining out | +3% | ||
| Meal, inexpensive restaurant | $13.6 | $15.6 | +15% |
| Meal for 2, mid-range restaurant (3 courses) | $79.5 | $88.5 | +11% |
| Fast food combo meal | $8.72 | $8.01 | -8% |
| Cappuccino | $3.9 | $3.38 | -13% |
| Coke/Pepsi (0.33L, restaurant) | $1.96 | $2.05 | +5% |
| Domestic beer (0.5L, restaurant) | $4.65 | $4.83 | +4% |
| Imported beer (0.33L, restaurant) | $5.27 | $6.19 | +17% |
| Water (0.33L, restaurant) | $1.42 | $1.43 | +1% |
| Telecom | +6% | ||
| Mobile plan, calls + 10GB+ data (monthly) | $48 | $47.6 | -1% |
| Broadband internet 60Mbps+ (monthly) | $44.5 | $58.3 | +31% |
| Prepaid mobile tariff (1 min) | $0.28 | $0.26 | -7% |
| Video streaming subscription (monthly) | $12.6 | $12.9 | +2% |
| Utilities & household | +6% | ||
| Basic utilities, 85m² apartment (monthly) | $120 | $144 | +20% |
| Electricity (1 kWh) | $0.15 | $0.15 | 0% |
| Tap water (1m³) | $3.26 | $3.66 | +12% |
| Natural gas (1m³) | $1.06 | $1.08 | +2% |
| Waste collection (monthly) | $17.7 | $16.9 | -5% |
| Fitness club (monthly) | $61.3 | $62.1 | +1% |
| Cinema ticket (1 seat) | $10.5 | $10.3 | -2% |
| Men's haircut | $24.3 | $26.9 | +11% |
| Domestic cleaning (1 hour) | $16.7 | $17.6 | +5% |
| Private kindergarten (monthly) | $1,506 | $1,733 | +15% |
3,224 total data points · Price data as of 2026-07-01 · Exchange rates as of 2026-07-15
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Estimates for reference only — not official statistics.
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