Germany
A friendly Rhineland city famous for its towering Gothic cathedral, vibrant carnival celebrations, and the distinctive local Kölsch beer culture.
#57 of 250
53% above average
Monthly cost, one adult
$ 2 210
Based on NYC = 100 index
Cologne is the 57. most expensive of the 250 cities we track — a month here comes to $ 2 210 for one adult.
Most of that goes on utilities, which runs 228% above the median city and adds $ 296 a month: basic utilities (85m2 apt) $ 369, mobile plan (10gb+) $ 17. It is also pricier than usual for transportation, restaurants.
Cheaper here than almost anywhere else is housing, 21% below the median: 1br apartment (city-wide) $ 837, 1br apartment (outside center) $ 810.
Percentages compare this city against the median of all tracked cities, category by category.
44 prices on this page come from live scrapers (16 sources, observed October 7, 2026 to October 13, 2026). They are free to reuse under CC BY 4.0: credit CostCompass and link this page.
CostCompass (2026). Cost of living in Cologne, Germany. Data as of 2026-10-14. https://costcompass.net/living/cities/cologne. Licensed under CC BY 4.0.
| Item | Price (USD) | Observations | Last observed | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1BR Apartment (city-wide) | 837.02 / month | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Immowelt.de |
| 1BR Apartment (Outside Center) | 809.64 / month | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Immowelt.de |
| 3BR Apartment (city-wide) | 1,619.27 / month | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Immowelt.de |
| Pork (1kg) | 15.85 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Wolt Market |
| Beef (1kg) | 24.56 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Wolt Market |
| Fish Fillet (1kg) | 27.55 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Wolt Market |
| Deli Meat / Ham (1kg) | 18.80 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Wolt Market |
| Yogurt (150g) | 0.56 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Wolt Market |
| Cheese (1kg) | 11.14 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Wolt Market |
| Butter (200g) | 2.49 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Wolt Market |
| Bread Roll (1pc) | 0.20 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Wolt Market |
| Pasta (500g) | 2.45 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Wolt Market |
| Oats (500g) | 0.88 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Wolt Market |
| Bell Peppers (1kg) | 6.24 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Wolt Market |
| Carrots (1kg) | 3.68 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Wolt Market |
| Onions (1kg) | 2.95 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Wolt Market |
| Garlic (1kg) | 11.17 / item | 1 | 2026-10-07 | Wolt Market |
| Lettuce (1 head) | 1.67 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Wolt Market |
| Oranges (1kg) | 2.35 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Wolt Market |
| Lentils (1kg) | 5.34 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Wolt Market |
| Canned Tomatoes (400g) | 1.87 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Wolt Market |
| Sunflower Oil (1L) | 5.39 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Wolt Market |
| Flour (1kg) | 1.64 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Wolt Market |
| Sugar (1kg) | 2.34 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Wolt Market |
| Coffee (250g) | 6.14 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Wolt Market |
| Orange Juice (1L) | 2.89 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Wolt Market |
| Monthly Transit Pass | 111.75 / month | 1 | 2026-10-13 | City Transit Fares |
| One-way Ticket | 4.47 / trip | 1 | 2026-10-13 | City Transit Fares |
| Taxi Start | 5.48 / trip | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Official Taxi Tariffs |
| Taxi 1km | 3.24 / km | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Official Taxi Tariffs |
| Gasoline (1 liter) | 2.45 / liter | 1 | 2026-10-13 | EU Weekly Oil Bulletin |
| Basic Utilities (85m2 Apt) | 369.22 / month | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Eurostat Energy Prices |
| Mobile Plan (10GB+) | 16.76 / month | 1 | 2026-10-13 | European Telecom Operators |
| Internet (60 Mbps+) | 40.23 / month | 1 | 2026-10-13 | European Telecom Operators |
| Fitness Club (Monthly) | 33.41 / month | 2 | 2026-10-13 | European Entertainment Chains, Gym Chains |
| Cinema Ticket | 11.18 / ticket | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Cinema Ticket Prices |
| Tennis Court Rent (1 Hour) | 24.59 / hour | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Tennis Court Hire Prices |
| Doctor Visit (15 min) | 43.44 / visit | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Private Clinics & Telehealth |
| Cold Medicine (6 days) | 0.99 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Online Pharmacies (API) |
| Antibiotics (12 doses) | 9.90 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Online Pharmacies (API) |
| Jeans (Levis or Similar) | 59.58 / item | 3 | 2026-10-13 | AboutYou & local fashion e-shops, Uniqlo, H&M |
| Summer Dress (Chain Store) | 55.60 / item | 3 | 2026-10-13 | AboutYou & local fashion e-shops, Uniqlo, H&M |
| Running Shoes (Nike, Adidas) | 162.04 / pair | 1 | 2026-10-13 | AboutYou & local fashion e-shops |
| Business Shoes (Leather) | 72.63 / pair | 1 | 2026-10-13 | AboutYou & local fashion e-shops |
Cities where the money splits the same way
Germany
Similar share of Utilities & Restaurants
France
Similar share of Housing & Entertainment
Belgium
Similar share of Utilities & Basic Grocery Basket
Italy
Similar share of Utilities & Entertainment · compared on 7 of 8 categories
Monthly average costs by category
$ 823
per month
$ 204
per month
$ 361
per month
$ 229
per month
$ 426
per month
$ 105
per month
$ 24
per month
$ 39
per month