🇩🇪Cost of Living in Cologne

Germany · Population: 1,080,000 · Cost Index: 69/100

Cost of Living in Cologne

Germany · Europe

Cologne is a lively Rhineland city famous for its iconic Gothic cathedral, vibrant carnival celebrations, and thriving media industry. It offers a relaxed urban atmosphere with good public transport and living costs below Munich and Frankfurt.

1,080,000

Population

Cost Index

Safety Index

Quality of Life

Average Monthly Cost: $1,900 (single person, excluding rent)

Estimated monthly budget in Cologne

Typical total monthly cost by household type.

Single person

$1,900

per month

Couple

$2,850

per month

Family of 4

$3,990

per month

Student

$1,430

per month

Estimates based on the average cost of living in Cologne, scaled by household size. Actual costs vary with lifestyle, neighbourhood and housing.

Cost Breakdown

Housing

Avg: $1,112.50

1-Bedroom Apartment (City Center)(per month)

$900.00

1-Bedroom Apartment (Outside Center)(per month)

$650.00

3-Bedroom Apartment (City Center)(per month)

$1,700.00

3-Bedroom Apartment (Outside Center)(per month)

$1,200.00

Food & Groceries

Avg: $9.16

Meal at Inexpensive Restaurant(per meal)

$12.00

Meal for 2 at Mid-Range Restaurant(per meal)

$50.00

McMeal at McDonald's(per meal)

$9.50

Milk (1 liter)(per liter)

$1.10

Bread (500g loaf)(per loaf)

$1.50

Rice (1 kg)(per kg)

$1.90

Eggs (12)(per dozen)

$2.90

Chicken Breast (1 kg)(per kg)

$8.80

Apples (1 kg)(per kg)

$2.40

Banana (1 kg)(per kg)

$1.50

Transportation

Avg: $23.23

Monthly Public Transit Pass(per month)

$105.00

One-Way Ticket (Local Transport)(per trip)

$3.00

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)(base fare)

$4.00

Taxi 1km (Normal Tariff)(per km)

$2.30

Gasoline (1 liter)(per liter)

$1.85

Utilities

Avg: $98.33

Basic Utilities (85m² Apt)(per month)

$240.00

Mobile Phone Plan(per month)

$22.00

Internet (60 Mbps+)(per month)

$33.00

Healthcare

Avg: $34.00

Doctor Visit(per visit)

$35.00

Dentist Visit(per visit)

$60.00

Prescription Medicine (avg)(per prescription)

$7.00

Entertainment

Avg: $13.83

Fitness Club Monthly(per month)

$35.00

Cinema Ticket(per ticket)

$12.50

Cappuccino(per cup)

$3.30

Beer (0.5l) at Restaurant(per glass)

$4.50

Clothing

Avg: $67.33

Pair of Jeans (Levi's)(per pair)

$80.00

Summer Dress (Chain Store)(per item)

$34.00

Running Shoes (Nike, Adidas)(per pair)

$88.00

Popular Cologne comparisons

Cologne vs Berlin Cologne vs Hamburg Cologne vs Munich Cologne vs Frankfurt Cologne vs New York Cologne vs London Cologne vs Tokyo Cologne vs Singapore

Frequently asked questions about Cologne

Is Cologne expensive to live in?

Cologne has a cost of living index of 69 out of 100, where New York City scores 100. This puts it in the mid-range among the cities we track.

How much money do you need to live in Cologne?

A single person needs an estimated $1,900 per month to live in Cologne, covering rent, food, transport and other essentials. A family or a more comfortable lifestyle will cost more.

What is the cost of living index in Cologne?

Cologne's cost of living index is 69 out of 100. The index is relative to New York City (100), so a score of 50 means overall costs are roughly half those of New York.

What is quality of life like in Cologne?

Cologne scores 74 out of 100 for quality of life and 60 out of 100 for safety in our index.