Cost of living in Germany: Where rents are the most expensive!

Cost of living in Germany: Where rents are the most expensive!

In Germany, the impression is often given that the cost of living is the highest in Europe. However, according to current calculations, Germany ranks fifth in the EU in the overall cost of living ranking, behind Luxembourg, Portugal, Ireland and Malta. This can be found in the comments of Focus. The analysis shows that rents in Germany are in sixth place in the EU, which means that rents in large cities are cheaper in 21 EU countries.

But where are the most expensive rents? Luxembourg is at the top, followed by Malta, Portugal, Ireland and the Netherlands. In Germany, rental prices are particularly high in large cities like Munich; the Bavarian capital has the sixth highest rents in the entire EU behind cities like Dublin and Amsterdam. If you move from a smaller town to the city, you often have to dig deeper into your pockets.

Energy and food prices

Another problem child is energy prices. Germany has the third highest electricity prices in the EU, with an average price of 28 cents per kilowatt hour. Higher costs can only be found in Ireland and Luxembourg. In comparison, natural gas prices in Germany rank 11th in the EU at 8.72 cents per kilowatt hour. A certain ray of hope: Gasoline prices in Germany are in the middle range, coming in 16th place at 1.68 euros per liter.

Food prices are in the middle of the EU, 15th out of 27 countries. The leader in this category is Luxembourg, followed by Denmark and Ireland. Anyone who keeps an eye on weekly expenses will certainly be happy that the prices of some goods in Germany remain “acceptable”.

German lifestyles with international comparison

Anyone who compares the cost of living in Germany with prices abroad will quickly notice that there are clear differences. So report on deutsche-im-ausland.org that, particularly in Australia, the cost of living is significantly higher in cities such as Sydney and Melbourne. A little perspective: Rents in these cities can be between 1,500 and 2,100 EUR for small apartments. Things look a little cheaper in Adelaide or Brisbane, with prices starting at EUR 1,100.

In comparison, the food prices in Australia are also shown: a weekly shop costs around 90 to 120 EUR. This makes it clear that although Germany is not considered the most expensive country in Europe, the pricing structure is certainly challenging, especially in the big cities. A look at the price levels also impressively shows how purchasing power and quality of life differ in different regions.

Ultimately, it should be noted that there are large regional differences in rents, energy prices and food within Germany. This topic is of particular interest to many Cologne residents, as the low interest rate phase and the lack of living space also reveal interesting facets here.

So if you are planning to move to a larger apartment or a new home, you should prepare well and always have a good hand when choosing the location - that often makes the difference! On the websites of destatis.de Current data on living costs and purchasing power parities can be found, which provide a valuable information base.